Purchasing Manager - Evansville - Kaiser Aluminum

Description

Kaiser Aluminum is known around the world for its superior quality. Our secret is what we put into it—innovative thinking, industry-leading reliability, and a world-class commitment to customer service. In short, the same qualities we look for in our people. We are looking for a Purchasing Manager to join Kaiser Aluminum Warrick Operations in Newburgh, Indiana. This role involves developing, implementing, and managing strategies for the acquisition of all components, capital equipment, and services to ensure optimal quality, cost, and delivery performance, minimizing supply chain risk, and supporting the plant's production and profitability goals.

Make sure to read the full description below, and please apply immediately if you are confident you meet all the requirements.

What's in it for you

To support our teams and their families beyond the workplace, we provide an outstanding benefits package effective day one of employment.

• Competitive compensation and healthcare
• 401K options that begin vesting day 1
• First-rate vacation opportunity for valuable work-life balance
• Relocation assistance for new team members

What you will work on:

Strategic Sourcing and Category Management:

• Develop and execute world-class procurement and strategic sourcing strategies for direct and indirect materials, including key manufacturing consumables (MRO), packaging, energy, and capital expenditure projects.
• Identify, evaluate, and qualify new local, domestic, and international suppliers to establish a robust and diversified supply base.
• Lead complex negotiations for high-value contracts and long-term agreements, ensuring favorable terms, quality standards, and risk mitigation.
• Analyze market trends, spend data, and commodity indices to forecast costs and develop cost-reduction initiatives.

Stores Warehouse and Inventory Management:

• Oversee the entire Stores/MRO Warehouse operation, including physical inventory storage, organization, security, and material issuance processes.
• Establish and enforce inventory control policies for indirect materials, spare parts, and consumables to optimize stock levels, minimize obsolescence, and ensure immediate availability for Maintenance and Operations.
• Direct the implementation of advanced inventory management techniques (e.g., Min/Max levels, consignment, Vendor Managed Inventory - VMI) to drive efficiency and working capital improvements.
• Ensure accurate inventory records through effective cycle counting and physical inventory programs.

Leadership and Team Management:

• Lead, mentor, and develop the procurement team, fostering a culture of high performance, continuous improvement, and compliance.
• Set clear performance goals (KPIs) for the department, such as savings targets, supplier performance, and inventory optimization.
• Develop team objectives and metrics to cultivate a high-performance team
• Collaborate cross-functionally with Operations, Production, Finance, Engineering, and Quality teams to ensure procurement aligns with operational goals and equipment management.

Supplier Relationship and Risk Management:

• Establish and maintain strong, collaborative relationships with key strategic suppliers.
• Implement a rigorous Supplier Relationship Management (SRM) program, including regular performance reviews based on quality, delivery, cost, and innovation.
• Proactively identify, assess, and mitigate supply chain risks, including single-source dependencies, geopolitical issues, and commodity price volatility.

Operational Excellence and Compliance:

• Oversee the entire procure-to-pay process, driving efficiency and best practices in purchasing and inventory control.
• Ensure all procurement activities comply with company policies, regulatory requirements, and ethical standards.
• Manage the annual department budget and monitor purchase price variance (PPV) against financial goals.
• Utilize and optimize the plant's Oracle/Hubble system for maximum data integrity and process efficiency.

What you will bring to this role:

• Bachelor's degree in business administration, Supply Chain Management, Engineering, or a related field.
• A master's degree (MBA or MS in Supply Chain) is preferred but not required.
• Minimum of 10 years of progressive experience in Procurement or Supply Chain roles.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in a supervisor or manager-level role within a large-scale manufacturing environment.
• Proven track record of achieving significant material cost reductions and managing multi-million-dollar spend categories.
• Exceptional negotiation and contract management skills.
• Strong analytical, financial, and problem-solving abilities (e.g., TCO, make-vs-buy analysis).
• Expert knowledge of manufacturing operations, raw materials, logistics, and inventory management.
• Proficiency with ERP and procurement systems, preferably Oracle.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills to influence stakeholders at all levels.
• Relevant professional certification (e.g., CPSM - Certified Professional in Supply Management) is highly desirable.
• Proven ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously, keeping information organized and accessible.

We are an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered based on job-related qualifications and abilities. xhmxlyz There shall be no discrimination on the basis of age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, veteran, or disability status.