Purchasing/Inventory Manager

Hajoca Corporation is one of the country’s largest privately-held wholesale distributors of plumbing, heating & cooling, and industrial supplies. Founded in 1858, Hajoca is a company based on the principles of “Service, Integrity, Reliability,” and on relationships of trust and support with teammates, customers, and suppliers.  Throughout its history, Hajoca has played an active role in shaping advances in plumbing. However, we attribute our success to two simple truths; a unique business philosophy and talented people. Hajoca is all about the people, who give us our advantage, and who will guide us successfully into the future. 
 

Although Hajoca is a large company, we work in a decentralized environment where each of our locations, called Profit Centers (PCs), is run by the Profit Center Manager as if it were their own small business. A typical Profit Center is the heart of our business and consists of a warehouse, counter, sales office, and (sometimes) a showroom. Our PCs conduct business under unique trade names and offer a customized business approach, honoring what’s special about each local marketplace.

Our Private Label Vendor Management team is looking for a Purchasing and Inventory Manager. 

This is primarily a remote position, but Orlando, FL and Charlotte, NC areas are preferred.

Are you a leader that excels in managing and developing a team? Are you an excellent negotiator and communicator? Do you enjoy analyzing trends and developing strategies for success? If so, we’d like you to join our dedicated team as a Purchasing and Inventory Manager. 

About the Role:

    You will:

• Manage, recruit, hire, develop and train a team of Purchasing teammates, who will be responsible for the replenishment and maintaining of inventory levels of private label product lines for the Profit Centers they are assigned to.  
• Set clear performance expectations and goals for teammates and conduct regular performance evaluations to assess progress and provide feedback. Provide the strategic direction needed to penetrate accounts and close opportunities.

• Develop and execute a strategy to sustainably grow VMI sales, exceeding growth and profitability targets.

• Manage negotiations with vendors to obtain the best pricing, delivery, and terms of purchase ensuring optimal order fill rates and customer satisfaction.
• Develop and implement long-term strategies for inventory control and purchasing that align with business objectives of sustainably growing vendor managed inventory sales, and exceeding growth and profitability targets.
• Identify and evaluate trends and best practices in inventory management to enhance purchasing strategies.
• Help create and enforce inventory and purchasing policies and procedures to ensure efficiency, consistency and compliance.
• Develop and maintain strategic partnerships with key suppliers and vendors.
• Conduct negotiations and manage contracts with suppliers to secure the best possible terms and pricing.
• Analyze product on hand and projected product sales.
• Develop and implement contingency plans to ensure business continuity with inventory needs.
• Provide insights and recommendations based on data analysis to support decision making.
• Ensure that the VMI team members meet or exceed the Profit Center targets for fill rates/service levels, in stock rates, annual inventory turns, and slow-moving/devalued/overstock inventory levels.
• Perform required file maintenance to products, buy lines, price and buy matrices; communicate with Product File Administrator as necessary.
• Successfully complete required safety and compliance training programs as assigned.
• Perform other reasonably related duties as assigned by immediate supervisor and other management as required.

About You:

• • 5+ years of purchasing and inventory control experience, wholesale distribution experience preferred
  • 1+ year of leadership experience
  • Knowledge of products sold in the Profit Center preferred

Our ideal candidate will also:

• Possess leadership qualities and be viewed as a leader.
• Have experience promoting a productive and positive team environment, coaching staff to do their best work.
• Effectively use Microsoft Office software (Outlook, Word, Excel) to communicate via email, to maintain vendor contact files and appointment calendars, and to analyze vendor purchases and sales data.
• Be able to analyze sales and procurement data and understand market trends to make the best purchasing decisions.

• Possess excellent verbal communication and negotiation skills.
• Be able to build and maintain influential relationships with vendors, customers and co-workers.
• Be energetic, self-motivated and able to work independently.
• Be able to learn and operate the computer related systems used to create, process and expedite purchase orders, to control inventory, and to produce reports for analysis.
• Read, write, speak, and understand English.
• Be able to add, subtract, multiply, and divide, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals.