Purchasing Manager

Job Purpose

The Purchasing Manager is responsible for ensuring the reliable, timely and cost-effective supply of raw materials, packaging materials and indirect production materials required for manufacturing activities.

The role is accountable for establishing and maintaining an efficient purchasing organization, developing supplier relationships, managing purchasing performance and ensuring that material availability supports production, customer requirements and business objectives.

The scope of the function includes direct production materials and indirect production materials. It excludes office stationery, general non-production consumables and travel-related purchasing.

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1. Main Responsibilities

Purchasing Strategy & Management

• Define and maintain replenishment parameters for raw materials, packaging and indirect production materials, including stock coverage, minimum and safety stock levels, reorder points and order quantities, to support factory operational requirements

• Establish purchasing policies, processes and rules to ensure consistent and efficient purchasing practices.

• Develop purchasing plans based on production forecasts, demand, inventory levels, supplier lead times and business requirements.

• Ensure purchasing activities are performed in accordance with approved budgets, purchasing procedures and delegation of authority.

• Identify opportunities to optimize purchasing costs while maintaining required quality, service and food safety standards.

• Develop appropriate purchasing strategies for critical and strategic materials, considering supply risks, lead times, availability and supplier dependency.

• Ensure business continuity through appropriate supplier and sourcing strategies.

Supplier Management & Development

• Manage the supplier portfolio for raw materials, packaging and indirect production materials in accordance with the procurement department negotiated terms.

• Establish and maintain strong relationships with key suppliers.

• Monitor supplier performance, including:

• On-time delivery.

• Quality performance.

• Responsiveness.

• Capacity and supply reliability.

• Commercial performance.

• Lead supplier performance reviews and improvement actions.

Material Planning & Availability

• Ensure the purchasing function effectively translates forecasts and material requirements into purchasing actions.

• Review MRP/MDP requirements, inventory levels and purchasing proposals.

• Ensure adequate coverage of critical materials to prevent production interruptions.

• Monitor material shortages and supply risks and define appropriate mitigation actions.

• Coordinate with Supply Chain and Production to align purchasing decisions with the production plan.

• Ensure appropriate management and updates of minimum order quantities, lead times, safety stocks and supplier constraints.

Inventory & Working Capital Optimization

• Monitor raw material and packaging inventory levels and purchasing commitments.

• Contribute to the optimization of working capital through appropriate purchasing quantities and ordering frequency.

• Identify and reduce excess, obsolete and slow-moving inventory.

• Balance inventory optimization with production continuity and customer service requirements.

• Establish actions to improve inventory coverage and purchasing efficiency.

• Monitor the financial impact of purchasing decisions and commitments.

Purchasing Performance & Cost Management

• Establish and monitor purchasing KPIs and dashboards.

• Track purchasing performance against objectives and budgets.

• Prepare purchasing performance reports for management.

• Escalate significant cost increases, supply risks and supplier issues and coordinate action with procurement department

• Contribute to the annual budget and forecast process for purchasing-related costs.

Import & Supply Chain Coordination

• Oversee local and international purchasing activities and ensure appropriate coordination with Logistics.

• Monitor imported material flows and ensure purchasing requirements are aligned with shipment and customs lead times.

• Ensure appropriate supplier documentation is available and maintained.

• Coordinate with Logistics regarding shipment planning, customs clearance and delivery requirements.

• Ensure appropriate supplier documentation is available for reception process

• Ensure required purchasing and shipping documentation is available and accurate.

• Anticipate and mitigate risks related to international supply, customs and transportation.

• Ensure purchasing activities support the overall Supply Chain and S&OP process.

ERP, Data & Process Management

• Ensure the purchasing function maintains accurate and reliable data in SAGE/MRP and TASCO customs ERP systems.

• Ensure supplier, material, lead-time, MOQ and purchasing parameters are regularly reviewed and updated.

• Ensure purchase orders and purchasing transactions are correctly recorded.

• Lead continuous improvement of purchasing processes and systems.

• Ensure purchasing data supports reliable material planning and reporting.

• Ensure appropriate documentation and traceability of purchasing activities.

Team Management & Development

• Organize, supervise and develop the Purchasing team.

• Define responsibilities, objectives and priorities for purchasing team members.

• Ensure appropriate workload distribution and operational coverage.

• Coach team members and develop their purchasing, planning and supplier management capabilities.

• Establish individual and team performance objectives.

• Monitor team performance and provide regular feedback.

• Ensure purchasing procedures and best practices are understood and applied by the team.

• Develop team autonomy while maintaining appropriate management control.

• Ensure business continuity through cross-training and appropriate backup arrangements.

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2. Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Supply Chain, Purchasing, Procurement, Business Administration, Engineering or a related field.

• Minimum 5 years of experience in purchasing, supply chain or material management, preferably within a food, flavor, chemical or manufacturing environment.

• Previous experience managing suppliers and negotiating commercial conditions.

• Experience managing a purchasing team is preferred.

• Strong understanding of MRP, inventory management and supply planning.

• Experience with ERP systems; ERP/MRP and TASCO experience is an advantage.

• Good understanding of import and customs processes is preferred.

• Good understanding of supplier quality and food safety requirements.

• Fluent or professional working level in English and Thai.

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3. Key Competencies

• Purchasing strategy and execution.

• Supplier relationship and negotiation.

• Material planning and inventory management.

• Optimization of purchasing costs and working capital through effective sourcing, negotiation, inventory and payment-term management.

• Supply risk management.

• Analytical and problem-solving skills.

• Cross-functional leadership.

• Team leadership and development.

• Decision-making and prioritization.

• Strong communication and stakeholder management.

• Continuous improvement mindset.

• Ability to operate effectively in a manufacturing environment.