Purchasing Manager

We have an exciting, challenging, and rewarding opportunity to take on the role as Purchasing Manager. Working closely with the leadership team and supported by the Purchasing Assistant, you will take over full responsibility for the procurement function at the company.

You’ll be encouraged to think strategically, take on responsibility, show initiative, and demonstrate independence early and often.

**WHO WE ARE**:
Founded in Montreal in 1956, Ideal Security is a third-generation family business that imports and distributes specialty hardware (door and window locks; ladder accessories, storage) to retailers (brick & mortar and online), manufacturers, and individuals across North America.

With a team of 15 people, we continuously strive to innovate, improve our products and processes, and diversify our product markets. Our purpose, values, and core competencies have sustained us for over 60 years.

**WHAT YOU’LL DO AT OUR COMPANY**:
You will bring a continuous improvement mindset to all aspects of the role, which will include: sourcing new vendors, negotiating pricing, analyzing inventory needs, placing POs, handling QC issues, project management, and coordinating new product development.

**YOUR DAY-TO-DAY**:

- **Supplier Management**:Build and maintain strong relationships with existing suppliers in China and Taiwan; responding to daily correspondences and ensuring timely delivery of products.
- **Cross-Functional Collaboration**:Liaise between Sales, Marketing, Engineering, Logistics teams and suppliers; sharing information, coordinating meetings and ensuring purchasing strategies are aligned with business goals and customer requirements.
- **Inventory management**:Use our Inventory Management System (Netstock) to review inventory levels and projected stock-outs, and lead the weekly purchasing meeting (where we decide what to order this week) with the VP Sales and President.
- **Procurement**:Lead the end-to-end procurement process, creating, updating and maintaining bills of material (BOMs), updating purchase orders (POs) in our ERP system, and monitoring supplier performance.
- **Logistics**:Oversee the coordination of paperwork for importing (invoices, packing slips, bills of lading; brokers, freight forwarders) between the Purchasing Assistant, Freight Manager, and our customs, brokerage, and forwarding partners.
- **New Product Development**:Act as a Project Manager to lead New Product Development, which includes: Goal-setting (Quarterly OKRs and Milestone goals); Identifying prototyping and manufacturing sources; coordinating between departments / individuals; managing timelines and deliverables.
- **Quality Control**:Work with Engineers, Warehouse and suppliers to understand root causes of quality issues or defects, determine scope of the problem, and work towards resolution.
- **Cost Control**:Conduct market research, Analyze pricing trends, market conditions, and cost structures to identify opportunities for cost savings and process improvements (Suppliers, Freight Forwarders, Customs Brokers, Packaging, etc.)
- **Continuous Improvement**:Identify areas for process improvement within the purchasing function and implement initiatives to enhance efficiency and effectiveness.
- **Special projects**: lead ad-hoc projects with the team, such as the development of more sustainable packaging for our products.
- **Team leadership and development**:Train and develop the Purchasing Assistant; set, monitor and report on OKRs for the Purchasing department.
- **Reporting**:Working closely with our business analyst and using a variety of BI platforms, create, review, and share analysis and reports (Ex: Stock Out Report, Purchasing Dashboard, Purchase Price Variance, Landing Factors, etc.)

**A FEW AWESOME THINGS ABOUT THIS ROLE**:

- You’ll work directly with the management team, giving your input on business decisions and strategic planning.
- We are not a siloed team, and this is not a siloed position. You will be expected NOT to be “just a purchasing agent,” but to develop an understanding of our broader operations like sales, marketing, logistics, and product development. You will be exposed to every part of the business to understand how your decisions impact our overall success, and support every team in their operations.
- You’ll have unlimited opportunities to solve problems, explore ideas, and try new things. We’re big on solving problems and constantly improving our processes.
- You get to be part of a multi-generational team of people who are committed to each other, the company, and their work, but also to their own personal lives and well-being. Go home at the end of the day. Live a life. Tell us about it.

**ABOUT YOU**:
You’re never satisfied with the status quo and bring a data-driven, continuous improvement mindset to everything you do.

**KEY REQUIREMENTS**:

- 2-5 years of experience in a Purchasing or Supply Chain role.
- Entrepreneurial self-starter: You will be guided