Manager of Stores and Purchasing at A Finkl & Sons Co – Chicago, Illinois

Position Summary

The Manager of Procurement & Stores oversees all materials management functions, including inventory control, purchasing, receiving, and supplier management. This role ensures that production, maintenance, and operational departments have the materials, tooling, and consumables needed to operate safely, efficiently, and on schedule. The position is responsible for developing local procurement strategies with support from the Director of Procurement, optimizing inventory levels, controlling costs, and ensuring compliance with internal, customer, and federal-contractor requirements.

Compensation

$85k - $120k

Key Responsibilities

Purchasing & Procurement

Lead all purchasing activities for raw materials, consumables, MRO supplies, tooling, spare parts, and contract services in coordination with Corporaate ProcurementDevelop sourcing strategies that support cost savings, vendor reliability, and production uptime.Negotiate contracts, pricing, terms, and service levels with suppliers.Maintain approved supplier lists and assess vendor performance regularly.Ensure compliance with federal-contractor purchasing requirements (e.g., FAR/DFARS flow-downs, domestic sourcing requirements if applicable).Coordinate with engineering, maintenance, operations, and finance to ensure timely purchasing aligned with operational needs and budgetary constraints.

Stores & Inventory Management

Oversee all warehouse and storeroom operations, including receiving, stocking, issuing, cycle counting, shipping, and documentation.Implement inventory control systems to minimize shortages, excess inventory, and stockouts.Monitor inventory levels and set appropriate reorder points and safety stock for critical items.Ensure accurate records in the ERP system; audit physical vs. system inventory.Maintain safe, organized, and compliant warehouse conditions.

Logistics & Supplier Coordination

Oversee receiving inspections and ensure discrepancies, damage, or non-conformances are resolved promptly.Coordinate expediting activities for urgent or critical parts.

Financial & Compliance Oversight

Create and manage annual budgets for purchasing, inventory, and stores operations.Analyze cost drivers and identify opportunities for cost reduction or process improvement.Ensure compliance with internal controls, procurement policy, audit requirements, and federal-contractor regulations.Maintain accurate documentation for traceability, supplier certifications, and quality requirements (ISO, AS9100, nuclear/defense requirements if applicable).

Leadership & Team Development

Supervise buyers and stores associates.Train and develop team members in procurement processes, ERP use, inventory control, safety, and compliance.Establish clear performance metrics and accountability for purchasing and stores teams.Partner with operations leadership to support continuous improvement initiatives (5S, lean storage layouts, vendor-managed inventory, Kanban, etc.).

Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Business, Operations Management, or related field (or equivalent experience).5–7+ years of purchasing, supply chain, or stores/warehouse management experience—preferably in steel manufacturing, heavy industry, machining, or metals.Strong negotiation skills and contract management experience.Experience with ERP/MRP systems (SAP, Oracle, Epicor, Infor, etc.).Knowledge of inventory control techniques (cycle counting, ABC analysis, safety stock, Kanban).Understanding of FAR/DFARS and federal-contractor procurement compliance a plus.Strong leadership, communication, and cross-functional collaboration skills.

Working Conditions

Primarily office-based with routine presence on the shop floor, warehouse, receiving dock, and outdoor storage areas.May require lifting up to 25 lbs and use of PPE in production environments.Occasional after-hours response for urgent material needs or supplier issues.We Offer

Medical, Dental and Vision benefits401k Match & Profit SharingSTD and Life Insurance10 paid holidays & PTO