Purchasing Program Manager at Lifeline Animal Project Inc – Atlanta, Georgia

Position: Purchasing Program Manager

Department: Finance

Reports To: Chief Financial Officer (CFO)

Location: 3180 Presidential Dr, Atlanta, GA 30340

Summary:

LifeLine Animal Project is committed to the care and welfare of pets and the people who love them. The values we exhibit as an organization show the strength of our staff, our leadership and our community. We expect all employees to exhibit LifeLine’s core values as we complete daily tasks, provide services to clients and care for our animals.

The Purchasing Program Manager plays a vital role in supporting our mission to protect and care for animals across multiple shelter locations. By coordinating the procurement of essential supplies, this position ensures that every animal receives safe housing, proper nutrition, and compassionate care. This role helps steward our resources responsibly, supporting both our staff and the communities we serve.

Why This Role Matters:

Every purchase made directly supports the well-being of animals in our care. By ensuring that each shelter location has the supplies it needs, the Purchasing Program Manager strengthens our ability to save lives, support our staff, and serve our community with compassion and integrity.

Essential Job Functions:

This represents a list of essential job duties. Other duties or special projects may be assigned as needed.

• Uphold the standards and values of LifeLine Animal Project:

Save Lives -- Build Community -- Be Exceptional Stewards -- Be Courageous --

Be Compassionate -- Take Responsibility -- Respect, Embrace and Celebrate Diversity

• Coordinate purchasing activities for all shelter locations, ensuring each site has the supplies needed to provide high-quality care.
• Process purchase orders for food, enrichment items, cleaning products, bedding, and facility equipment.
• Take responsibility to maintain accurate vendor records, pricing lists, contracts, and procurement documentation in alignment with nonprofit accountability standards.
• Track orders and deliveries across multiple sites, courageously resolving delays or discrepancies to avoid disruptions in animal care.
• Monitor inventory levels at each location; collaborate with shelter managers and staff to anticipate needs and prevent shortages.
• Support responsible stewardship of donor funds by obtaining competitive quotes, negotiating pricing, and identifying cost-saving opportunities.
• Reconcile invoices with purchase orders and packing slips; work closely with accounting to ensure transparency and accuracy.
• Prepare purchasing and inventory reports, including usage trends and budget tracking for each site.
• Promptly escalate purchasing discrepancies or concerns.
• Help build community by fostering positive relationships with vendors, community partners, and internal teams to support the shelter’s mission.
• Ensure compliance with organizational procurement policies and relevant animal-care guidelines.
• Respect, embrace, and celebrate diversity by always operating with a judgement-free mindset.
• Continue education by participating in LifeLine’s 40-hour annual training requirement.

Qualifications:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily.

• Strong organizational and time-management skills with the ability to coordinate needs across multiple locations.
• Must be trustworthy, responsible, and have the ability to work independently, with a minimal amount of supervision.
• Proficiency with purchasing or inventory systems and Microsoft Office tools.
• Excellent communication and vendor-management abilities.
• High attention to detail and accuracy in documentation and data entry.
• Commitment to ethical purchasing practices and responsible use of resources.
• Knowledge of inventory management best practices.
• Must have a means of travel that ensures prompt arrival for work shifts.
• Must pass a background check.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience in an animal shelter, rescue organization, or nonprofit setting.
• Familiarity with animal-care supplies, food types, and shelter operations.

Education and/or Experience:

Minimum of high school diploma. Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent experience preferred. Experience in purchasing, supply chain, or administrative support, ideally in a multi-site or nonprofit environment.

Work Environment:

Primarily home office-based with regular communication across multiple shelter locations.

Regular minimum weekly travel between sites to review inventory, assess needs, or support staff.

May involve occasional lifting of supply boxes or assisting with inventory organization.