ASSISTANT MANAGER - PURCHASING in CANTON, Ohio at Aultman Health Foundation

The Assistant Manager of Purchasing supports the operational leadership of the Purchasing Department by overseeing day‑to‑day procurement execution, purchasing staff supervision, ERP accuracy, and compliance with established procure‑to‑pay policies and procedures. This role focuses exclusively on purchasing and procurement operations, including requisition‑to‑purchase‑order workflows, supplier coordination, order fulfillment, and execution of contract pricing and terms.

The Assistant Manager of Purchasing collaborates closely with Accounts Payable to ensure accurate three‑way matching, timely issue resolution, invoice accuracy, and strong procure‑to‑pay controls. The Assistant Manager of Purchasing works under the direction of the Executive Director of Sourcing and Contracting, ensuring that purchasing activities are executed in alignment with established sourcing strategies, contracts, and supplier agreements.

This role does not perform sourcing strategy development, supplier selection, contract negotiation, or contracting responsibilities.

The Assistant Manager of Purchasing ensures timely, accurate, and compliant purchasing activities that support clinical, operational, and administrative needs across the Aultman Health Foundation (AHF). The role supports alignment across Purchasing, Accounts Payable, Inventory Management, and Sourcing and Contracting to optimize data integrity, procure‑to‑pay controls, cash flow, compliance, and stakeholder experience.

Supervision is received from the Executive Director of Sourcing and Contracting, who provides strategic direction, policy guidance, and oversight. The Assistant Manager of Purchasing is accountable for the day‑to‑day operational execution and performance of purchasing activities in accordance with approved sourcing strategies and contractual agreements.

The Assistant Manager of Purchasing ensures effective operational execution of contracts, pricing, and supplier terms established through the Sourcing and Contracting function and does not perform sourcing or contracting activities.

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, Operations Management, or related field preferred; or equivalent healthcare procurement experience.

• Minimum of 3–5 years of experience in purchasing or procurement operations, preferably in a healthcare environment.

• Prior experience supervising or leading purchasing or administrative staff preferred.

• Experience working with ERP systems (Lawson/Infor preferred).

• Working knowledge of procure‑to‑pay workflows and coordination with Accounts Payable required.

• Proficient in Microsoft Word, Excel, Access, and Outlook.

• Strong organizational and multitasking skills with attention to detail.

• Effective verbal and written communication skills.

• Strong interpersonal skills and customer‑service‑oriented mindset.

• Ability to collaborate effectively with Purchasing, Accounts Payable, Inventory, and operational stakeholders.

• Demonstrates a professional demeanor and a consistently positive, proactive attitude.

• Purchasing Operations
  • Oversees daily purchasing operations, including requisition review, purchase order creation, order fulfillment, and supplier follow‑up.
  • Ensures accurate and timely procurement of supplies, equipment, and services in accordance with approved contracts and pricing.
  • Maintains integrity of the ERP system (Lawson/Infor) related to purchasing transactions, item masters, vendors, and pricing execution.
  • Monitors open orders, backorders, and shortages, proactively escalating issues that may impact patient care or operations.
  • Ensures purchasing activity complies with authorization limits, purchasing policies, and regulatory requirements.

• Procure‑to‑Pay & Accounts Payable Collaboration
  • Collaborates closely with Accounts Payable to support accurate three‑way matching, invoice resolution, and timely payment processing.
  • Serves as an escalation point for purchasing‑related invoice discrepancies, pricing issues, and receiving variances.
  • Supports standardization and compliance across procure‑to‑pay workflows.
  • Assists with resolving supplier billing issues impacting payment timeliness or financial controls.

• Team Leadership & Supervision
  • Provides direct supervision to Purchasing staff, including training, coaching, scheduling, and workload prioritization.
  • Supports recruitment, onboarding, and retention of qualified purchasing personnel.
  • Establishes clear performance expectations and assists with performance evaluations and corrective actions.
  • Serves as escalation point for staff questions related to purchasing processes, systems, and supplier coordination.

• Process Improvement & Compliance
  • Supports continuous improvement initiatives to enhance purchasing and procure‑to‑pay efficiency, accuracy, and service levels.
  • Assists with internal audits, policy compliance reviews, and corrective action plans.
  • Ensures adherence to standardized purchasing workflows and documentation requirements.
  • Supports training related to purchasing and procure‑to‑pay process updates.

• Collaboration & Communication
  • Serves as a liaison between Purchasing, Inventory Management, Accounts Payable, and operational departments.
  • Collaborates with Sourcing and Contracting to ensure accurate execution of contracted pricing, terms, and supplier requirements.
  • Communicates effectively with suppliers to resolve order, delivery, and invoice issues.
  • Provides timely operational updates and issue escalation to the Executive Director of Sourcing and Contracting.

• Additional Responsibilities
  • Assists with departmental reporting, metrics tracking, and purchasing performance analysis.
  • Supports capital purchasing workflows as directed.
  • Participates in supply chain initiatives, system implementations, and enhancements as assigned.
  • Performs other related duties as required to support organizational objectives.

• Promotes Aultman RESPECT values to foster a healthy, inclusive work environment.

• Abides by and demonstrates the Aultman Leadership Promise (ACE): Act, Communicate, Engage.

• Lives the mission and values of AHF in day-to-day leadership behaviors.

• Thinks strategically while executing operational excellence.

• Leads with integrity, accountability, and transparency.

• Inspires teams to achieve high performance and continuous improvement.

• Work eight hours per day; hours may vary based on operational needs.

• Hybrid/remote work environment supported where applicable.

• Subject to frequent interruptions and changes in priority.

• Occasional evenings, weekends, or on-call coverage as required.