Overview
Purchasing Supervisor Jobs in Guelph, Ontario, Canada at Waterstone Human Capital USA
Title: Purchasing Supervisor
Company: Waterstone Human Capital USA
Location: Guelph, Ontario, Canada
The Opportunity
A growing, manufacturing-focused organization is seeking a Purchasing Supervisor to lead and optimize its purchasing operations. This is a high-impact leadership role responsible for driving KPIs, improving processes, and ensuring a consistent and uninterrupted supply of materials to support production.
You’ll oversee both strategic and day-to-day purchasing functions while leading a team, managing global supplier relationships, and driving cost reduction and inventory optimization initiatives.
What You’ll Do
- Lead, develop, and mentor a high-performing purchasing team
- Drive continuous improvement across purchasing processes, policies, and procedures
- Create and maintain standardized work instructions (SWIs) for purchasing operations
- Execute cost reduction strategies through benchmarking, vendor sourcing, and negotiations
- Collaborate cross-functionally with Scheduling, Production, Engineering, Quality, and Customer Service teams
- Act as the primary point of contact for overseas and North American suppliers
- Utilize ERP/MRP systems to manage demand planning, purchase orders, and inventory requirements
- Review planned orders and issue purchase orders accordingly
- Manage supplier performance, delivery timelines, and risk escalation
- Ensure purchase order accuracy across pricing, quantities, and delivery dates
- Monitor and resolve past due orders through daily reporting and vendor follow-up
- Lead vendor pricing cycles and negotiate agreements with overseas suppliers
- Oversee daily MRP processes and support month-end close activities
What You Bring
- Bachelor’s degree or diploma in Supply Chain Management
- Professional certifications (CSCL or APICS) are an asset
- Minimum 5 years of experience in purchasing and supply chain management
- Experience with overseas sourcing and inventory control preferred
- Minimum 3 years of leadership experience
- Fluency in Mandarin is required
- Experience in a manufacturing environment (high mix, low volume)
- Strong understanding of ERP/MRP systems
- Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment
- Strong relationship-building skills internally and externally
- High level of organization, analytical thinking, and problem-solving ability
- Understanding of foreign exchange impacts on purchasing decisions
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office and ERP systems
- Experience with ROP, forecasting, and lean methodologies is a plus
- Knowledge of welding, machining, or fabrication is an asset
Work Environment
- Manufacturing setting with exposure to noise, temperature variation, and active production environments
- Regular interaction with production and operations teams
- Occasional lifting of materials up to 25 lbs
- Periodic travel to suppliers or other locations may be required
