Purchasing Manager

Purchasing Manager
Location: Balzac, AB
Employment Type: Full-Time, Permanent

Confidential Search

Our client is a newly established and well capitalized manufacturer in the lumber, truss, and engineered wood products space, building out operations in the Balzac area. With a strong leadership team and clear growth plan, the organization is focused on becoming a key supplier to residential and multi family construction across Alberta.

They are seeking a Purchasing Manager to build and lead the procurement function from the ground up. This is a critical role responsible for sourcing strategy, supplier relationships, cost control, and ensuring material availability to support production and growth.

The Opportunity

Reporting to senior leadership, the Purchasing Manager will play a key role in setting up purchasing systems, establishing vendor networks, and driving cost effective procurement across lumber, panels, EWP, hardware, and related components.

This is a hands on role suited to someone who understands the building materials supply chain, thrives in a startup or growth environment, and can build structure while executing day to day.

This role will also support the development and enforcement of health and safety standards within procurement, warehousing, and supplier practices, ensuring materials, vendors, and processes align with company and regulatory requirements.

Key Responsibilities
Procurement Strategy and Execution

• Build and lead the purchasing function from the ground up
• Develop sourcing strategies across lumber, panels, EWP, and hardware
• Establish purchasing processes, policies, and controls
• Align procurement with production schedules and sales forecasts

Supplier Management and Negotiation

• Identify, qualify, and onboard key suppliers across Western Canada and the US
• Negotiate pricing, terms, rebates, and supply agreements
• Build strong, long term relationships with mills, distributors, and vendors
• Monitor supplier performance including pricing, service levels, and reliability

Cost Control and Inventory Management

• Manage material costs and drive margin improvement through strategic purchasing
• Work closely with operations to ensure optimal inventory levels and turns
• Mitigate risk related to price volatility, supply disruptions, and market shifts
• Track and report on key purchasing metrics and KPIs

Health and Safety

• Ensure all purchased materials meet applicable safety standards and regulatory requirements
• Partner with operations to support safe handling, storage, and transportation of materials
• Evaluate supplier safety practices and compliance as part of vendor selection and management
• Support development and implementation of health and safety policies related to procurement and yard operations
• Promote a culture of safety in collaboration with operations and leadership teams

Cross Functional Collaboration

• Partner with production, design, and sales teams to ensure material availability and alignment
• Support estimating and quoting with accurate, up to date cost inputs
• Collaborate on forecasting, demand planning, and project timelines

Systems and Process Development

• Implement and optimize purchasing systems and workflows
• Drive continuous improvement in procurement efficiency and reporting
• Ensure accurate data management across inventory and purchasing platforms

Who They're Looking For

• 5 to 10 plus years of purchasing or procurement experience within lumber, building materials, or manufacturing
• Strong knowledge of lumber markets, EWP, truss and floor components, and supply chain dynamics
• Proven ability to negotiate and manage supplier relationships
• Experience working in a production or manufacturing environment, ideally truss or panelized construction
• Understanding of health and safety standards within manufacturing or yard environments
• Hands on, self starter with the ability to build processes in a growing business
• Strong financial acumen with a focus on cost control and margin improvement
• Comfortable working in a fast paced environment
• Experience with ERP or purchasing systems is an asset

Why This Role

• Opportunity to build the purchasing function from day one
• High impact role within a growing, well backed organization
• Direct influence on cost structure, supplier strategy, and operational success
• Work alongside an experienced leadership team with a clear growth vision
• Long term opportunity with strong career upside