Job Description

About The Kirby Company

The Kirby Company, based in Cleveland, Ohio, has been a trusted leader in home cleaning systems since the early 1900s. Known for its durable, American-made vacuum cleaners, Kirby offers high-quality products through independent distributors who provide in-home demonstrations. Committed to performance and customer satisfaction, Kirby continues to innovate and deliver reliable cleaning solutions worldwide.

Position Summary

Lead Kirby’s procurement strategy as a dynamic decision-maker, ensuring Kirby has the right goods and services on time and on budget, to drive business growth. Act as the architect of purchasing operations, leverage negotiation expertise, analytical acumen, and strategic vision to secure top value from suppliers while navigating complex challenges in quality, delivery, and cost. Build strong supplier partnerships and resolve issues swiftly to drive continuous improvement.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Drive, establish, and maintain a robust supply base for complex commodities to align with company objectives.
• Lead the supplier negotiation and selection process.
• Responsible for MRO purchases and spending.
• Develop and implement strategies to reduce purchasing costs while maintaining quality and reliability standards.
• Drive out costs across all areas of the business, including the management of cost reductions, vendor transitions, and engineering changes to ensure timely and efficient execution.
• Develop supply base to support new programs, including sourcing, establishing supply contracts as appropriate, and managing the qualifications of new suppliers and/or parts.
• Research and evaluate new technologies and processes to improve product quality and reduce costs.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to drive continuous improvement initiatives.
• Resolve supplier-related quality issues and coordinate with the Quality department for the prompt return of rejected goods.
• Work closely with Manufacturing, Product Engineering, and Quality teams to ensure accurate documentation of deviations and drawing changes.
• Coordinate engineering change orders, including supplier notifications, schedule adjustments, run-out planning, and cost impact analysis.
• Plan and prioritize daily workload to complete assignments on time, following company procedures.
• Determine, monitor, and report on key performance indicators (KPIs) to assess supplier performance and project outcomes.
• Lead supplier certification and audit efforts to ensure compliance with company and industry standards.
• Supervise Purchasing Department staff members.
• Perform other duties and responsibilities as assigned to support departmental and organizational goals.

Education & Experience

• A bachelor’s degree in business or supply chain, or engineering.
• Minimum 5 years’ experience on a purchasing/supply chain team in a manufacturing environment.
• Leadership experience is a plus.
• Experience with MRP, JIT and supplier certification is preferred.

What We Offer

• Comprehensive health benefits
• 401 (k) with up to 4% company matching
• Generous paid time off
• Supportive and collaborative work environment where your contributions are valued

EEO Statement

We’re an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status.

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