Purchasing Supervisor (Liberia)

Job Summary We are seeking an experienced and detail-oriented Purchasing Supervisor to oversee and optimize our procurement activities. The successful candidate will be responsible for supervising the purchasing team, ensuring cost-effective procurement, maintaining supplier relationships, and supporting the company’s operational needs. Key Responsibilities & Core Focus Breakdown 1. Material Sourcing & Vendor Management (40%) Supplier Identification & Selection: Proactively research, evaluate, and onboard potential global and local suppliers, ensuring alignment with quality, pricing, and compliance standards. Negotiation & Contract Management: Lead commercial negotiations on prices, payment terms, and contract terms to maximize cost savings while maintaining strict budget constraints. Supplier Relationship Management: Conduct regular vendor performance reviews, build long-term vendor partnerships, and maintain an audit-ready database of supplier agreements and pricing sheets. Cost Optimization & Data Analysis: Analyze purchasing data to uncover cost-saving opportunities, track market trends, and present regular cost-benefit reports to senior management. 2. Delivery Monitoring & Logistics Tracking (40%) Purchase Order Execution: Oversee the daily issuance, tracking, and follow-up of purchase orders (POs) to ensure uninterrupted material flow to operations. Expediting & Schedule Management: Continuously track shipment status, manage freight logistics, and liaise with suppliers and freight forwarders to ensure zero delivery delays. Bottleneck & Issue Resolution: Rapidly address and resolve shipping discrepancies, customs delays, damaged goods claims, or urgent production shortages. Cross-Functional Coordination: Collaborate closely with logistics, operations, and finance teams to communicate lead times, track incoming deliveries, and align procurement schedules with plant needs. 3. Inventory Management & Team Supervision (20%) Stock Level Optimization: Monitor inventory metrics to maintain optimal safety stock levels, preventing stockouts while minimizing holding costs and overstock situations. ERP & System Data Integrity: Oversee accurate record-keeping of purchase orders, invoices, and material receipts within the ERP/inventory management system. Team Leadership & Training: Lead, mentor, and evaluate the purchasing team, providing direct coaching to improve team skills in procurement practices and execution. Policy & Ethics Compliance: Ensure all procurement and inventory management activities adhere to strict internal policies, ethical standards, and regulatory requirements. Qualifications & Requirements Education: Bachelor’s degree or higher in Supply Chain Management, Business Administration, or a related field. Work Experience: Proven experience in procurement (experience in the construction or manufacturing industry is preferred). Minimum of 2 years in a supervisory or leadership role. Prior experience working in an international company is preferred. Proficiency in standard office software (Word, Excel, PowerPoint). Hands-on experience with inventory management systems, ERP systems, or SAP is strongly preferred. Core Competencies: Exceptional negotiation, execution, and data-analysis skills. Quick-response mindset with high problem-solving agility. Strong communication and interpersonal capabilities. Proven ability to manage budgets, analyze complex data, and make data-driven procurement decisions. Exceptional organizational and time-management skills.