
Purchasing Lead
Missoula, MTFull-timeSeen 1 day agoSeen in employer's feed 1 day ago
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At a glance
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Job overview
The Purchasing Lead manages indirect purchasing and inventory decisions, monitors spending trends, and supports budget preparation. The role negotiates vendor contracts and pricing, coordinates backorders and substitute items, and works with field teams and purchasing management. It also identifies process improvements and information gaps, supports purchasing training, and provides guidance to junior support personnel.
Skills & qualifications
Skills
Qualifications
Full job description
Experience Required
5 - 7 years
Minimum Education Required
Associates Degree
Compensation
$ / yearly
Hours Per Week
40
Number Of Positions
1
Job Description
Based in St. Louis, Core & Main is a leader in advancing reliable infrastructure with local service, nationwide. As a specialty distributor with a focus on water, wastewater, storm drainage and fire protection products and related services, Core & Main provides solutions to municipalities, private water companies and professional contractors across municipal, non-residential and residential end markets, nationwide. With over 370 locations across the U.S., the company provides its customers local expertise backed by a national supply chain. Core & Main's 5,700 associates are committed to helping their communities thrive with safe and reliable infrastructure. Visit coreandmain.com to learn more.
Job Summary
Responsible for maintaining a proactive channel of communication with management regarding indirect purchasing and indirect inventory decisions impacting the business. Generate reports for spending trends and initiate resolution plans to control indirect spend costs. Assist with departmental budget preparation and management.
Major Tasks, Responsibilities and Key Accountabilities
Conducts analysis of purchasing trends and ensures contract pricing is utilized.
Negotiates contracts and prices with vendors; proactively seeks out product/vendors in order to obtain best pricing and products.
Works closely with field teams and purchasing management to communicates changes in a timely manner.
Enters backorders and communicates backorder status regularly with teams. Coordinates substitute items to meet customer needs and timelines.
Identifies and outlines process improvements that will help the team increase accuracy and productivity to supervisor.
Assists in development of training materials, data sets to support purchasing functions. Trains new and existing associates on proper processes and procedures.
Identifies and escalates gaps in purchasing information with appropriate levels of urgency. Researches shortages and provides accurate details of all shortage issues.
Responsible for some purchasing under the general direction of purchasing management.
Nature and Scope
May modify processes to resolve situations.
Under limited supervision, relies on experience and exercises independent judgment to determine the best approach to achieve desired outcomes. Course of action is often determined by interpreting procedures and policies. Work typically involves periodic review of output by a supervisor or direct "customers" of the process.
Is sought out and/or assigned to provide general guidance/direction, training, and technical assistance to junior level support personnel. Contributes to employees' professional development but does not have hiring/firing authority.
Work Environment
Located in a comfortable indoor area. Any unpleasant conditions would be infrequent and not objectionable.
No travel required.
Most of the time is spent sitting in a comfortable position and there is frequent opportunity to move about. On rare occasions there may be a need to move or lift light articles.
Minimum Qualifications
Must be a minimum of 18 years of age or older
Must pass pre-employment assessment(s) if applicable
Education and Experience
Technical certification or associate degree may be required in some areas. Generally 5-7 years of experience in a related area of responsibility
Preferred Qualifications
3 - 8 years of order entry and customer service experience.
Bachelor's Degree preferred but not required
SAP, ERP, and job cost experience
Experience using Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, and PowerPoint).
Flooring or construction industry experience
Core & Main is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. Employment at Core & Main is based solely on a person's merit and qualifications directly related to professional competence. Core & Main does not discriminate against any employee or applicant on the basis of race, creed, color, religion, national origin, nationality, ancestry, age, disability, veteran status, pregnancy or related condition (including breastfeeding), affectional or sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, citizenship, or any other basis protected by law.
None of the questions in this application are intended to elicit information regarding any protected characteristics, nor imply any limitation, illegal preferences or discrimination based upon non-job-related information or protected characteristics.
For more information, please click here or visit https://www.eeoc.gov
Core & Main is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer and does not discriminate in employment opportunities or practices on the basis of race, creed, color, religion, sex, national origin, nationality, ancestry, age, disability or status as a disabled veteran or veteran of the Vietnam era, pregnancy, affectional or sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, veteran status, citizenship or membership in any other legally protected class. None of the questions in this application are intended to elicit information regarding any protected characteristics, nor imply any limitation, illegal preferences or discrimination based upon non-job-related information or protected characteristics. Core & Main provides reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities in the application, offer, and during employment. If you have any difficulty using our online system due to a disability and need an accommodation you may use the following email address: [email protected] Please specify which position you are seeking to apply for employment, and please only use this email address for inquiries regarding accommodations. For more information, please click here for a notice that provides information concerning the laws and procedures for filing complaints of violations of the laws with the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) AA/EOE.
Is this a registered apprenticeship?
False
Place of Work
On-site
Requisition ID
46325
Job Type
Full Time
How this job compares
Set against the 853 open Purchasing jobs on Olive Jobs, counted October 28, 2026.
- Pay
- This postingNot listed
- US median$70–95K/yr295 salary ranges
- US median$25–31/hr128 hourly ranges
- Openings
- Olive Jobs lists 853 open Purchasing jobs across the US. 2% of them nationwide are listed as remote or flexible.
- Hiring the most across the US
- Aston Carter20 open
- M. C. Dean17 open
- Robert Half Accountemps15 open
- Experience
- This posting asks for at least 5 years of experience; Purchasing postings that state a minimum ask for 3 years at the median (576 postings).
- Education
- 207 of the 853 open Purchasing jobs (24%) ask for a bachelor's degree or higher.
Counted across the open, public US postings on Olive Jobs on October 28, 2026. Pay medians are the middle values of the low ends and of the high ends of postings that list both ends of a range in the same cadence (a yearly salary or an hourly rate); a range's midpoint is halfway between its ends. Pay and experience figures resting on fewer than 20 postings are left out.
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