Overview
We are seeking an experienced and strategic Lumber Purchasing Manager to oversee procurement activities within our manufacturing operations. The ideal candidate will be responsible for sourcing raw lumber and wood products, managing mill and vendor relationships, negotiating volume pricing, and ensuring a steady, timely supply of materials to support production. This role requires a deep understanding of forest products supply chains, lumber grading standards, and market fluctuations. The Lumber Purchasing Manager will play a critical role in optimizing fiber costs, managing inventory risk, and aligning procurement practices with our production goals and sustainability standards.
Responsibilities
- Strategic Sourcing: Develop and implement procurement strategies to secure high-quality lumber, logs, and wood components from reliable mills and distributors at competitive prices.
- Vendor & Mill Management: Build and maintain strong relationships with primary sawmills, wholesalers, and landowners. Negotiate long-term supply contracts and monitor vendor performance regarding grade accuracy and delivery reliability.
- Market Analysis: Conduct continuous market research on timber futures, regional price indexes (e.g., Random Lengths), and weather-related supply disruptions to anticipate pricing fluctuations and hedge inventory risk.
- Inventory & MRP Coordination: Utilize ERP systems (such as SAP) and Material Requirements Planning (MRP) tools to track lumber tallies, manage yard inventory levels, and align incoming shipments with manufacturing schedules.
- Quality & Grade Verification: Collaborate with quality control teams to ensure incoming lumber meets industry grading standards (e.g., ALSC, NHLA, SPIB) and yields the expected manufacturing recovery rates.
- Logistics & Freight Oversight: Partner with logistics teams to coordinate efficient freight, whether by rail or flatbed truck, minimizing demurrage and transit costs.
- Compliance & Sustainability: Ensure all wood procurement complies with environmental regulations, forestry conservation laws, and chain-of-custody certifications (e.g., FSC, SFI).
Experience & Qualifications
- Industry Experience: Proven procurement or purchasing experience specifically within the lumber, forest products, or wood manufacturing industries.
- Market Expertise: Deep knowledge of lumber species (softwoods/hardwoods), grading rules, drying processes (KD vs. AD), and regional timber market dynamics.
- Technical Proficiency: Strong expertise using ERP software (SAP or similar) and inventory management systems tailored for dimensional lumber, panel products, or random length tallies.
- Negotiation Skills: Demonstrated success negotiating high-volume supply contracts and managing complex vendor networks in a highly cyclical commodity market.
- Analytical Rigor: Strong analytical skills for pricing analysis, yield forecasting, and cost-benefit assessments of different wood grades.
- Collaboration: Excellent communication skills with a proven track record of working closely with yard managers, production supervisors, and executive leadership.
Pay: $46,806.97-$129,112.06 per year
Benefits:
- Casual dress
- Flexible schedule
- On-site parking
Work Location: In person
