Ultimate Autographs

Sports Product Purchasing Manager Job at Ultimate Autographs in Willowbrook

Ultimate Autographs, Willowbrook, IL, United States,

Job Description

Ultimate Autographs, a Sports Memorabilia and e-Commerce company is looking to hire a Product Purchasing Manager to join our team! This is an exciting new opportunity for the sports enthusiast, desiring a fast-paced, challenging and rewarding career.

The Product Purchasing Manager plays a crucial role in ensuring that Ultimate Autographs meets the quality and quantity standards of our products to satisfy internal operations and meet growing customer demand.

This role requires a highly organized and analytical individual, knowledge of the sports memorabilia market preferred, proficient computer skills, and the ability to manage supplier relationships.

The Product Purchasing Manager will collaborate with multiple business functions and be responsible for sourcing, purchasing, and maintaining an uninterrupted supply of high-quality sports memorabilia, including helmets, jerseys, balls, bats, trading cards, and other items.

This role requires a candidate who is a critical thinker, authentic, tenacious, selfless, and highly proactive. A high level of sports knowledge is a must!

Key Responsibilities:

Product Sourcing & Continuity: Lead initiatives to source, purchase, and ensure a consistent supply of sports memorabilia to support uninterrupted operations.
Procurement Alignment: Ensure all procurement activities align with the company’s goals, maintaining cost-effective purchasing procedures.
Supplier Relationship Management: Manage supplier relationships focusing on performance, capability, capacity planning, cost and quality improvements.
Cross-functional Collaboration: Work with inventory/warehousing operations, marketing, and on-air talent teams to monitor product sales velocity, refine product requirements, and align sourcing strategies to meet schedule, cost and business objectives.
Forecasting & Pricing: Develop efficient and accurate mechanisms for communicating forecast, capacity, and pricing requirements for new and existing products.
Supplier Performance Monitoring: Support purchasing/planning teams by monitoring supplier performance and resolving any supply or quality issues.
Data & Performance Reporting: Maintain weekly supplier data/scorecards and contribute to quarterly leadership reviews.

Preferred Qualifications:

Experience: 5+ years in supply chain, commodity management, and supplier management, ideally in a high-volume, national sourcing and operations environment.
Industry Knowledge: Domain knowledge of the sports and autographed memorabilia markets, including reviewing and understanding the specific industry trends, requirements and needs.
Strategic Skills: Proven experience in developing and executing cost, risk, and lead time reduction strategies for national suppliers.
Technical Skills: Demonstrated use of technical, analytical and management skills to lead RFQ’s, supplier selection, supplier capacity planning and supplier risk identification/mitigation. Including proficiency in Google Workspace tools, spreadsheets, and analytics.
Communication Skills: Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to work in a fast-paced environment managing multiple priorities.

Routine Activities:

Purchasing Oversight: Manage the purchasing of all raw products for signings and coordinate breakdowns for data entry and signing logistics.
Inventory Management: Regularly review inventory levels to optimize purchasing, particularly for high-demand (“A-List”) athletes, using tiered analysis to maximize purchasing efficiency.
Market Scanning: Continuously review wholesale sources and marketplaces to source unique items or items at favorable price points.
Signing & Show Coordination: Oversee logistics for signings/shows, including transportation, shipping/receiving, and execution of athlete signings.
Travel: Must be able to travel at a minimum of 3-4 times/year to run signings/shows. This will include local and out of state travel.
Operational Supplies Procurement: Purchase product boxes, bags, and other necessary supplies to ensure smooth product flow from procurement to customer delivery.
Reporting & SOP Development: Maintain weekly supplier data and scorecards (using tools like Ninety.io), contributing to quarterly leadership business reviews and assist in developing and updating the product purchasing SOP.

Work Location: In-Person

Why Ultimate Autographs?

Join a dedicated team passionate about sports and delivering high-quality memorabilia to fans nationwide. We offer a collaborative work environment where your skills in sourcing, planning, and supplier management can make a real impact on the customer experience.

Background Check and References Required