Director of Purchasing

Position Summary:

A well-established and award-winning regional homebuilder based in Southeast Michigan is seeking an experienced and strategic Director of Purchasing to lead procurement operations across its portfolio of single-family, townhome, and condominium communities. This position will oversee the full lifecycle of purchasing, vendor management, estimating, and cost control to support efficient, high-quality residential construction.

The ideal candidate brings deep knowledge of residential construction purchasing, strong leadership capabilities, and a passion for building scalable systems and vendor relationships that drive cost-effective growth.

Key Responsibilities:Purchasing Strategy & Leadership

• Develop and lead the purchasing strategy across multiple communities, product lines, and construction types (detached and attached homes).
• Manage and mentor a team of purchasing agents, estimators, and coordinators.
• Partner with senior leadership, construction, design, and finance teams to support budget alignment, cycle time targets, and build quality.

Vendor Management & Negotiations

• Build and maintain strong vendor and trade partner relationships across key scopes including framing, MEPs, finishes, sitework, etc.
• Negotiate contracts, pricing, and terms to ensure cost savings while maintaining quality and schedule adherence.
• Conduct performance evaluations and support vendor onboarding, qualification, and compliance.

Bid Management & Contracting

• Oversee the bid process for new communities and new product lines — including scope development, bid analysis, and award recommendations.
• Ensure all scopes of work are clearly defined and accurately documented.
• Coordinate contracting timelines to support aggressive build schedules.

Cost Management & Budgeting

• Collaborate with finance and estimating to develop and maintain accurate budgets and cost forecasts for all active and future communities.
• Review job cost variances and implement cost-saving measures as needed.
• Ensure purchase orders are accurate and issued in a timely manner to avoid delays or overruns.

Process Improvement & Systems Oversight

• Refine purchasing systems, reporting tools, and software platforms to improve operational efficiency and data accuracy.
• Monitor KPIs for purchasing operations and provide regular reporting to executive leadership.
• Stay current on construction materials pricing trends, labor availability, and market shifts to proactively adjust procurement strategies.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Construction Management, Business, Supply Chain, or related field preferred.
• 8–10+ years of purchasing experience in residential homebuilding, including at least 3 years in a leadership role.
• Strong understanding of residential construction methods, cost drivers, and vendor markets.
• Proficient in construction management and purchasing platforms (e.g., Buildertrend, BuildPro, Hyphen, MarkSystems, etc.).
• Excellent negotiation, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to lead cross-functional initiatives in a fast-paced, high-volume environment.
• Knowledge of Southeast Michigan subcontractor base and pricing trends preferred.

Benefits:

• Competitive base salary with annual performance incentives
• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance
• 401(k) with company match
• Generous PTO and paid holidays
• Vehicle allowance or mileage reimbursement
• Opportunities for advancement in a growing, design-driven company

Job Type: Full-time

Base Pay: $125,000.00 - $160,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

Work Location: In person