Lubker Distribution Inc., a family-owned industrial supply distributor in West Chester, PA is seeking a highly experienced and analytical Procurement & Sourcing Decision Maker with a strong background in the fastener industry to join our team. This role is critical in directing purchases, sourcing products, optimizing our supplier base, evaluating sourcing strategies, and ensuring a competitive and reliable supply chain. The ideal candidate must possess strong inductive reasoning and decision-making skills, have a deep understanding of fastener sourcing, vendor management, and industry-specific procurement practices to support our distribution operations across hundreds of vendors.

Key Responsibilities

Procurement, Sourcing, and Management (Hands On)

• Maintain and oversee the approved supply base, ensuring strong supplier relationships and optimal performance.
• Use inductive reasoning (emphasizing precedence) to provide accurate and timely decisions in response to department questions received from purchasing/sourcing staff, sales team, and operations.
• Evaluate and direct product purchases, including both domestic and overseas sourcing, to align with cost, quality, and lead-time objectives.
• Identify, evaluate, and qualify new sourcing opportunities to support business growth and customer demands.
• Manage procurement personnel and processes, ensuring efficiency, accuracy, and strategic alignment with company goals.

Sourcing & Vendor Evaluation

• Provide sourcing expertise support to the sales team, identifying products (requiring sourced) and pointing source (supplier) options.
• Identify opportunities for cost savings and supply chain improvements through strategic vendor evaluation and realignment or alternative sourcing strategies.
• Utilize industry expertise to research and identify new suppliers for fasteners and related products, ensuring the highest quality and competitive pricing.
• Evaluate suppliers based on lead time reliability, product range, industry reputation, and capacity to support customer demand.

Market & Trend Analysis

• Stay ahead of fastener industry trends, material cost fluctuations, and supply chain challenges to proactively adjust sourcing strategies.
• Monitor supplier issues, including price changes, shortages, and lead-time fluctuations, and develop mitigation strategies tailored to fastener distribution dynamics.

Inductive Reasoning Decision Making

• Utilize ERP system to analyze purchasing data and support strategic decision-making.
• Rely upon precedence when providing timely decisions in response to department questions, concerns, problems.
• Coordinate with the IT team to enhance reporting capabilities and improve communication of sourcing insights to the sales team.

Qualifications & Skills

• A proven Decision Maker with 5+ years of sourcing and procurement experience in the fastener industry is required.
• Strong knowledge of fastener specifications, sourcing challenges, and supplier networks. Strong analytical skills with experience in data analysis, supplier evaluation, and cost analysis.
• Effective sourcing strategist capable of effective, accurate, and timely research and supplier identification (Internet, Thomas Net, etc.) of ‘non-standard, non-core’ parts and components.
• Significant training and hands-on experience in procurement, supply chain, or a related field in lieu of a formal degree.
• Quick and interested learner with ability to easily retain (and retrieve when needed) knowledge and precedence.
• Expertise in supplier negotiation, cost analysis, and strategic sourcing within the fastener market.
• Proficiency in ERP systems and Microsoft Excel (pivot tables, VLOOKUP, etc.).
• Excellent communication and negotiation skills for supplier interactions.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced, high-volume distribution environment.

Why Join Us?

Opportunity to play a key role in optimizing procurement strategies for a leading and well-respected fastener distributor.

Work with a dynamic team that values data-driven decision-making and operational excellence.

Competitive salary and benefits.