Location: Fairfield, OH (On-site) | Department: Supply Chain / Operations | Reports to: Chief Financial Officer (CFO) | FLSA: Exempt / Full-Time
Title, level, and compensation commensurate with experience.
About Calvary Industries
Calvary Industries is a growing specialty chemical manufacturer that formulates and produces process chemistries used across more than a dozen industries, including automotive, aerospace and defense, appliance, heavy equipment, HVAC, metal fabrication, and general industrial manufacturing. Our product lines span industrial cleaners, conversion coatings and pretreatment, metalworking fluids, and wastewater treatment chemistries, and we have engineered over 2,500 custom chemical solutions for our customers. We also provide contract manufacturing — blending, packaging, and processing — to exacting specifications.
Headquartered in Fairfield, Ohio, with additional manufacturing and distribution operations in California, Louisiana, and Mexico, Calvary has built a reputation on responsive, personal service and a 98% customer retention rate. We are a company where people make the difference, and we are looking for a purchasing leader who can strengthen the supply chain that keeps our chemistry moving.
Position Summary
This is a newly created role, established to bring greater structure, discipline, and strategy to purchasing at Calvary Industries. We are open to filling it at either the Manager or Director level, and will set the title and compensation based on the experience and scope the right candidate brings. Reporting to the CFO, this leader will evaluate current procurement processes, systems, and supplier relationships, and design and implement the improvements needed to professionalize the function and the team. Beyond building the foundation, the role owns the ongoing strategy, execution, and leadership of procurement across Calvary's manufacturing network — sourcing raw materials, chemicals, packaging, and equipment; qualifying and developing a resilient supplier base; negotiating pricing and freight; and ensuring materials are available to meet production schedules, all while driving cost savings, quality, and compliance. Working closely with Finance, Operations, R&D, and Quality, this leader translates demand into a dependable, cost-effective supply of materials and builds the processes and team to support continued growth.
Key Responsibilities
Build-Out & Process Improvement (First-Year Priorities)
- Assess the current state of purchasing — processes, systems, data, supplier base, and team — and identify gaps, risks, and opportunities.
- Design new processes and deploy tools that drive standardization, accuracy, and scalability, professionalizing the function to support Calvary's growth.
- Build the tools, KPIs, and reporting needed to give leadership clear visibility into spend, savings, supplier performance, and inventory.
- Develop and mentor the purchasing team, defining roles, expectations, and a path toward a more strategic, higher-performing organization.
Strategic Sourcing & Supplier Management
- Develop and execute the procurement strategy for raw materials, chemicals, packaging, resale products, and capital equipment across all manufacturing sites.
- Identify, qualify, and develop suppliers based on quality, cost, capacity, reliability, and risk; build dual-source and contingency plans to protect against supply disruption.
- Manage strategic supplier relationships and conduct regular business reviews, monitoring supplier performance against quality, delivery, and service metrics.
- Track chemical commodity markets, pricing trends, lead times, and tariff/regulatory developments, and translate them into proactive sourcing decisions.
Cost, Contract & Negotiation
- Negotiate pricing, terms, and supply agreements for materials and freight to deliver measurable, sustainable cost savings without compromising quality.
- Establish and manage blanket orders, long-term agreements, and preferred-supplier programs.
- Partner with Finance on purchasing budgets, cost forecasts, and standard-cost management, and report savings and spend performance to leadership.
Materials Planning & Inventory
- Ensure raw materials and packaging are available to meet production schedules while optimizing inventory levels and working capital.
- Oversee MRP/ERP purchasing processes within SysPro, purchase order generation, and coordination with production scheduling to align material arrivals with demand.
- Manage inbound logistics and freight carrier selection, balancing cost against delivery requirements for hazardous and non-hazardous materials.
Quality, Compliance & Safety
- Partner with Quality to maintain supplier approval, incoming material specifications, and documentation in support of the company's ISO quality system.
- Ensure procurement practices comply with applicable chemical regulations and safe-handling requirements (e.g., DOT, OSHA, EPA, TSCA), including proper documentation such as Safety Data Sheets and certificates of analysis.
- Support responsible and sustainable sourcing practices.
Leadership & Continuous Improvement
- Lead, mentor, and develop the purchasing team, establishing clear procedures, policies, and performance standards.
- Drive continuous-improvement initiatives, KPIs, and process automation within the procurement function.
- Collaborate cross-functionally with Operations, R&D, Sales, and Customer Service to support new product launches, custom formulations, and contract manufacturing programs.
Qualifications
Required
- Education: Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Business, Engineering, Chemistry, or a related field.
- Experience: Progressive purchasing/procurement experience in a manufacturing environment — roughly 5+ years for consideration at the Manager level, or 10+ years with team leadership and strategic ownership for the Director level; chemical, coatings, or process-manufacturing experience strongly preferred.
- Technical: Proven strategic sourcing and negotiation results; strong command of ERP/MRP systems and Microsoft Excel; comfortable leveraging AI and modern data tools for spend aggregation, analysis, and reporting — or a genuine willingness to learn and adopt them.
- Change agent: Demonstrated ability to assess procurement workflows, design new processes, and deploy tools that drive standardization and scalability — ideally having built or professionalized a purchasing/procurement function.
- Adaptability: Comfortable operating in an ambiguous, build-from-scratch environment, navigating changing priorities and leading through uncertainty with a proactive, solution-oriented mindset.
- Knowledge: Working understanding of raw material supply chains, inbound freight/logistics, inventory management, and chemical handling and regulatory requirements.
- Skills: Analytical, results-driven, and highly organized, with excellent communication, relationship-building, and cross-functional leadership abilities.
Preferred
- Professional certification such as CPSM, CPM, or APICS/ASCM (CPIM/CSCP).
- Experience sourcing chemical raw materials, solvents, surfactants, or packaging (drums, totes, pails).
- Prior experience with SysPro ERP (the system Calvary uses) is a plus, but not required.
- Experience supporting a multi-site manufacturing network and a private-equity-backed growth environment.
- Familiarity with continuous-improvement / Lean methodologies.
- Experience applying AI or analytics tools to procurement data (spend analysis, forecasting, supplier scorecards).
Competencies for Success
- Process Improvement Mindset. Continuously identifies inefficiencies in procurement workflows and leads initiatives to standardize, streamline, and scale operations.
- Analytical Thinking. Uses data and metrics to evaluate supplier performance, identify trends, and drive sourcing and process decisions.
- Adaptability. Thrives in a dynamic, build-from-scratch environment; navigates ambiguity and shifting priorities with resilience and focus.
- Decision-Making. Makes sound, data-informed decisions that balance cost, quality, urgency, and long-term value.
- Leadership & Coaching. Develops and supports the purchasing team, models accountability, and fosters a culture of continuous improvement.
- Collaboration & Influence. Builds trust across functions and influences without direct authority to align on shared goals and results.
What Calvary Offers
- Competitive salary with performance-based bonus potential.
- Comprehensive benefits, including medical, dental, and vision coverage.
- 401(k) with company match.
- Paid time off and paid holidays.
- A visible, high-impact leadership role with real ownership and room to grow in an expanding company.
How to Apply
Qualified candidates are invited to submit a resume and cover letter through our careers page or to the contact listed in this posting. We review applications on a rolling basis and encourage early submissions.
Calvary Industries is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- 401(k) matching
- Dental insurance
- Health insurance
- Health savings account
- Life insurance
- Paid time off
- Vision insurance
Education:
Experience:
- purchasing/procurement : 5 years (Required)
Work Location: In person
