Estimating & Purchasing Manager

Position Overview PrintComm is seeking an experienced Estimating & Purchasing Manager to lead our estimating and purchasing functions. This is a hands-on leadership position responsible for managing a small team, developing accurate and competitive estimates, establishing selling prices, overseeing material purchasing, and proactively planning inventory requirements. The ideal candidate combines strong technical knowledge of commercial printing and direct mail production with sound business judgment, analytical capabilities, and leadership skills. This individual will play an important role in protecting company profitability through accurate costing, disciplined pricing, effective purchasing, and continuous improvement of estimating processes. Key Responsibilities Estimating, Pricing & Profitability Lead the estimating function, ensuring accurate, timely, and competitive estimates for commercial printing and direct mail projects. Establish selling prices for projects based on production costs, profitability objectives, competitive considerations, and customer requirements. Collaborate with sales leadership and executive management on pricing strategies for larger projects, programs, and strategic accounts. Review complex estimates and provide technical guidance to the estimating team. Develop, implement, and maintain consistent estimating standards and procedures. Evaluate alternative production methods to identify the most cost-effective manufacturing solutions. Monitor estimated versus actual production costs and identify opportunities to improve estimating accuracy and profitability. Department Leadership Manage, coach, and develop a team of approximately 2–3 employees responsible for estimating and purchasing activities. Establish departmental priorities, performance expectations, and accountability. Remain actively involved in preparing estimates and managing purchasing requirements. Ensure the department responds promptly and effectively to requests from sales, customer service, and production. Identify opportunities to improve departmental productivity, consistency, and effectiveness. Purchasing & Vendor Management Oversee the purchasing of paper, envelopes, and other production materials. Obtain competitive vendor quotations and negotiate favorable pricing, terms, and delivery schedules. Develop and maintain productive relationships with suppliers. Identify opportunities to consolidate purchases, leverage buying volume, and reduce material costs. Evaluate alternative materials and suppliers to improve cost competitiveness and availability. Ensure purchasing decisions support production schedules, quality requirements, and profitability objectives. Materials & Inventory Planning Review the production pipeline to anticipate upcoming material requirements. Compare projected material needs against available inventory, outstanding purchase orders, and expected deliveries. Determine purchasing requirements to ensure materials are available when needed. Coordinate with production and inventory personnel to maintain accurate visibility into material availability. Balance inventory investment against production needs, minimizing shortages and excess inventory. Identify opportunities to utilize existing inventory and reduce obsolete or slow-moving materials. Costing Systems & Process Improvement Maintain the accuracy and integrity of the company's estimating system. Work with operations and finance to develop and maintain cost centers, activity codes, and estimating rates. Evaluate equipment capabilities, labor requirements, material consumption, and production methods to ensure estimating assumptions reflect actual manufacturing conditions. Help establish estimating methodologies for new equipment, processes, and services. Analyze production results to identify discrepancies between estimated and actual costs. Recommend improvements to estimating processes, purchasing practices, and cost management. QUALIFICATIONS Requir…

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