Purchasing & Logistics Manager

Our client is hiring a Purchasing & Logistics Manager to oversee purchase orders and shipments across a supply chain spanning China, Europe, and the US. Components are sourced from suppliers in China, Europe, and the US, assembled in Los Angeles, with hair color formulated and filled in Spain and the US. Finished cartridges are then shipped monthly to salons in the UK and the US. The company is now expanding into the US.

This role involves ensuring every purchase order is confirmed, every shipment moves smoothly, and every import clears customs. It is a hands-on position within a small team, where you will place orders, chase confirmations, book freight, and resolve issues as they arise.

What you'll do

Purchase orders

• Raise purchase orders (POs) for components, machined parts, bulk hair color, cartridges, packaging, and consumables in the MRP system.
• Obtain written order confirmations from every supplier, including price, quantity, and delivery date, and follow up until confirmation is received.
• Track open POs against confirmed dates; escalate delays early and collaborate with suppliers to agree on recovery plans.
• Match supplier invoices to POs and receipts, flagging any discrepancies to finance.

Shipments (the bulk of the role):

• Book and manage inbound and outbound freight, including sea, air, and road transport, from China, Europe, and the US to the US and UK operations.
• Prepare commercial invoices, packing lists, certificates of origin, and dangerous-goods paperwork; compliance with UN 1950 (aerosols) is routine.
• Collaborate with customs brokers and freight forwarders on US and UK import entries, including HS classification, origin, and duties.
• Coordinate monthly salon replenishment shipments with third-party logistics (3PLs) in the US and the UK.
• Set up and manage reverse logistics for empty cartridges returned from salons.
• Maintain accurate inventory and in-transit stock records across warehouses, 3PLs, and contract fillers.

Suppliers and systems

• Serve as the primary contact for contract manufacturers, machine shops, fillers, extruders, and packaging suppliers.
• Maintain supplier records, including lead times, minimum order quantities (MOQs), and pricing in the MRP system.
• Generate weekly reports on open POs, inbound shipments, and stock coverage.

Requirements

Must have

• 5+ years of experience in purchasing, supply chain, or logistics for a physical product, with at least 2 years managing international shipments.
• Hands-on experience with US operations, including US customs entries, US freight forwarders, carriers, and domestic less-than-truckload (LTL) and parcel services.
• Experience clearing goods into the US and shipping goods out of it.
• Experience managing POs end-to-end, including raising, confirming, expediting, and receiving.
• Familiarity with Incoterms, HS codes, commercial documentation, and landed-cost analysis.
• Organized and persistent; capable of maintaining a clean tracker and following up until resolutions are achieved.
• Fluent in English; able to work across US and UK time zones.

Nice to have

• Experience with dangerous-goods (aerosol/hazmat) shipping, including IATA/IMDG/49 CFR compliance.
• Experience sourcing and importing from Chinese and European suppliers, including sea-freight consolidation.
• Experience with an MRP/ERP system for purchasing and inventory management.
• Experience in a startup or small manufacturing company where processes were built from the ground up.