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Sr Manager - Purchasing

Plexus · IL · $129,500–$214,300 a year · Full time

Posted Aug 26, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Oct 6, 2026

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Likely interview questions for this role

Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.

About your past

Tell me about a time material shortages threatened customer deliveries. What did you and your team do?

What they are checking: Whether they lead a coordinated response under pressure instead of having every buyer chase parts on their own.

Describe a time you had to deliver tough feedback to someone on your team.

What they are checking: Whether they address performance directly and fairly, which a senior manager must do well.

Tell me about a supplier relationship you turned around.

What they are checking: Whether they can rebuild trust and performance with a supplier rather than simply replacing them.

What would you do

One of your buyers is consistently expediting and paying premium freight. How do you handle it?

What they are checking: Whether they look for the root cause in planning or supplier issues rather than simply blaming the buyer.

Leadership asks you to cut inventory 20 percent without hurting on-time delivery. Where would you start?

What they are checking: Whether they can find inventory reductions with data, such as lead times, safety stock and order policies, instead of across-the-board cuts.

About the work

How would you organize a purchasing team that supports many customer programs with very different volumes and requirements?

What they are checking: Whether they can structure buyers around programs or commodities thoughtfully, not just assign by headcount.

In contract manufacturing, purchasing often buys parts on the customer's behalf. How does that change how you manage liability for excess and obsolete inventory?

What they are checking: Whether they understand customer liability agreements and how buying ahead of firm demand creates inventory risk.

Which metrics do you use to manage a purchasing team's performance?

What they are checking: Whether they track things like on-time delivery, past-due orders, inventory and price variance, and know how buyers can game them.

How do you work with planning and sourcing so purchasing isn't just reacting to bad signals from MRP?

What they are checking: Whether they understand that clean planning data drives good purchasing and they'll fix the inputs, not just the outputs.

How do you make sure your team follows compliance requirements like export controls and conflict minerals reporting?

What they are checking: Whether they treat compliance as built into the process, since aerospace and defense customers expect it.

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The full job description

As published by Plexus.

About us: At Plexus, our vision is to help create the products that build a better world. Driven by a passion for excellence, we partner with leading Aerospace/Defense, Healthcare/Life Sciences and Industrial companies to design, manufacture and service some of the world’s most transformative products, including advanced surgical systems, diagnostic instruments, healthcare imaging equipment, mission critical aerospace systems, and electric vehicle (EV) charging solutions. Visit Plexus.com to learn more about our unwavering commitment to our vision. When we invest in our people, we invest in building a better world. With a vision rooted in the wellbeing and inclusive engagement of our team members, our customers, their end users and our communities, people are the heart of what we do and who we are. It is our values that unite us and guide us in everything that we do, including how we operate, behave and interact to foster a workplace where every team member feels valued and empowered to contribute their best. Our values include: Growing our People, Building Belonging, Innovating Responsibly, Delivering Excellence and Creating Customer Success. As a team member, you will engage in impactful work through global collaboration and the use of emerging technologies, join an inclusive culture where every team member is valued and working toward a greater purpose, and be empowered to reach your full potential through various development programs designed to accelerate your growth. Plexus offers a comprehensive benefits package designed to support team members' wellbeing, including medical, dental, and vision insurance, paid time off, retirement savings, and opportunities for professional development. We also prioritize work-life balance and offer a variety of perks to enhance the team member experience. For more information, visit our US benefits website at usbenefits.plexus.com . Our commitment to pay range transparency fosters an equitable workplace, where everyone can feel valued. The annual compensation range for this position is stated below. The salary offered within this range will be based upon the geographic location, work experience, education, licensure requirements and/or skill level. Salary Range: $129,500.00 - $214,300.00 Purpose Statement: Provides leadership and strategic direction to the Purchasing department. Supports the team to achieve enduring goals of the department, site and region, while ensuring these remain aligned with corporate objectives. Key Job Accountabilities: • Escalation level for MTM on any customer/materials related issues • Oversee the total materials (procurement and planning) process • Provide mentoring/coaching to MTM, DA and buyers to ensure customer demands are well executed without compromising Plexus internal metrics • Work collaboratively with various functional teams to ensure contingency plans are in place to deal with changes/crisis situations • Responsible to exemplify and hold their team accountable to demonstrating the Plexus Core Values. Leader will focus on evaluating potential, driving succession planning, and ensuring their employees receive the development and coaching required to realize their full potential. Education/Experience Qualifications: • Bachelor’s Degree with 8 or more years of related experience is preferred. An equivalent combination of education and/or experience will be considered. Other Qualifications: • Strong analytical skills. • Detail oriented. • Self-starter with the ability to operate without constant direction. • Ability to work in a dynamic environment across various functional business groups. • Strong written and verbal communication, interpersonal and problem solving skills. • Strong Google Workspace or MS Office skills with advanced knowledge of Excel. • General office equipment and materials. Physical Requirements: • Professional office environment with suitable lighting, comfortable temperatures, and low noise level. May require prolonged periods of sitting at a desk, using a computer, and other office equipment. Minimal physical activity is generally involved, emphasizing the importance of good posture and ergonomic workplace arrangements. Travel Requirements: • Less than 40% This document does not represent a contract of employment and is not intended to capture every possible assignment the incumbent could be asked to perform. We are pleased to provide reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities or special requirements. If you need an application accommodation, please contact us by email at GHQ.TA@plexus.com . Please include your contact information and clearly describe how we can help you. This email is for accommodation requests only and cannot be used to inquire about the status of applications. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE) and do not discriminate based on race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. Some offers of employment are contingent upon successfully passing a drug screen and/or background check.

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