Job Description
**NOTE: Only resume submissions with specific interior design/furniture industry experience will be reviewed. Resumes without note of such experience will not be reviewed or considered.
kc|ID, LLC is a boutique full-service interior design firm in Austin, TX. We are currently looking for a Procurement Manager with at least 3-4 years of experience in the Interior Design/furniture procurement field specifically. Exact salary range will be based upon Candidate’s experience and skill level; kc|ID does provide paid time off, company holidays including employee birthday, continued education units, philanthropy opportunities, team building events, a SEP-IRA (following 1 year of employment), merit-based bonuses and monthly cell phone/mileage reimbursement. We do not provide healthcare at this time.
Expenses associated with the interview process and/or moving and relocation expenses will be the applicant's responsibility.
Responsibilities:
The Procurement Manager will work as an integral part of all procurement efforts at kc|ID, performing the following duties with supervision by and collaboration with the Studio Director and Principal Designer. This role will supervise and manage all kc|ID procurement projects and procurement team members, and collaborate heavily with kc|ID Financial Manager. Below are the prime roles the Procurement Manager is directly responsible for leading.
Procurement Team Lead
• Onboarding and full mobilization of all kc|ID procurement projects, management and collaboration with Design Team, Financial Manager, and Principal on upcoming procurement efforts, understanding scope and timeline, confirmation of schedule for initial FFE development, warehouse contracting, order process and ongoing follow ups through installation and reconciliations.
• Lead and manage the procurement team (current experienced long-term Purchasing Lead role) as Project Manager, including overseeing the team’s workflow, deadlines, and schedules based on project timeline for efficient and timely purchases of all furniture and accessory items per project and ongoing review of workload for upcoming procurement project delegation. Consistent understanding of all project statuses, financial health, potential issues, proposed solutions for Project Lead/Studio Director approval etc. for an average of 10-12 procurement projects at a time.
• Hold required weekly in person procurement staff meetings, with Purchasing Lead, kc|ID Executive Assistant role, and on occasion Principal Designer.
• Update and Maintain Procurement Calendar for procurement project delegation and project time management. Present weekly updated accurate calendar with procurement workflow hours to team large at staff meetings.
• Review of Design Team-provided FFE budgets and furniture layouts to cross check documents and ensure accuracy of proper quantities, calculations, functions and third-party estimates included. Ongoing communication with procurement team and Financial Manager regarding all financial transactions and updates for placed furnishing orders, including confirming when Client deposits/funds are received.
• Strategize timing of order placement against stock/lead times, annual/bi-annual vendor price increases, storage costs, and expected installation date(s).
• Support Procurement Team with urgent matters, non-responsive vendors and/or 3rd parties, issue resolution, warehouse receipt reviews for accuracy, and overall order status updating. Resolution of all vendor/order issues is the direct responsibility of the Procurement Manager.
• Weekly and/or bi-weekly expense report updating with procurement team and Financial Manager.
• Collaboration with Financial Manager for reviewing Procurement Team hours/fee used per project on bi-weekly basis, profit margin expected, and plans for adjusting workflow to ensure efficient team member involvement.
• On key projects and when required, support procurement team with requesting quotes from vendors, creating purchase orders, placing orders and payment submission, and ongoing follow ups throughout procurement process. Update order status in internal documentation. Ie: when Purchasing Lead may not be available, due to an install/PTO/unexpected scenarios, it is the direct responsibility of the Procurement Manager to assist with these responsibilities and communications to Studio Director/Principal/Design Team leads to set expectations to any schedule adjustments impacting kc|ID projects.
• Weekly and/or bi-weekly vendor and subcontractor follow-up meetings with procurement team on all active projects using kc|ID’s online purchase order system.
Design Team Liaison
• Report to Design Team on consistent basis for all project updates including big picture order status, Client communications and inquiries, general scheduling, and reselections or adjustments required for project timeline.
• Attendance at in person monthly Expense Report reviews with Financial Manager to present project budget health to Design Team lead.
• Oversee and fully coordinate project install for both local and out of state/international installs with procurement team and Design Team. Handle logistics including install preparation, full warehouse scheduling/sequence, lead install efforts on site, and complete post install project follow ups and closeouts.
• Offer and schedule regular in office training sessions with all procurement software users/Design Team members to ensure proper and efficient steps and protocols are being followed. Assist and direct Design Team in following developed processes for all procurement related efforts including typical approved item input and purchasing process delegation, as well as unique/one off efforts such as out-of-scope items requested, custom furniture/item development and order, pre-install site/local shopping coordination and software input, etc.
• Preparation before and attendance at weekly staff meetings with updates on procurement project status and any areas of concern to discuss with other project team members for efficient planning.
• Responsible for maintaining connection and coordination between procurement team, Financial Manager and Design Team for each project.
• Responsible for ensuring all requested To the Trade Accounts are setup timely and pricing structures and ordering terms/conditions are available for Design Team use. Ongoing management of trade credential information in procurement software.
• Develop and foster vendor relationships, including retail and custom operations, negotiate discounts/pricing structures, and overall partnerships for future successful and valuable collaborations. Actively seek to build strong vendor relationships, opportunities and Design Team awareness of vendor relations amongst internal kc|ID project teams.
Operational/General Office Responsibilities
• Support internal operations team to develop and meet monthly/quarterly procurement profit goals as needed with Financial Manager.
• Along with Principal, Studio Director, and Financial Manager, in depth/ongoing review of procurement process, fee structure, software, and systems in place to ensure efficiency and profitability.
• Assess and ensure procurement software features and changes/updates are explored and utilized for efficiency improvements needed to kc|ID protocols.
• Periodic attendance at in-office vendor rep presentations for partnerships related to Procurement efforts, as well as opportunities for travel or attendance at industry trade shows to learn about and establish new vendor partnerships.
• Support overall kc|ID team with minimal office or project needs as they arise, including potential item receiving/inspection, site visit, client deliveries, etc.
• Maintain daily timesheet and mileage entries as required for payroll/reimbursables.
The ideal candidate will have:
• Minimum 3-4 years of experience working in a furniture procurement role.
• Bachelor’s degree in related field
• Familiarity with typical Furniture/Art/Accessory Procurement process, including coordination with 3rd party vendors such as warehouses and installers.
• Proficiency required in Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, Word, Outlook, Powerpoint), Google Suite (Google Sheets, etc), Adobe PDF, and Slack.
• Familiarity with Function Fox timekeeping software and Ivy/Houzz Procurement software a plus.
• Familiarity with Mac equipment – kc|ID is a Mac based firm.
• Steady and reliable personal transportation. Project errands, meetings, installations, site visits and other efforts require consistent access to a vehicle.
• Flexibility for periodic travel for potential out-of-town project installations.
The ideal candidate will be:
• Passionate about design and creative field; understanding of uniqueness in collaborating with creative minds against logistics and financial needs.
• A planner who can complete tasks on schedule, including strong self-prioritizing and time-management skills with little to no supervision.
• A team player who is willing to step in and help at any portion or phase of a project, including unexpected needs or last minute efforts.
• Skilled at issue resolution and proactive planning; consistent communicator and accountable for milestones.
• Highly organized, flexible and interested in managing multiple aspects of projects at one time. Able to multi-task and pivot to emergent needs as they arise.
• Detail oriented, observant and a critical thinker; offers excellent analytical and problem-solving skills based on evidence, historical experience, and other resources available.
• Ability to work both independently and in a collaborative team environment or with a direct supervisor – kc|ID is a highly collaborative firm.
• Honest and trustworthy, with a positive attitude and friendly demeanor.
• Ready to collaborate in a mostly in-office environment.