Job Description

The Role

This isn't a purchasing manager with a VP title. You're stepping into a seat that owns the full trade partner ecosystem for a well-capitalized national homebuilder with a major California presence — a division that's actively growing and needs purchasing leadership that can run at that pace.

You'll set the procurement strategy, manage the trade partner base, drive cost-per-start performance, and lead a purchasing team that needs both direction and development. The construction team needs a purchasing partner who understands what it costs to build in California and has the relationships to back it up.

What You'll Own

Trade Partner Management

• Build and maintain the division's preferred trade partner network across California markets
• Lead annual and mid-cycle bid processes for all scopes — framing, concrete, drywall, mechanical, roofing, and more
• Negotiate master agreements that reflect current market conditions, not last cycle's pricing
• Hold trades accountable to quality and schedule standards in partnership with field ops

Procurement Strategy & Cost Management

• Own cost-per-start budgeting for the division; track actuals against plan and report variances with context, not excuses
• Leverage national account contracts and corporate buying power while protecting division-level flexibility
• Manage the option and start package catalog — pricing, availability, and cycle time all land on your desk
• Identify structural cost opportunities without compromising build quality or schedule

Cross-Functional Leadership

• Partner with construction operations on trade capacity planning — especially on high-velocity or complex product types
• Work directly with land and finance on pro forma assumptions for new communities
• Coordinate with design/studio on option complexity and trade impact
• Represent purchasing at division leadership meetings; your seat at the table matters

Team Leadership

• Lead and develop a purchasing team of managers and coordinators
• Build the systems and processes that make the team scalable as the division grows
• Set performance standards and hold them

What You've Done

• 7+ years in homebuilding purchasing, including at least 3 in a senior or leadership role
• Deep familiarity with California construction costs, trades, and labor market dynamics
• Run a bid process from setup through award — you know what a good number looks like and when you're being played
• Managed a trade partner base through at least one market cycle (up or down)
• Experience with national or regional homebuilders preferred; comfort operating inside a larger corporate structure is a must
• Proficiency in purchasing or ERP systems (BuildPro, Oracle, or similar)