National Manager – Purchasing and Inventory

Company Overview

NZ Safety Blackwoods, a part of Wesfarmers Industrial and Safety, stands as one of New Zealand’s foremost suppliers of industrial, safety, and engineering products. It serves clients nationwide via an extensive trade and distribution network. The organisation is currently undergoing a crucial phase of modernisation and growth, updating technology and streamlining distribution to better support its expansion efforts. This company invests substantially in its workforce and is cultivating a strong high-performance culture within its supply chain division.

Position Summary

Reporting directly to the Head of Operations, this leadership role entails spearheading and transforming the inventory and purchasing departments. The successful candidate will be responsible for defining strategic policies relating to procurement, replenishment, and logistics operations across the organisation. Managing a team exceeding 20 staff members in inventory operations, projects, purchasing, and planning, the role oversees up to $50 million worth of inventory and ensures robust stock availability to meet delivery targets.

Key Responsibilities

• Establish and execute strategic plans for procurement, inventory management, replenishment, and logistics.
• Lead the introduction and adoption of an advanced planning system (APS) to enhance planning, forecasting, and stock availability.
• Facilitate the transition to the consolidated Drury distribution centre.
• Build and foster high-performing teams within inventory and purchasing functions.
• Improve processes and systems to reduce manual work, boost productivity, and enhance cost efficiency and service quality.
• Develop and maintain strategic relationships with suppliers to improve reliability and lead times.
• Monitor key performance indicators related to stock availability, delivery efficiency, inventory valuation, and working capital management.
• Oversee inventory budgets, purchasing expenses, and maintain audit-ready controls.

Required Skills and Experience

• At least five years of senior-level experience in inventory, procurement, and supply chain management.
• Proven track record leading large teams and managing cross-functional projects.
• Experience implementing technology and systems, preferably advanced planning systems or similar.
• Strong commercial insight with strategic planning and prioritization abilities.
• Ability to lead transformational change across processes, systems, and work practices.
• Excellent communication skills and adeptness at stakeholder management internally and externally.
• Customer-focused with a strong results orientation.
• Secondary qualifications required; higher education in relevant fields preferred.

Candidate Profile

The ideal candidate is a seasoned and commercially astute supply chain leader energized by driving transformation rather than maintaining the status quo. They balance strategic thinking with operational detail, effectively leading a sizeable team through change. This individual will be comfortable overseeing a major systems rollout and significant network transition concurrently, leveraging strong influence and stakeholder engagement skills.

Benefits and Opportunities

• Chance to lead and reshape a national supply chain function in a well-established New Zealand company.
• Ownership of strategy, personnel, systems, and commercial outcomes with a clear drive for modernisation.
• Substantial backing for technology investment and career development.
• Role based in Auckland with on-site parking available.
• Participation in a high-performance organisational culture.