Purchasing & Logistics Manager
Job description
Our client is hiring a Purchasing & Logistics Manager to own purchase orders and shipments across a supply chain that spans China, Europe and the US. Components come from suppliers in China, Europe and the US and are assembled in Los Angeles; hair colour is formulated and filled in Spain and the US, and finished cartridges ship to salons in the UK and the US every month. They are now launching in the US.
You will be the person who makes sure every PO is confirmed, every shipment moves and every import clears. This is a hands-on role in a small team: you place the orders, chase the confirmations, book the freight and fix what goes wrong.
What you'll do
Purchase orders
- Raise POs for components, machined parts, bulk hair colour, cartridges, packaging and consumables in the MRP system.
- Get written order confirmations from every supplier with price, quantity and delivery date, and chase until you have them.
- Track open POs against confirmed dates; escalate slippage early and agree recovery plans with suppliers.
- Match supplier invoices to POs and receipts, and flag discrepancies to finance Shipments (the bulk of the role).
- Book and manage inbound and outbound freight: sea, air and road, from China, Europe and the US into the US and UK operations.
- Prepare commercial invoices, packing lists, certificates of origin and dangerous-goods paperwork; our cartridges are aerosols (UN 1950), so DG compliance is routine, not occasional.
- Work with customs brokers and freight forwarders on US and UK import entries, HS classification, origin and duties.
- Run the monthly salon replenishment shipments with the 3PLs in the US and the UK.
- Set up and manage reverse logistics for empty cartridges from salons.
- Keep inventory and in-transit stock accurate across the warehouse, 3PLs and contract fillers.
Suppliers and systems
- Be the day-to-day contact for the contract manufacturer, machine shops, fillers, extruders and packaging suppliers.
- Maintain supplier records, lead times, MOQs and pricing in the MRP system.
- Report weekly on open POs, inbound shipments and stock cover.
Requirements
Must have
- 5+ years in purchasing, supply chain or logistics for a physical product, with at least 2 years running international shipments.
- Hands-on US operations experience: US customs entries, US freight forwarders and carriers, domestic LTL/parcel.
- Import/export experience on both sides: you have cleared goods into the US and shipped goods out of it.
- Experience managing POs end to end: raising, confirming, expediting and receiving.
- Comfortable with incoterms, HS codes, commercial documentation and landed-cost thinking.
- Organised and persistent: you keep a clean tracker and you chase until you get an answer.
- Fluent English; able to work across US and UK time zones.
Nice to have
- Dangerous-goods (aerosol / hazmat) shipping experience, IATA/IMDG/49 CFR.
- Experience sourcing and importing from Chinese and European suppliers, including sea-freight consolidation.
- Experience with an MRP/ERP system for purchasing and inventory.
- Experience in a start-up or small manufacturing company where you built the process rather than inherited it.
Skills mentioned
At the heart of VirtuHire's mission is a passionate drive to bridge the gap between global businesses and the exceptional, yet often untapped, remote talent pool in South Africa. The company was born from a recognition of the significant challenges businesses face when trying to source skilled professionals remotely. Founders Nicholas and Brandon envisioned a streamlined, fully digital recruitment process designed to simplify hiring while delivering outstanding results. This vision is built on a foundation of core values: Integrity, Excellence, and Innovation. The team at VirtuHire upholds the highest standards of honesty and transparency in all their interactions, ensuring a trustworthy partnership with every client. They are relentlessly committed to delivering a superior service that consistently exceeds expectations, and they continuously seek out innovative solutions to enhance the hiring experience for both companies and candidates. VirtuHire's culture is centered around making a tangible impact. They position themselves not just as a recruitment agency, but as a strategic partner in building and scaling world-class teams. Their process is meticulously designed to be both efficient and effective. It begins with a deep dive into a client's business needs and vision to ensure perfect alignment. From there, a targeted talent search is launched, sifting through thousands of candidates to present a curated shortlist of the top three within a week, complete with CVs and introductory videos. By handling the logistics of interview scheduling and offering seamless onboarding as an Employer of Record (EOR), VirtuHire manages payroll, compliance, and administrative tasks. This allows their clients to focus on their core growth activities, confident that the recruitment and management of their remote team are in expert hands. This holistic approach empowers businesses to build exceptional teams and transform their workforce with top-tier South African talent.
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