Purchasing Manager & Strategic Sourcing Expert

Kimberly Denise Crowder

Palm Coast, FL 904-***-**** **********@*****.***

PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY

Resourceful, impact-driven Purchasing Manager with over 30 years of specialized experience in procurement, strategic sourcing, vendor management, and supply chain logistics. Proven track record of optimizing material acquisition, reading complex blueprints, and implementing cost-saving initiatives—such as establishing direct accounts with steel mills to bypass intermediaries. Expert in cross-functional collaboration with project managers, estimators, and corporate accounting to eliminate waste, negotiate high- volume buying programs, and keep capital projects on schedule and under budget. CORE COMPETENCIES & SKILLS

• Procurement & Sourcing: Strategic Sourcing, Vendor Management, Contract Negotiation, High-Volume Buying Programs, Cost Reduction & Avoidance, Budgeting

& Financial Analysis.

• Technical & Operations: Blueprint Reading, Structural Steel Fabrication, Material Take-Offs, Production Planning, Yield Optimization, Shipbuilding Logistics, Asset & Equipment Sourcing.

• Software & Systems: Fabtrol MRP, Visual ERP, Inventory Control Software, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Word, Microsoft Outlook. PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

St. Johns Ship Building Palatka, FL Purchasing Manager August 2021 – June 2026

• Directed end-to-end procurement for all materials, machinery, and finishings required to construct and fully furnish commercial vessels, spanning structural steel/aluminum hulls, engine room components, tools, and industrial supplies.

• Cost-Reduction Initiative: Strategically established direct accounts with primary steel mills, bypassing intermediaries to drastically reduce the baseline cost of raw structural steel.

• Process Optimization: Initiated and collaborated with a key vendor to deploy an automated inventory management system for consumables, integrating precise job costing to track material allocation per project.

• Financial Controls: Partnered daily with corporate accounting to systematically audit and reconcile purchase orders against vendor invoices; proactively negotiated with suppliers to resolve pricing, quantity, or billing discrepancies.

• Collaborated seamlessly with Project Managers and Estimators to forecast material pricing, manage lead times, and orchestrate "Just-In-Time" deliveries to eliminate fabrication downtime.

• Managed critical asset logistics, including heavy equipment rentals and specialized tool sourcing, aligning deliveries with complex build phases and strict maritime launch schedules.

FABCO Metal Products, LLC Daytona Beach, FL Purchasing Agent May 2015 – July 2021

• Managed vendor relationships, inventory control, and strategic sourcing across multiple high-volume product categories, interfacing directly with steel mills and secondary distributors.

• Formulated and enforced production cut lists, bridging procurement and shop floor operations to maximize material yield, minimize scrap waste, and elevate overall shop efficiency.

• Negotiated lucrative buying programs, volume discounts, and mill-direct service- level agreements with suppliers while continuously vetting new vendors to build a resilient, audit-ready supply chain.

• Partnered daily with corporate accounting to audit, reconcile, and approve invoices, while spearheading month-end financial reporting and managing comprehensive year-end physical inventory audits.

Whitley Steel Co., Inc. Jacksonville, FL Purchasing Agent June 2004 – April 2015

• Spearheaded multi-category material sourcing and inventory management, coordinating directly with steel mills to consistently feed production lines and maintain aggressive structural steel fabrication schedules.

• Authored precision production cut lists from technical blueprints, ensuring purchased stock from mill shipments was utilized with maximum cost-effectiveness.

• Collaborated closely with sales, production, and project management teams to proactively resolve material discrepancies, clarify technical specifications, and mitigate supply chain bottlenecks.

• Maintained accurate vendor management lifecycles, routinely reviewing supplier and mill pricing structures to secure highly competitive corporate discounts. EDUCATION

La Porte High School La Porte, TX

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