Purchasing specialist Jobs in San Diego, CA

Director Of Purchasing

At Event Network, we believe the experience matters. As the leading operator of retail experiences at some of the most iconic and inspiring destinations across the United States, we infuse passion, creativity, and purpose into everything we do. Our team is dedicated to providing engaging and memorable retail environments that enhance the guest experience, while reflecting the unique mission and values of each location we serve.

The Director of Purchasing is the center point of communication and strategy for product across their portfolio of partnerships, serving as the conduit between Event Network's partners, store quality, internal product teams, and the VP of Purchasing. This role synthesizes and translates partner vision and needs, guest expectations, and organizational priorities into actionable product strategies. The Purchasing Director defines the partnership product "wins," aligns stakeholders to a single product perspective per partnership, and ensures clear priorities that deliver meaningful retail experiences.

Key Responsibilities and Accountabilities

Stakeholder Management

Interpret partnership expectations, align cross-functional product strategies, and deliver clear, timely information to ensure stakeholders understand priorities, ownership, and required actions.

• Partner with the VP of Purchasing to ensure consistent execution of product strategies across buyers, planners, store quality, and product development in support of organizational priorities.
• Ensure clarity and alignment of product strategies across specific portfolio of partnerships by serving as the central conduit for product between partners and internal teams.
• Synthesize partner and guest goals into actionable product objectives, clearly defining and communicating the product "win" to align internal and external teams.
• Possess strong communication instincts, with the ability to shift between email, calls, or meetings based on urgency, nuance, and relationship dynamics.
• Balance partner expectations, guest insights, and internal strategies, providing clarity on product goals without imposing personal viewpoints, so the right teams create the right solutions.

Cross-Functional Product Strategy

Apply strategic thinking to navigate ambiguity, make informed decisions amid complexity, and ensure timely communication of important product updates and decisions.

• Guide, influence, and align cross-functional teams (buyers, planners, store quality, visual merchandising, creative) around product strategy and assortment architecture.
• Communicate key product insights, accomplishments, progress, and risks to senior leadership, providing clear recommendations or data that support strategic decision-making.
• Provide clear, actionable direction on product strategy and partnership objectives to ensure buyers and planners execute and support assortments with precision and alignment to business goals.
• Keep the guest experience central to product decision-making, balancing operational, partner, creative, and buyer perspectives.

Operational Excellence in Product

Drive product outcomes by focusing on priorities, solving problems creatively, and moving initiatives forward with urgency and clarity.

• Own financial accountability for product strategies within assigned partnerships, monitoring assortment performance, margins, and productivity against business and partner goals.
• Proactively escalate critical issues or risks, ensuring urgent matters are clearly communicated and addressed with the right stakeholders.
• Approach product additions with focus and discipline ensuring that new items reflect a thoughtful balance of creativity, guest impact, and business priorities such as SKU count targets, cost-of-goods thresholds, and sales-driving potential.
• Apply sharp prioritization to handle fast-paced, high-volume workflows with shifting timelines and multiple stakeholders.
• Establish clear decision parameters, align cross-functional teams, and keep focus anchored on shared product objectives.

Skills & Qualifications

• Experience in partnership or client relationship roles within retail, merchandising, or product strategy.
• Creative problem-solver with strong communication and organizational skills; able to prioritize, manage projects, and drive alignment across partners and internal teams.
• Proven ability to craft and deliver presentations from conception to execution, designing compelling decks, structuring KPIs and strategies into clear, persuasive narratives, and presenting with clarity, professionalism, and influence across audiences.
• Strong analytical skills with knowledge of store and product KPIs (margins, assortment planning, forecasting, performance).
• Demonstrated success leading through influence in matrixed, cross-functional environments
• Ability to travel throughout the year as needed
• Prior experience partnering with mission-driven institutions or cultural destinations is a strong asset
• Proficiency in Excel, Word, Outlook, and PowerPoint.

Physical Demands The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the Purchasing Director is frequently required to stand; walk and use hands to finger, handle, or feel. The employee is occasionally required to reach with hands and arms; climb or balance and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl.

Salary Range: $90000.00-$100000/year

Bring your passion and talent to our team! Apply today and take the next step in your career journey with us!

Event Network celebrates diversity and is proud to be an equal-opportunity employer. We're committed to creating an inclusive environment for all Team Members.

Employee Benefits

Event Network offers full-time team members a comprehensive total rewards package with a variety of coverage options.

• Health and Wellness Benefits: Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance; Basic Life and AD&D Insurance; Long-Term Disability; plus Voluntary Benefits options 100% paid by employee: Voluntary Life and AD&D Insurance, Short-Term Disability (for employees outside of CA, NY, NJ, HI, RI, Puerto Rico), Accident Insurance, Critical Illness, Hospital Indemnity, and Pet insurance.
• Retirement and Savings: 401(k) Retirement Plan; Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Paid Time Off: Vacation Accrual; Sick Leave
• Nine Paid Holidays
• Profit Sharing Bonus Plan
• Employee Discounts: 25% discount to shop at our stores; and a separate discount program with exclusive savings on a variety of brand-name products, services, travel, entertainment, tickets, and more.