Food Ingredient Buyer

Food Ingredient Buyer

The Food Ingredient Buyer is responsible for managing the procurement and inventory of raw materials necessary for the production of finished goods at their assigned manufacturing facility. This role requires strong organizational, analytical, and negotiation skills, with a preference for candidates experienced in food commodity purchasing.

Key Responsibilities:

• Oversee the timely replenishment of raw materials by coordinating with multiple vendors nationwide, considering lead times, storage capacities, and shelf life.
• Ensure accurate pricing of raw materials, including freight costs, and seek cost-saving opportunities through price bracket analysis, freight efficiencies, and alternative supplier sourcing.
• Serve as a primary liaison between internal teams and external vendors to resolve material issues, coordinate returns or reimbursements, and communicate expected credits with Accounting.
• Partner with Quality Assurance during vendor audits and collaborate with R&D to source new ingredients for product development.
• Maintain constant awareness of material availability, proactively addressing any shortages that could impact production. Be available on-call to handle urgent raw material issues.
• Coordinate raw material transfers between facilities in response to shifting formulations or production changes.
• Work with Logistics to manage collect freight and ensure optimal use of backhaul opportunities in collaboration with the packaging team.
• Resolve invoice discrepancies with Accounting using DocuWare.
• Provide cross-coverage for other buyers when needed.
• Generate and submit weekly Supply side variance reports, verify counts, and make necessary adjustments.
• Monitor and address issues related to short shelf-life or dead inventory.
• Lead quarterly inventory counts and reconciliation processes.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Mathematics, Supply Chain, or a related field preferred, or an equivalent combination of education and 35 years of relevant experience.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and Word.
• Demonstrated experience in vendor negotiation and raw material purchasing; food industry or commodity buying experience is a plus.
• Strong problem-solving, analytical, and decision-making abilities.
• Excellent communication skills and ability to work collaboratively across departments and with external suppliers.