The Procurement Specialist is responsible for managing the procurement of essential ingredients and packaging materials crucial for smooth production operations, aligned with customer demands. This role involves critical forecasting, sourcing, and cost-efficiency initiatives, working hand-in-hand with teams across sales, production, warehousing, quality assurance, and supply chain management. Tasked with optimizing inventory, minimizing waste, and nurturing supplier partnerships, this position supports financial goals and operational optimization.
Key Duties:
- Oversee strategic procurement activities, including planning for materials, controlling inventory, and managing warehousing and receiving operations.
- Handle purchase orders for raw materials, resolve supplier issues, and verify pricing, quantities, and delivery agreements.
- Track forecast changes and assess their impact on supply chain functions.
- Collaborate with inventory, warehouse, and quality teams to maintain appropriate raw material levels and ensure effective product rotations.
- Develop and implement strategies to cut costs and enhance supply chain efficiency.
- Partner with production scheduling to ensure timely availability of materials for production runs.
- Prepare requests for quotations, and negotiate terms with suppliers, vendors, and logistic partners.
- Monitor and manage transportation logistics, including cost-efficient freight solutions.
- Address issues related to damaged or non-compliant materials or packaging.
- Evaluate supplier reliability and compliance with quality and delivery standards.
- Engage in projects involving engineering changes, automation, new materials, and product launches for readiness alignment.
- Perform various other related duties as required.
Leadership Expectations:
- Foster an ownership mindset by adding value to the business and its stakeholders.
- Build and maintain collaborative relationships across various teams.
- Inspire through enthusiasm, positivity, and resilience.
- Champion innovation by introducing new methods to boost efficiency.
Qualifications:
- Essential: High school diploma, 2+ years experience in a food manufacturing setting, familiarity with supply chain protocols, strong analytical and problem-solving skills, and proficiency in Microsoft Office applications.
- Desirable: Bachelor's degree in relevant fields, supply chain certifications, and extensive experience (5+ years) in food manufacturing.