Buyer

Position Summary: Coordinates inventory replenishment activities with suppliers, sales, logistics and operations for assigned categories.

What you’ll do:

• Place purchase orders with vendors utilizing an awareness of seasonal fluctuations, market effects and other information that require a high attention to detail to avoid spoilage, overstocks and shortages. 
• Manage and maintain the entire Purchase-to-Pay process, covering:
  • PO Creation
  • Vendor Confirmation
  • Accurate expected delivery date updates
  • Collaboration with Accounts Payable to ensure payment
• Maintain Purchasing system data to effectively generate suggested POs
• Maintain necessary required vendor documents (electronic and physical), such as W-9’s, Indemnities, etc.
• Work closely with:
  • Vendors to ensure POs are filled and delivered in a timely fashion
  • Vendors to manage FDA issues
  • Logistics to minimize freight expenses
  • Sales Managers to manage out-of-stock or over-stock risks
  • Customer Service teams to enable sales order growth
  • Buyers to build upon best-practices
• Build and maintain vendor relationships to not only support PO fulfillment, but also negotiate volume discounts and price breaks wherever possible
• Manage Fusion system issues that impact Purchasing and Receiving
• Maintain BFC dating system to minimize close dated issues and Expired product impact

About you:

• 5+ years buying experience with a focus on Specialty Food Products for a multi-unit Distribution Organization
• Bachelor’s degree from accredited four-year college or university preferred
• Previous food service distribution and/or food importing experience strongly preferred
• Commodity product awareness including blanket commitments, contractual processes and appropriate market tracking

• Must be a team player with a positive attitude

• Excellent verbal/written communication skills and a high level of analytical capabilities within Excel

• Self-starter, professional, goal oriented and able to handle multiple tasks

• Must have a sense of urgency and be able to work under pressure, be comfortable in a fast-paced, metrics-driven environment

• Flexible with the ability to work well with all departments and levels of staff both internally & externally

• Professional demeanor during all interactions with vendors, customers and fellow employees via phone or in-person

• Have a drive to advance within the organization.

• Advanced Excel Skill and additional Computer skills (JDE, Microsoft Suite – Word and PowerPoint, etc.)