Senior Buyer

Job Summary

We make frozen and refrigerated prepared meals, and the ingredients have to be there on spec, on time, at the right cost. As Senior Buyer, you'll own procurement for a set of ingredient categories and be the person who makes sure production never stops for a supply reason.

This is a hands-on role. You'll be in the details every day: placing and tracking purchase orders, chasing confirmations, and solving shortages and delays before they reach the production floor. Plenty of things will be moving at once, and you'll keep momentum on all of them.

You'll also be the go-to expert for your categories across Operations, Planning, R&D, Quality, and Finance. When there's a negotiation to lead, a cost-down to build, or a sourcing strategy to set, that's you alongside the daily buying work, not instead of it.

What you'll do

• Buy and keep supply flowing
• Own day-to-day buying for assigned ingredient categories proteins, produce, dairy, dry goods, and other raw materials
• Turn MRP output and planner input into purchase orders at the right quantity, timing, and cost
• Manage PO accuracy, confirmations, and on-time delivery; resolve shortages, delays, and discrepancies early
• Juggle a high volume of concurrent POs, projects, and shifting priorities without dropping execution

Negotiate and manage suppliers

• Lead commercial negotiations on price, payment terms, lead times, MOQs, and service levels
• Build real supplier relationships, run business reviews, and hold suppliers to their cost, quality, and delivery commitments
• Own contracts and pricing agreements, including renewals and renegotiations ahead of expiration
• Set sourcing strategy for your categories, including single vs. multi-source decisions and the supplier qualification pipeline with QA and R&D

Manage cost and risk

• Track commodity markets and cost drivers; forecast cost movement and flag risk to your manager and Finance early
• Lead cost-down and cost-avoidance initiatives, and document what you actually saved
• Build buffer strategies, alternate sourcing, and contingency plans for high-risk and single-source items

Work across the business

• Partner with Planning on demand signals and inventory targets, QA on supplier and ingredient quality, and R&D on sourcing for new product development
• Keep purchasing data clean in our ERP system, vendor, pricing, and lead-time records
• Support food safety and regulatory compliance in sourcing decisions, including supplier approval status, documentation, and FEFO-friendly ordering
• Help improve purchasing processes, controls, and reporting

Required

• 5+ years in purchasing or procurement in food or beverage manufacturing
• Direct experience buying ingredient commodities (proteins, produce, dairy, or dry goods) with real exposure to price volatility
• A negotiation track record with cost savings you can point to
• Strong working knowledge of MRP and ERP systems and purchasing workflows
• Solid Excel skills analysis, cost comparisons, supplier scorecards
• Understanding food safety and quality fundamentals in manufacturing: GMPs, supplier approval, lot and shelf-life considerations
• Clear communication and the ability to work across Operations, Planning, QA, R&D, and Finance
• Comfort operating hands-on in a fast-paced environment with several priorities live at once
• Experience with xTuple or a comparable manufacturing ERP
• Background in frozen or refrigerated prepared foods

Nice to have

• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Business, or a related field
• CPSM, CSCP, or APICS certification

Physical Requirements and Work Environment

• Primarily works at a computer workstation, viewing a screen and using a keyboard for extended periods, with frequent phone and video calls
• Regularly moves about the office, warehouse, receiving dock, and production areas, including walking on concrete and occasionally wet or uneven surfaces
• Frequently positions self to inspect incoming materials, pallets, and stored inventory
• Occasionally moves objects weighing up to 30 pounds
• Occasionally works in an active food manufacturing facility with production noise, moving equipment, and forklift and truck traffic at the dock
• Occasionally exposure to refrigerated and frozen areas (approximately 34F to below 0F) and to food ingredients including common allergens
• Required PPE, which may include hairnet, smock, hearing protection, slip-resistant footwear, safety glasses, high-visibility vest, and insulated outerwear
• On-site, full-time; non-exempt with overtime, including occasional extended hours to resolve supply disruptions

Benefits

• medical/dental/vision, 401K/ 401K match/ Vacation/ sick paid time off

How to Apply

Interested candidates should submit their application online using the link below.