Buyer/Ingredients

Affinity Executive Search - Boston, MA

Full-time

Boston, MA

Administrative and Support Services

About the position

The Raw Ingredient Buyer will play a crucial role in inventory management and the purchasing of raw materials essential for the production of finished goods at the designated manufacturing facility. This position requires a candidate who can effectively multitask and possesses excellent planning, organizational, and mathematical skills. Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and Word is essential for managing data and reports. The ideal candidate should have experience in negotiating material contracts, with a background in food commodity buying being a significant advantage. Strong problem-solving abilities and sound business decision-making skills are critical for success in this role. Additionally, the candidate must demonstrate strong communication skills, enabling them to work collaboratively with external suppliers and internal customers alike. The ability to coach and mentor direct reports is imperative, as is a general interest or experience in food-related areas. The responsibilities of the Raw Ingredient Buyer include the replenishment of raw materials, building trucks from various vendors across the country, and monitoring lead times, storage requirements, and shelf life of all materials. The buyer will attend vendor plant audits alongside the QA manager and will be accountable for accurate raw material pricing and freight costs. Cost savings will be driven by reviewing vendor price brackets, freight differentials, and alternative supplier qualifications. The buyer will also review daily exception reports with scheduling and expedite materials as needed to cover production demands. In the event of material issues, the buyer will work closely with Quality to act as a liaison between the company and the vendor for returns, discards, or reimbursements. They will notify Accounting of anticipated credits or payments and collaborate with R&D to procure new ingredients for customer formulations. Crisis management skills are essential, as the buyer must be adept at handling issues involving raw materials used in production at various plants, being available 24/7 to address any emergencies that may jeopardize operations. The buyer will facilitate the transfer of raw materials between plants as formulas shift and will manage logistics in collaboration with the Logistics Department. Coordination with the packaging team and Ryder is necessary to ensure all weekly backhauls are utilized effectively. The buyer will also work with accounting to resolve discrepancies in invoices and cover other plants as needed when buyers are out of the office. Weekly Supplyside variance reports will be submitted to the plant, and the buyer will confirm recounts and make necessary adjustments while reviewing dead inventory and short shelf raw material reports. Quarterly inventory responsibilities will also be managed by the buyer.

Responsibilities

• Responsible for replenishment of raw materials.
• Build trucks from various vendors located throughout the country while monitoring lead times, storage requirements, and shelf life of all materials.
• Attend vendor plant audits with QA manager periodically.
• Accountable for accurate raw material pricing and freight costs.
• Responsible for cost savings driven by review of vendor price brackets, freight differentials, and alternative supplier qualifications.
• Review the daily exception report with scheduling and expedite materials as needed to cover production.
• Work with Quality in the event of a material issue and be the liaison between the company and the vendor for return, discard, and/or reimbursement of material.
• Notify Accounting of anticipated credits or payments.
• Work with R&D to help procure new ingredients for customer formulations.
• Be adept at crisis management and have excellent multitasking skills when issues arise involving any raw materials used in production at perspective plants.
• Act as key contact between all plant personnel and be available 24/7 to handle any issue that would put the plant in jeopardy involving raw materials.
• Facilitate the transfer of raw materials from plant to plant as formulas are shifted between facilities.
• Manage collect truckloads with the Logistics Department.
• Coordinate with the packaging team and Ryder to ensure all weekly backhauls are utilized.
• Work with accounting to resolve discrepant invoices in DocuWare.
• Cover other plants as needed when buyers are out of the office.
• Submit weekly Supplyside variance report to the plant.
• Confirm recounts and make adjustments.
• Review dead inventory and short shelf raw material reports.
• Manage and facilitate quarterly inventory responsibilities.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree (B.A.) from a four-year college or university, with a concentration in business or math preferred; or three to five years related experience and/or training; or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Experience negotiating material contracts.
• Knowledge of food commodity buying is a plus.
• Proficient in Microsoft Excel and Word.
• Excellent planning, organizational, and math skills.
• Strong problem-solving abilities and solid business decision-making expertise.
• Strong communication skills to work cross-functionally with outside suppliers and internal customers.
• Ability to coach and mentor direct reports.

Nice-to-haves

• General interest and/or experience in food-related areas.