Procurement Manager

Position Summary:

The Procurement Manager is responsible for purchasing and managing food ingredients, packaging, raw materials, and other supplies to support business requirements. The focus of this role is on strategy, supplier development, business relationships, cost management, negotiations, and ensuring a reliable supply and quality of materials. This position requires a strategic approach to procurement with an emphasis on procuring materials and supplies, particularly focusing on perishable goods for a large food manufacturer.

Key Responsibilities of this Role:

• Establish and maintain relationships with suppliers who can deliver high-quality perishable goods consistently. This involves assessing the reliability, reputation, and financial stability of suppliers.
• Engage in negotiations to secure favorable terms and conditions, focusing on price, delivery schedules, and quality standards. Effective negotiation skills are essential to balance cost savings with value.
• Regularly evaluate supplier performance based on delivery timeliness, quality of goods, and adherence to contract terms. Implement corrective actions where necessary to maintain supply chain integrity.
• Utilize data and market trends to predict future demand for perishable goods. Accurate forecasting helps in minimizing waste and optimizing inventory levels.
• Develop strategies for maintaining optimal inventory levels that prevent stockouts while minimizing spoilage. This includes implementing systems for real-time inventory tracking.
• Ensure all purchased goods comply with food safety regulations and quality standards. This involves working closely with quality assurance teams to establish rigorous inspection protocols.
• Implement procedures to manage the shelf life of perishable goods, ensuring that products are stored and rotated efficiently to maximize freshness.
• Oversee the procurement budget, ensuring that purchasing decisions align with financial goals. Identify opportunities for cost savings without compromising quality.
• Conduct regular cost analyses to identify trends and inform strategic purchasing decisions. This may include evaluating the cost-effectiveness of different suppliers or products.
• Develop and implement contingency plans to address potential supply chain disruptions, such as natural disasters, transportation issues, or supplier failures.
• Stay informed about market trends and external factors that could affect the supply and pricing of perishable goods. Proactively adjust purchasing strategies as needed.
• Work closely with other departments, such as sales, marketing, and logistics, to align procurement activities with broader business objectives.
• Maintain open lines of communication with all stakeholders, providing regular updates on procurement activities and addressing any concerns promptly.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Experience and Skills Required:

• A minimum of 5 years of experience in procurement, with at least 3 years focusing on perishable goods.
• Proven track record in successful negotiation of purchase agreements, with a focus on cost efficiency and quality assurance for perishable items.
• Experience in managing supply chains for perishable goods, ensuring timely and efficient delivery.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and maintain strong relationships with vendors and suppliers in the perishable goods sector.
• In-depth understanding of the market trends and demands related to perishable goods.
• Ability to analyze market trends, pricing structures, and supply chain logistics to make informed purchasing decisions.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills for effective negotiation and vendor management.
• Experience in a similar role within the food production/manufacturing industry would be advantageous.
• Strong problem-solving skills with a proactive approach to addressing procurement challenges.
• Exceptional organizational abilities to manage multiple projects and deadlines efficiently.
• Keen eye for detail to ensure quality and compliance with procurement standards.

Core Competencies of the Role:

• Decision Quality: Makes sound decisions, even in the absence of complete information; Relies on a mixture of analysis, wisdom, experience, and judgment when making decisions; Considers all relevant factors and uses appropriate decision-making criteria and principles; Recognizes when a quick 80% solution will suffice.
• Business Insight: Knows how businesses work and how organizations make money; Keeps up with current and possible future policies, practices, and trends in the organization, with the competition, and in the marketplace; Uses knowledge of business drivers and how strategies and tactics play out in the market to guide actions.
• Persuades: Positions views and arguments appropriately to win support; Convinces others to take action; Negotiates skillfully in tough situations; Winds concessions without damaging relationships; Responds effectively to the reactions and positions of others
• Manages Complexity: Asks the right questions to accurately analyze situations; Acquires data from multiple and diverse sources when solving problems; Uncovers root causes to difficult problems; Evaluates pros and cons, risks and benefits of different solution options.
• Ensures Accountability: Follows through on commitments and makes sure others do the same; Acts with a clear sense of ownership; Takes personal responsibility for decisions, actions and failures; Establishes clear responsibilities and processes for monitoring work and measuring results; Designs feedback loops into work.
• Collaborates: Works cooperatively with others across the organization to achieve shared objectives; Represents own interests while being fair to others and their areas; Partners with others to get work done; Credits others for their contributions and accomplishments; Gains trust and support of others.
• Builds Networks: Builds strong formal and informal networks; Maintains relationships across a variety of functions and locations; Draws upon multiple relationships to exchange ideas, resources, and know-how.
• Financial Acumen: Understands the meaning and implications of key financial indicators; Uses financial analysis to generate, evaluate, and act on strategic options and opportunities; Integrates quantitative and qualitative information to draw accurate conclusions
• Customer Focus: Gains insight into customer needs; Identifies opportunities that benefit the customer; Builds and delivers solutions that meet customer expectations; Establishes and maintains effective customer relationships.
• Strategic Mindset: Anticipates future trends and implications accurately; Readily poses future scenarios; Articulates credible pictures and visions of possibilities that will create sustainable value; Creates competitive and breakthrough strategies that show a clear connection between vision and action.