Produce Procurement Manager
HybridAlexandria, Virginia, United States
Job Summary
Develop and maintain produce specifications while evaluating growing and distribution capabilities of current and prospective suppliers. Lead North American potato negotiations for new crop cycles, manage freight costs from growers to distribution, and produce weekly updates on market conditions. Conduct supplier site visits with growers and distributors, and travel to growing regions and store locations to verify specifications and support quality concerns. Issue annual RFPs for key produce items, manage Arrow Stream inventory across U.S. and Canadian distribution centers, and provide budget projections for COGS analysis. Oversee daily product incidents in FoodLogiQ, ensuring closure within five days while applying food safety standards and regulations. Requires five to seven years of category management experience, with strong negotiation skills and 20% to 40% travel.
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in agriculture, business, supply chain, or a related field
- Five to seven years of category management or equivalent experience
- Supplier management experience
- Pricing experience
- Foodservice or food manufacturing experience
- Five or more years of experience sourcing and negotiating contracts for potatoes
- Experience with Idaho potatoes
- Experience with North American growing regions such as PEI and Washington
- Excellent verbal and written skills
- Ability to use written, verbal and group communication skills
- Ability to read, write and comprehend complex instructions and correspondence
- Strong interpersonal skills
- Negotiation skills
- Good business math skills
- Pragmatic analyzing skills
- Organizational skills
- Problem-solving abilities
- Ability to manage multiple ongoing projects
- Proficiency in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Internet, Outlook and other appropriate software within the organization
- Knowledge of common MS Office applications
- Ability to occasionally stand, walk, reaching, grasping, and handling objects
- Ability to occasionally lift or move supplies, materials, or freight up to 50 pounds
- Travel availability ranging from 20% to 40% during certain periods
Desired Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in agriculture, business, supply chain, or a related field preferred
- Five to seven years of category management or equivalent experience, including supplier management and pricing experience, preferred
- Foodservice or food manufacturing experience preferred
- Five or more years of experience sourcing and negotiating contracts for potatoes, including Idaho potatoes and other North American growing regions such as PEI and Washington, preferred
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