Material Buyer - Hybrid Or Fully Remote

Cafe Valley Bakery is seeking a Material Buyer to join our team in Marion, IN. The Material Buyer will be responsible for sourcing, purchasing, and managing the inventory of materials required for bakery operations. This includes negotiating with suppliers, ensuring timely delivery of materials, and managing the inventory levels to avoid stockouts.
Pay is $55,000-$65,000, with a 5% bonus potential.

Job Responsibilities

Essential Functions and Responsibilities:

• Develop, implement, and execute purchasing strategies.
• Manage the rules and strategy of MRP to optimize inventory levels and ensure inventories support manufacturing while keeping a careful eye on the financial impacts of inventory.
• Develop and maintain relationships with suppliers to ensure the best possible pricing, quality, and delivery.
• Negotiate pricing to continually drive cost savings.
• Purchase materials and maintain inventory levels to ensure adequate supply while avoiding stockouts and minimizing inventory carrying costs.
• Work with production and planning teams to ensure that materials are available as needed to meet production schedules.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to identify and implement cost savings initiatives.
• Analyze data to identify trends and areas for improvement in procurement processes.
• Ensure compliance with food safety regulations and GMPs.
• Maintain accurate and up-to-date records of purchasing activities.
• Participate in periodic physical inventory counts and reconciliation of discrepancies.
• Continuously monitor market trends and industry developments to inform purchasing decisions.

Required Skills and Qualifications

• Excellent Negotiation Skills: The ability to negotiate favorable terms, pricing, and contracts with suppliers is critical to the success of a purchasing buyer.
• Strong Analytical and Problem-Solving Skills: The ability to analyze data, identify trends, and solve problems is important in making informed purchasing decisions.
• Attention to Detail: The ability to pay attention to details and maintain accurate records is important to ensure that the purchasing process runs smoothly.
• Strong Communication Skills: The ability to communicate effectively with suppliers, internal stakeholders, and cross-functional teams is important to ensure that everyone is on the same page and that purchasing activities are aligned with the company's goals.
• Adaptability and Flexibility: The ability to adapt to changing priorities and work effectively in a fast-paced environment is important to ensure that purchasing activities are completed on time.

• Supplier Relationship Management: The ability to develop and maintain positive relationships with suppliers is important in negotiating favorable terms, managing inventory levels, and ensuring timely delivery of materials.
• Continuous Improvement: The ability to continuously monitor and improve purchasing processes to ensure that they are efficient, effective, and aligned with the company's goals.

• Associate degree in business, supply chain management, or a related field.
• At least 4 years of experience in procurement, supply chain management or a related field.
• Strong negotiation skills.
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and other office applications.
• Must be authorized to work in the United States without sponsorship.

Qualifications Desired:

• Bachelor’s degree.
• Experience in the food industry.
• Experience in the food industry, specifically in purchasing of ingredients and materials for bakery operations.
• Familiarity with purchasing software, such as SAP or Oracle
• Knowledge of Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs) and food safety regulations
• Familiarity with inventory management software