Procurement Specialist

Riverside Natural Foods Ltd.; Toronto; On-site; CAD 65,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

RRSP/401k matching

Profit Sharing Plan

Tuition reimbursement

Job summary

Riverside Natural Foods Ltd. in Canada is seeking a Procurement Specialist to optimize direct materials purchasing for branded and private label products.

You will foster strong vendor partnerships, manage orders and contracts, and monitor KPI targets across Riverside’s production network. The role requires a post-secondary degree in a relevant field, 1–2 years of supply chain experience, and proficiency with SAP and Excel.

Qualifications

• Strong presentation, collaboration and listening skills are required.
• Proficiency in MS Office and data handling to support sourcing decisions.
• Excellent communication and teamwork across R&D, logistics, planning and production.

Responsibilities

• Optimize purchasing requirements for direct materials used in production.
• Maintain supplier relationships and negotiate favorable terms.
• Create and manage purchase orders and contracts; ensure on-time delivery.
• Monitor inventory levels and KPI targets to minimize cost and maximize efficiency.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams on procurement improvements.

Skills

Presentation skills

Collaboration

Listening skills

Education

Post-secondary degree or diploma in Supply Chain, Business or Engineering

Tools

SAP

Job description

Join Riverside Natural Foods Ltd., a Canadian-based, family-owned, and globally operating business, committed to leaving the world better than we found it. As a B-Corp certified, Triple-Bottom Line company, we proudly manufacture nutritious, 'better-for-you' snacks such as MadeGood and GOOD TO GO. We value teamwork, humility, respect, ownership, adaptability, grit, and fun.

We’re on an ambitious mission to double our business by 2027, and we need talented individuals like you to help us reach new heights. At Riverside, you’ll have the opportunity to chart your own path to success while contributing to ours. We believe anything worth doing is worth doing right, and our values will guide us through the rugged terrain – and yes, it will get rough. But that’s what makes the journey worthwhile.

So, lace up your boots and let’s tackle the climb together.

The Procurement Specialist is primarily responsible for optimizing purchasing requirements of direct materials (packaging materials and/or ingredients) required for production of branded and private label brands as assigned. The role requires an individual that can foster strong relationships with vendor partners to create “win-win” partnerships.

Primary Responsibilities

• Materials Management: Ensures timely availability and efficient allocation of materials for various manufacturing sites within the Riverside network by assessing material requirements against available inventories. Proactive on industry trends and lead times to mitigate risk.
• Order Management: Determines material requirements for a select portfolio of material items, creates, reviews, and communicates purchase orders and/or contracts to vendor partners, follows up on movement of goods so that materials arrive on time and in full.
• Continuous Improvement: Participates in continuous improvement projects that involve sourcing & procurement activities, collaborate with various stakeholders as needed.
• Data Management: Involved in data integrity activities ensuring that system data is accurate and valid, works with various stakeholders to validate and confirm data to help ensure system is helping inform strong decision making for sourcing & procurement, as well as related teams. Monitors and supports updates in SAP master data (contracts, Purchase Orders, and material- and vendor-specific master data)
• Cost Efficiency: Ensures best purchasing options are evaluated to maximize efficiency/cost.
• Key Performance Indicators: Adheres to internal KPIs including inventory values, turns and other inventory metrics as per department targets.
• Supply Management: Monitors the company's demand for products to avoid supply shortages. Track and/or manage releases of vendor-managed inventory (VMI) as required.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Collaborates with R&D, transportation, marketing, packaging engineering and planning teams as needed on projects and to manage any supply chain challenges or opportunities to ensure material availability for on-time consumption in production.
• Supplier Relationship Management: Initiates, cultivates, and enhances relationships with vendor partners; strives for win-win solutions and outcomes.
• Core Values: Demonstrate and uphold Riverside’s Core Values, mission, and vision.
  • Help to establish RESPECT and confidence with customers.
  • Educate customers, distributors, brokers, and sales agents on product attributes and benefits while displaying HUMILITY.
  • Demonstrate OWNERSHIP by managing customers as if they were your own.
  • Keeps the work atmosphere FUN by keeping it light and welcoming.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Reporting Relationships

The position reports directly to the Sr. Sourcing & Procurement Manager.

Skills & Abilities

• Demonstrable success at creatively solving problems and implementing solutions.
• Must have strong presentation, collaboration and listening skills.
• Strong TEAM player with Energy, GRIT, ambition, competitiveness
• Outstanding organizational, and time management skills
• Intermediate level of computer and technical skills with an emphasis on MS Office Suite
• Ability to adapt communication style based on the audience. Ability to communicate in a clear and professional way, both written and verbal
• Proven ability to build and maintain productive relationships with key business partners.
• Proven ability to make decisions based on a mixture of information, analysis, experience, and judgement.
• Strong attention to detail and ability to work with a high degree of accuracy.
• Excellent planning, organizing, multitasking and time management skills.
• A collaborative self-starter with a high level of initiative and flexibility.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
• Team player with a positive attitude and proven business acumen

Education and Qualifications

• Post-secondary degree or diploma in Supply Chain, Business or Engineering.
• 1-2 years of experience in a supply chain or procurement function, preferably in a fast-paced food manufacturing setting.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Excel including pivot tables, formulas, etc.
• Minimum of 2 years of experience working with SAP (or comparable ERP systems)

Key Accountabilities

Responsibility

KPI / Metric

Target

Learns existing systems and processes

>95% of procurement portfolio learned (materials, suppliers, ordering dynamics, invoice management, etc)

1 month

Cross-Functional Collaboration

Learns basic functions of at least 3 different departments (i.e. supply planning, demand planning, production planning, FSQA, accounts payable, logistics, etc)

2 months

Continuous improvement

Develops 2-3 continuous improvement opportunities on how to improve processes, systems, tools, etc.

3 months

Inventory Management

Meets established inventory targets for key materials and categories (to be established once specific portfolio determined)

3 months

Please note this role is an existing vacancy.

Salary Range

$65,000 - $75,000 CAD

At Riverside, we are committed to transparency and fairness in our compensation and job posting practices. The range above reflects the target compensation for the position at the time of posting. Exact compensation will be determined based on experience, skill set, education, and training, as well as other organizational needs, while balancing internal equity.

What we expect:

• Values-led: You’ll be a member of a thoughtful and compassionate team that prioritizes respect, teamwork and resourcefulness along with a good dash of fun. Sometimes, even making granola bars is hard, and life’s too short to take ourselves so seriously that we don’t enjoy the journey.
• Unparalleled experiences and opportunities: We’re still determining who we are and what we can be. Help us shape what this organization will look like and what we’ll offer the world, into the future. This means rolling up your sleeves and sometimes building the process – fast! – while employing it. At Riverside, progress occasionally means proceeding imperfectly, and we’re okay with that, as long as we’re staying true to our values and learning and improving along the way.
• Access to everyone: We’re a flat organization with few silos which means you’ll have full access to everyone from our founders to our production staff. Even when employees dress up, they wear steel-toed shoes. So don’t be shy. Speak up, share your ideas and go places you normally wouldn’t – like the plant, or the boardroom.
• Personal development: We’ll support and empower you to chart your own path and reach any heights you set for yourself. Career paths at Riverside are carved by the people walking on them, not dictated by leaders. Count on us to give you the training and tools to grow and progress.
• Gratitude: As a growing business, we can’t always offer formal recognition like awards programs, but we do show our true gratitude and appreciation. At Riverside, we’re all in this together and we value you.
  
• Be a Riverside Brand Ambassador: Stay relentlessly close to our consumers and represent the brand in every interaction, decision, and deliverable. Bring the consumer voice into your work by protecting product quality, availability, and experience, acting early when standards slip, and delivering consistent value that earns trust, advocacy, and long-term brand love.

What We Offer:

• Values-led: We don’t cut corners or step on anyone or anything on our way to our summit. There is no winning at all costs here. Every step you take must align with our values, no compromises.
• Courageous determination: As a family-run, rapidly growing business, we are often challenged to find ways to deliver that aren’t obvious or easy. You must be willing to try, ask and answer challenging questions, test and learn, turn over every stone, keep moving forward and help us find a way through. Resourcefulness and grit will be your constant companions at Riverside and will serve you well.
• Humility: We’re a small (but growing) fish in a sea of whales and sharks. We know the products we offer are some of the healthiest and most sustainable, but we don’t brag about it, and know we have a steep path ahead. We pride ourselves in being respectful and supportive of others while shining brightly through our innovative, high-quality products. There isn’t one superstar at Riverside. We take turns leading the way as we climb to the summit.
• Continuous improvement: As a learn-as-we-go organization, we rely on each other to continuously improve everything we touch to make it better, more efficient, more sustainable, and more endearing to customers, consumers, employees, vendors, partners and the community. We own our mistakes and learn from them as we wind our way to the top.

Wait! There’s more!

• Immerse yourself in our comprehensive benefits program, with Riverside taking care of the costs!
• RRSP matching or 401k matching for an empowered financial journey
• Eligibility to participate in Riverside's Profit Sharing Plan
• Join Employee-Led Resource Groups (ERGs) championing mental health, sustainability, diversity, women, and LGBTQ+ rights
• Develop your career further through our Riverside University program and with our Tuition Reimbursement Program
• An open concept work environment that embodies our Values