Procurement Executive

Talent Hired-the Job Store; Kunigal; On-site; INR 500,000 - 900,000; Full time

Job summary

Talent Hired-the Job Store is seeking a proactive procurement professional to manage gherkins sourcing and contract farming in Karnataka. You will coordinate with farmers, processors and exporters to ensure reliable supply, quality conformity and timely shipments.

The role involves negotiating with processors, tracking market trends, and maintaining rigorous documentation for export readiness. Knowledge of European requirements and farm-to-fork traceability is essential.

Qualifications

• Strong understanding of gherkins procurement and processing value chain.
• Experience in gherkins exports, contract farming, farmer/FPO management, or processed food sourcing preferred.
• Knowledge of European market quality expectations and export standards.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate with processors for production planning, packing, inspection and dispatch readiness.
• Follow up on customer orders from procurement confirmation to shipment handover.
• Maintain records of supplier quotations, purchase orders, contracts, dispatches, quality reports and pending orders.
• Prepare daily, weekly and monthly procurement updates for management.
• Track order-wise procurement status, shipment timelines, supplier performance and cost details.

Skills

Procurement value chain

Gherkins sourcing

Contract farming management

Farmer/FPO liaison

Vendor negotiation

Export compliance

Education

Graduate in Agriculture/Horticulture/Agri Business/Food Technology/Supply Chain/Commerce

Job description

1. Gherkins Cultivation, Contract Farming and Value Chain Knowledge

• Possess practical knowledge of gherkins cultivation, crop cycles, package of practices, crop monitoring, harvest maturity, yield drivers and field-level quality parameters.
• Understand European customer and food safety requirements as they relate to cultivation practices, pesticide usage, residue control, traceability and raw material quality.
• Have experience or strong working knowledge of contract farming of gherkins, including farmer identification, acreage planning, crop planning, input coordination, field follow-up and harvest scheduling.
• Manage and coordinate with farmer groups, FPOs, aggregators and field teams to ensure reliable raw material supply, quality compliance and timely procurement.
• Understand contract farming agreements, commercial terms with farmers/FPOs, procurement commitments, crop buyback arrangements, documentation and farmer payment coordination.
• Coordinate with processors and field teams to align cultivation plans, expected arrivals, processing capacity and customer shipment schedules.
• Understand different gherkins grades, sizes, cuts, packing formats, brine specifications and customer requirements.
• Coordinate with processors to ensure product specifications are aligned with European customer needs.
• Monitor crop outlook, farmer/FPO performance, processing availability, market trends and competitor activity

2. Processor Sourcing and Procurement

• Source processed gherkins from reliable and approved processors in Karnataka and nearby regions.
• Develop and maintain relationships with gherkins processors, suppliers and packers.
• Identify new processors with suitable capability, certifications, quality systems and export readiness.
• Ensure consistent availability against customer orders, contracts and shipment schedules.
• Track processor-wise capacity, product availability, seasonality, pricing and delivery performance.

3. Supplier and Vendor Management

• Evaluate processors based on quality, reliability, pricing, compliance, documentation and delivery timelines.
• Negotiate prices, payment terms, delivery schedules and commercial terms with processors.
• Maintain an updated database of approved processors, specifications, pricing and supply history.
• Build long-term sourcing partnerships to ensure continuity of supply.
• Monitor supplier performance and elevate quality or delivery issues when required.

4. Quality and Customer Specification Management

• Ensure procured gherkins meet agreed quality standards, customer specifications and export requirements.
• Coordinate with quality teams for product inspection, sample approvals, lab testing and pre-shipment checks.
• Monitor key parameters such as size, texture, colour, defects, salt/acidity levels, brine strength, packing quality, shelf life and foreign matter control.
• Support customer complaint resolution by coordinating with processors and internal teams.
• Ensure corrective and preventive actions are taken with processors for quality deviations.

5. Export and Compliance Coordination

• Coordinate with processors for documents required for export shipments.
• Ensure supplier compliance with customer, regulatory and food safety requirements applicable to European markets.
• Support traceability records, quality certificates, test reports, packing lists, invoices and shipment records.
• Work closely with export documentation, logistics and commercial teams for smooth shipment execution.
• Ensure goods are ready on time for container planning, dispatch and shipment handover.

6. Pricing and Market Intelligence

• Track market prices of gherkins across key sourcing locations.
• Monitor processor pricing, raw material trends, crop conditions and export demand.
• Provide regular updates on supply availability, price movement, processor capacity and market risks.
• Support management in price negotiations and sourcing decisions.
• Help optimize procurement cost while maintaining quality and customer satisfaction.

7. Order Execution and Reporting

• Coordinate with processors for production planning, packing, inspection and dispatch readiness.
• Follow up on customer orders from procurement confirmation to shipment handover.
• Maintain records of supplier quotations, purchase orders, contracts, dispatches, quality reports and pending orders.
• Track order-wise procurement status, shipment timelines, supplier performance and cost details.
• Prepare daily, weekly and monthly procurement updates for management.

Required Skills and Competencies

• Strong understanding of gherkins procurement and processing value chain.
• Knowledge of gherkins contract farming models, farmer enrollment, acreage planning, crop monitoring and harvest coordination.
• Ability to manage farmer groups, FPOs, aggregators and field-level stakeholders for consistent supply and quality compliance.
• Understanding of gherkins cultivation practices, crop quality parameters, residue control, traceability and raw material procurement requirements.
• Experience in sourcing gherkins from processors, exporters, packers or food processing units.
• Good knowledge of European market quality expectations and export standards will be preferred.
• Strong vendor development, supplier relationship management and negotiation skills.
• Ability to evaluate processor capability, quality systems and delivery reliability.
• Understanding of gherkins grades, sizes, brine specifications, packing formats and customer specifications.
• Good coordination skills with suppliers, quality teams, logistics teams, documentation teams and customers.
• Strong field orientation and willingness to travel to processor locations.
• Good reporting, documentation and follow-up discipline.

Qualification

• Graduate in Agriculture, Horticulture, Agri Business, Food Technology, Supply Chain, Commerce or related field.
• Candidates with relevant experience in gherkins exports, contract farming, farmer/FPO management, food exports, agri commodities or processed food sourcing will be preferred.Role & responsibilities

Preferred candidate profile