Associate Fresh Buyer (Produce)

H.E.B.; San Antonio (TX); On-site; USD 55,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

H.E.B. is seeking an Associate Fresh Buyer to learn product assortment, placement, and price negotiation while working with a BDM. This orientation role targets partners with limited experience in business development management or buying functions.

You will participate in supply chain activities, execute purchase orders, and support cost negotiations, leveraging MS Office and strong analytical skills to contribute to category strategy and vendor performance.

Qualifications

• 3+ years of experience in business, merchandising/retail, or store operations
• Experience in category management, buying, supply chain, or promotional planning is a plus
• Familiarity with product information data flow and category trends is advantageous

Responsibilities

• Assist in product assortment, placement, and price negotiations
• Manage select supplier relationships and pre-determined item costs
• Execute purchase orders and replenishment for defined items
• Support supply chain from suppliers to warehouses and stores
• Monitor days on hand, inventory freshness, and markdowns to move dated items

Skills

Analytical skills

Negotiation

Organizational skills

Communication

Cross-functional collaboration

Multi-tasking

Problem solving

Project management

Attention to detail

Initiative

Education

Business degree preferred

Tools

MS Office

Job description

Responsibilities

Job Summary: As an Associate Fresh Buyer, you'll train and work with a BDM to learn about product assortment, placement, purchase, price negotiation, distribution, cost negotiation, reacting to customer demand, and planning future category strategy. This position is an orientation job for Partners with limited experience in Business Development Management (BDM) or Buyer functions.

Key Responsibilities & Essential Functions:

• Supply Chain & Inventory Management:
  • Associate Fresh Buyer is a developmental role for Fresh Buyer.
  • Works with set vendor base
  • Executes purchase orders for a pre-defined set of items.
  • Executes (buys to) pre-determined item level product specifications.
  • Somewhat seasonal with little market fluctuations
  • Executes the Supply Chain needs for determined ad/promo items
  • Executes pre-determined supply chain from Suppliers to warehouses then into stores¿
  • Purchase order replenishment
  • Days on hand Inventory levels and Freshness guarantees
  • Markdowns to move shorter dated items
  • Executes out of spec product /load rejections to ensure stores receive the highest quality products
  • Shrink management controls
  • Supplier service level targets
  • Executes the outbound product flow from the HEB warehouse network into the entire network of HEB banner stores (HEB/CM/MT/Joe V's).
• Supplier Cost & Pricing:
  • Supplier Cost Management:
  • Executes pre-determined costs that follows FB and BDM cost negotiations
  • Minimal market price knowledge needed
  • Executes pre-determined item level costing that follows category strategy
  • Executes BDM contract & cost negotiations
• Strategic Planning:
  • Supplier Cost Management
  • Executes pre-determined costs that follows FB and BDM cost negotiations
  • Basic understanding of market pricing is needed
  • Executes pre-determined item level costing that follows category strategy
  • Executes BDM contract & cost negotiations

Qualifications & Key Requirements:

Work Experience:

• 3+ years of experience in business, merchandising / retail, or Store Operations
• Category management, buying, supply chain, promotional planning, category analysis, merchandising, or other buying related experiences are a plus

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities:

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office
• Ability to multi-task and perform under pressure
• Strong analytical and organizational skills
• Excellent interpersonal, communication and negotiation skills -
• Working knowledge of product information data flow (item, vendor, cost, price), category trends, promotional planning, category performance analysis, systems, process, and analysis
• Strong verbal / written communication and presentation skills
• Analytical and problem-solving skills
• Negotiating and influencing skills
• Organization and project management skills
• PC skills (MS Office and job-related software / programs)
• Ability to manage multiple priorities / deadlines and shift focus between tasks; attention to detail
• Ability to work collaboratively on cross-functional teams and company-wide initiatives
• Ability to navigate the organization and solve problems within / across departments
• Ability to recommend proactive solutions with limited direction and input
• Initiative: willingness to take risks

Education:

• Degree in business, economics, marketing, or related field preferred

Licenses/Certifications:

Physical Demands & Working Conditions:

• Function in a fast-paced, retail, office environment
• Travel by car or plane with overnight stays
• Work extended hours; sit for extended periods

The responsibilities and essential functions outlined above describe the general nature and level of work assigned to this position. This is not an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, and skills required. Duties and responsibilities may be modified at any time based on business needs. Employees may be required to perform other job-related tasks as requested by their supervisor, subject to reasonable accommodations.

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those a Partner encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Last revised: 08/01/2023