Procurement Specialist

CareersInFood.com; New Orleans (LA); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Gulf Coast Blenders seeks a procurement professional to source and purchase materials for Gulf Coast Blenders, D’Agostino Pasta, and our E-Commerce fulfilment operations. You will lead supplier selection, negotiate terms, and manage records to ensure quality, delivery, and cost efficiency.

The role requires experience in purchasing within manufacturing, strong negotiation and vendor-management skills, and the ability to optimize inventory levels to support customer fulfillment and manufacturing

Qualifications

• Experience in purchasing/procurement within a manufacturing or supply chain environment.
• Strong contract negotiation and vendor management skills.
• Familiarity with inventory control processes and MRP systems.
• Knowledge of logistics operations and supply chain principles.
• Excellent analytical skills with attention to detail for decision making.
• Strong communication skills with suppliers and internal teams.
• Ability to work independently as well as in a team.

Responsibilities

• Identify and develop new suppliers to improve performance.
• Coordinate with R&D and other teams to source products and services.
• Negotiate prices and terms with suppliers, analyze quotes, and select best vendors.
• Achieve cost savings while maintaining quality.
• Maintain supplier records to meet food safety requirements.

Skills

Vendor management

Contract negotiation

Inventory control

MRP systems

Analytical skills

Communication

Independent/teamwork

Tools

ERP systems

Job description

This position is responsible for sourcing and purchasing materials to support Gulf Coast Blenders (GCB) and Dagostino Pasta (DAG) business.

Duties

Develop and implement efficient sourcing strategies to optimize material quality, availability, and cost. Measure success through customer fulfillment rate, material cost performance index, and overall inventory levels.

• Identify and develop new suppliers as necessary to improve performance.
• Arrange for submission and inspection of sample products as required; coordinate with team members (especially R&D Chef) to ensure timely execution of product and service sourcing activities.
• Communicate with vendors to secure and analyze quotes; negotiate price and terms with suppliers and recommend suppliers with respect to cost, quality and delivery of product and services.
• Negotiate savings by cost reduction methods while maintaining quality suitable for the application and customer requirements.
• Organize and maintain corresponding supplier records to meet food safety requirements.

Lead purchasing activities for all materials (e.g. ingredients, packaging materials) for Gulf Coast Blenders, D’Agostino Pasta, and our E-Commerce fulfillment operations.

• Initiate purchase orders and amendments, services, and all commodities items.
• Establish and maintain records of purchasing transactions, files of qualified vendors, and procurement policies and procedures
• Update applicable supplier information in ERP system (e.g. name, address, contact info, lead time).
• Verify the quality of stock received from the manufacturer, inspect unsatisfactory merchandise, and handle exchange or refund with the manufacturer

Optimize inventory levels for customer fulfillment, manufacturing efficiency, and cash flow.

• Evaluate material order size and frequency to minimize costs and inventory levels.
• Avoid out-of-stock (OOS) situation that negatively impacts production operation.
• Perform periodic material inventory count reconciliations to determine variance and potential process improvements.

Perform other related duties as required.

Requirements

• Proven experience in purchasing or procurement roles within a manufacturing or supply chain environment.
• Strong skills in contract negotiation and vendor management.
• Familiarity with inventory control processes and MRP systems.
• Knowledge of logistics operations and supply chain management principles.
• Excellent analytical skills with attention to detail for effective decision-making.
• Strong communication skills to liaise effectively with suppliers and internal teams.
• Ability to work independently as well as collaboratively within a team environment.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

This position will be indoors between office and warehouse conditions. Noise levels will be high in certain areas requiring hearing protection. Business hours are Monday through Thursday 7 am to 5:30 pm. This is a full-time position, and the schedule will be determined by the Manager. This position is an essential position that will require onsite presence during operating hours.

Travel

No travel is required for this position.