Senior Buyer

Water Lilies Food, LLC.; Bay Shore (NY); On-site; USD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Water Lilies Food, LLC. is seeking a Senior Buyer, Contracted Ingredients to lead procurement of high-value raw materials across two production sites in Bay Shore, NY.

You will own category strategy, supplier negotiations, contract management, and day-to-day purchasing execution to maintain 100% in-stock support for production. You will collaborate with R&D, Production, Logistics, QA, and Finance to apply data-driven analysis and market insight, optimize total cost of ownership, and drive

Qualifications

• Minimum 10 years of experience in ingredient buying, commodity procurement, or a closely related role in food manufacturing or CPG
• Deep category knowledge in proteins, flours, or oils with demonstrated contract negotiation ability
• Proficiency with ERP systems for purchasing, inventory management, and financial reconciliation
• Strong Excel skills including pivot tables, VLOOKUP, and data modeling for spend and inventory analysis
• Experience with end-of-month close processes, PO reconciliation, and cost variance reporting
• High proficiency in supplier negotiations and contract management
• Ability to work independently and manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment
• Strong analytical, communication, and organizational skills with attention to detail

Responsibilities

• Own and execute procurement strategy for contracted raw materials across two facilities
• Source, negotiate, and execute contracts for all assigned materials
• Develop a forward-looking buying calendar accounting for demand, lead times, and market cycles
• Pursue price reduction, cost avoidance, and total cost of ownership improvements
• Monitor commodity markets daily and apply market intelligence to decisions
• Travel to tradeshows and supplier sites as needed (about 10% travel)
• Place POs and transfer orders daily in ERP to support production schedules
• Coordinate inbound delivery timing with logistics and production teams
• Maintain PO documentation for audit readiness and financial accuracy
• Lead end-of-month close activities for cost of goods and reporting
• Provide monthly spend reports, contract utilization, and variance analyses
• Develop and maintain supplier relationships and manage contract terms and approvals
• Collaborate with R&D, Production, Planning, Logistics for supplier qualification

Skills

Vendor negotiations

Inventory management

Data analysis

Attention to detail

Self-starter / independent

Communication skills

Tools

Aptean ERP

Excel

Job description

The Senior Buyer, Contracted Ingredients leads procurement of the company's highest-volume, highest-dollar raw materials, including proteins, flours, oils, and other key ingredients, across two production locations. This role owns category strategy, supplier negotiations, contract management, and day-to-day purchasing execution for assigned categories. The Senior Buyer is also accountable for inventory management, end-of-month reconciliation, and the financial accuracy of their raw material positions. Working closely with R&D, Production, Logistics, QA, and Finance, this role applies data-driven analysis and commodity market insight to optimize total cost of ownership, mitigate price and supply risk, and maintain 100% in-stock support for production demand. This is an onsite role, five days per week, reporting to the Senior Director of Purchasing.

Responsibilities

Category Strategy and Procurement

• Own and execute procurement strategy for assigned categories of contracted raw materials, including proteins, flours, oils, and other high-value ingredients
• Source, negotiate, and execute contracts for all assigned materials across both production locations
• Develop and maintain a forward-looking buying calendar that accounts for production demand, lead times, contract windows, and commodity market cycles
• Actively pursue price reduction, cost avoidance, and total cost of ownership improvements across all managed categories
• Monitor commodity markets daily and apply market intelligence to purchasing decisions, contract timing, and risk mitigation
• Support SKU rationalization initiatives by evaluating ingredient overlap and identifying consolidation opportunities with R&D
• Travel to relevant tradeshows and supplier sites as needed (approximately 10% travel)

Purchase Order and Transfer Order Execution

• Place purchase orders and transfer orders? daily in Aptean ERP to support production schedules across both facilities
• Confirm order acknowledgments, delivery windows, and pricing accuracy with suppliers before each order is finalized
• Coordinate inbound delivery timing with the logistics and production teams to protect dock capacity and minimize raw material gaps
• Manage order amendments, cancellations, and expedites as supply or demand conditions change
• Maintain clean and complete PO documentation for audit readiness and financial accuracy

Inventory Management

• Review on-hand inventory levels daily across both facilities and 3PL locations to ensure 100% in-stock support for production requirements
• Maintain raw material safety stock levels by category based on lead time, demand variability, and supplier reliability
• Monitor and manage slow-moving, aged, or at-risk inventory and elevate proactively before it creates write-off exposure
• Use data analytics and ERP reporting to balance physical inventory levels against financial targets, minimizing both stockouts and excess carrying cost
• Coordinate with the warehouse and production teams on cycle counts, physical inventory discrepancies, and receiving accuracy
• Manage ingredient lot tracking and expiration visibility to minimize waste and support FIFO execution

End-of-Month Reconciliation and Financial Reporting

• Lead end-of-month close activities for all assigned raw material categories, including PO accruals, receipt reconciliation, and vendor statement review
• Reconcile purchase orders against invoices and receipts to ensure accurate cost of goods posting in Aptean ERP
• Investigate and resolve price variances, quantity discrepancies, and invoice disputes before month-end close deadlines
• Provide monthly category spend reports, contract utilization summaries, and cost vs. forecast variance analysis to the Senior Director of Purchasing and Finance
• Support annual budget preparation by providing historical spend data, forward price projections, and category-level cost assumptions

Supplier Relationship and Contract Management

• Develop and maintain strong supplier relationships across all assigned categories, with a focus on accountability, service level, and continuous improvement
• Lead annual and mid-year contract negotiations with key suppliers, securing favorable pricing, terms, and supply commitments
• Maintain a contract management tracker with key terms, renewal dates, pricing tiers, and performance obligations
• Identify and onboard secondary or alternative sources for critical ingredients to reduce single-source supply risk
• Evaluate supplier performance against agreed KPIs and address underperformance with corrective action plans
• Support QA in qualifying new suppliers and new ingredients in compliance with food safety and regulatory requirements

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Work closely with R&D on new product introductions, ingredient substitutions, and formulation changes that impact procurement strategy
• Partner with Production and Planning to align purchase timing with production schedules and minimize raw material idle time
• Collaborate with Logistics on inbound freight strategy, import coordination, and landed cost optimization
• Provide monthly forecasts and contract assessments to support S&OP planning and financial review cycles
• Positively influence financial goals, business relationships, and overall product mix decisions

Core KPIs (supported and influenced by this role)

• Cost savings and cost avoidance versus budget by category
• End-of-month close accuracy: PO-to-invoice reconciliation variance (zero variance target)
• Inventory days on hand versus target by category
• Aged and excess inventory value as a percentage of total raw material inventory
• Supplier on-time delivery rate by category

Required

• Minimum 10 years of experience in ingredient buying, commodity procurement, or a closely related role in food manufacturing or CPG
• Deep category knowledge in at least one of the following: proteins, flours, or oils, with demonstrated ability to negotiate contracts and manage commodity price exposure
• Proficiency with ERP systems for purchasing, inventory management, and financial reconciliation (Aptean experience a plus)
• Strong Excel skills including pivot tables, VLOOKUP, and data modeling for spend and inventory analysis
• Demonstrated experience with end-of-month close processes, PO reconciliation, and cost variance reporting
• High proficiency in supplier negotiations and contract management
• Ability to work independently and manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced, high-change environment
• Strong analytical, communication, and organizational skills with a high level of attention to detail

Preferred

• Experience supporting multi-site procurement and inventory management
• Familiarity with import procurement, landed cost calculations, and tariff management
• Background in Asian cuisine ingredients or frozen food manufacturing
• Experience collaborating with R&D on new product development and ingredient qualification
• Knowledge of food safety regulations and supplier qualification processes (SQF, BRC, or similar)

Work Environment and Schedule

• Onsite role based in Bay Shore, NY, five days per week
• Standard business hours with flexibility required during month-end close periods or supply disruptions
• Approximately 10% travel for tradeshows, supplier visits, and multi-site coordination

Physical Requirements

The employee will primarily work in an office environment, using a computer, phone, and ERP software for extended periods. The role requires frequent communication with internal teams and external suppliers and the ability to clearly convey and receive detailed information. Occasional visits to the production facility, warehouse, or supplier sites may be required. This job description reflects management's assignment of essential functions and does not limit or exclude other duties that may be assigned as business needs evolve. The job description is subject to change based on company requirements.