Senior Buyer

Axion Recruitment Limited; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 85,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Axion Recruitment Limited is seeking an experienced Senior Buyer for a on-site role in the USA (Illinois). The candidate will manage procurement of raw materials, ingredients, and packaging while ensuring supplier compliance and accurate records.

Strong negotiation, leadership, and communication skills are essential. You will support food safety and certification standards, qualify new suppliers, and coordinate with Quality, Receiving, and AP teams to ensure smooth procurement and payments.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Business or related field.
• 5-10 years of progressive purchasing experience, preferably in food manufacturing.
• Prior supervisory experience required.
• Strong negotiation and decision-making skills.
• Proficient in MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
• Experience with Microsoft Dynamics GP or similar ERP software.
• Excellent organizational and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Negotiate with suppliers to secure best pricing and service while following company policies.
• Maintain up-to-date supplier files and monitor document expirations.
• Ensure compliance with certification requirements and keep records audit-ready.
• Support food safety initiatives and vendor qualification processes.
• Obtain and evaluate bids, negotiate contracts, and monitor market trends.
• Coordinate with Quality, Receiving, and Accounts Payable for procurement and payments.
• Monitor PO deliveries, address delays, and ensure regulatory compliance.
• Interpret material needs based on production schedules and forecasts.

Skills

Negotiation skills

Supervisory experience

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business or related field

Tools

MS Office

Microsoft Dynamics GP

Job description

We are seeking an experienced Senior Buyer to join our team. This role is responsible for purchasing raw materials, ingredients, and packaging while ensuring supplier compliance and maintaining accurate records. The Senior Buyer plays a key role in supplier negotiations, cost management, and supporting food safety and certification standards.

What You'll Do:

• Negotiate with suppliers to secure best pricing and service while following company policies and ethical guidelines.
• Maintain up-to-date supplier files and monitor document expirations.
• Ensure compliance with ASC/MSC/OU certification requirements and keep records audit-ready.
• Support FSMA and BRCGS food safety initiatives.
• Research and qualify new suppliers through our Vendor Qualification Program.
• Obtain and evaluate competitive bids, negotiate contracts, and monitor market trends.
• Update BOMs when price changes occur and communicate with leadership.
• Verify approvals and account numbers for purchase orders.
• Collaborate with Quality, Receiving, and Accounts Payable teams to ensure smooth procurement and payment processes.
• Monitor purchase order deliveries, resolve delays, and maintain compliance with safety and environmental regulations.
• Interpret material needs based on production schedules and forecasts.

What We're Looking For:

• Bachelor's degree in Business or related field.
• 5-10 years of progressive purchasing experience, preferably in food manufacturing.
• Prior supervisory experience required.
• Strong negotiation and decision-making skills.
• Proficient in MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
• Previous experience with Microsoft Dynamics GP or similar ERP/business software.
• Excellent organizational and communication skills.

This position is commutable from: Oak Park, Forest Park, Cicero, Berwyn, Maywood, Elmwood Park, La Grange, Westchester, Brookfield, Skokie, Evanston, Lincolnwood, Oak Lawn, Bridgeview, and Burbank

Relevant Job Title: Senior Buyer, Procurement Lead, Purchasing Manager, Procurement Specialist, Lead Buyer, Procurement Manager, Category Manager, Sourcing Manager, Supply Chain Buyer

All applicants must live in the USA and be eligible to work and live in the USA. Please note, our client is unable to offer Sponsorship or Visa support for this role.

Due to the sheer volume of applications, we will only contact successful applications. Therefore, if you have not heard from us within 10 working days, please deem your application as unsuccessful.