Sr Buyer Produce

usfoods; Lenexa (KS); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 125,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Pre-tax spending accounts

Retirement benefits

Paid time off

Short-term disability

Long-term disability

Employee stock purchase plan

Life insurance

Job summary

US FOODS is seeking a Sr Produce Buyer to manage inventory for assigned items and drive forecast accuracy across multiple DCs. The role collaborates with Logistics Operations, Produce Category Management, markets and suppliers to optimize the supply chain.

The position requires data-driven decision making, vendor relationship management, and strong communication skills in a hybrid environment with limited on-site days.

Qualifications

• Minimum 4 years of purchasing experience.
• Strong forecasting and cost analysis skills.
• Ability to manage supplier relationships and cross-functional collaboration.

Responsibilities

• Deliver on KPIs such as service levels and inventory targets.
• Review forecasts, lead times, and PO accuracy with suppliers.
• Coordinate with logistics and product teams to optimize costs and freight.
• Reconcile PO costs and vendor invoices; ensure data integrity and timely updates.

Skills

Purchasing

Forecasting

Vendor management

Tools

PRISM

E3/AWR

Job description

ARE YOU A CURRENT US FOODS EMPLOYEE? PLEASE APPLY DIRECTLY THROUGH OUR INTERNAL WORKDAY CAREER SITE

Join Our Community of Food People!

The Sr Produce Buyer will utilize their category expertise and vendor specific knowledge to manage inventory levels for all assigned items, suppliers and/or categories while maintaining service level and spoilage targets to our customers across multiple distribution centers. Responsible for delivering forecast accuracy and forecasting per defined goals by SKU and/or product family. Collaborate with Logistics Operations, Produce Category Management, markets and Suppliers to understand USF optimized supply chain opportunities.

This role will be onsite 2 days a month. Candidates will need to reside within one of the 3 areas: Lenexa, Kansas, Grand Island, North Dakota or Omaha, Nebraska.

Job Responsibilities

• Delivers on KPIs for desk specific goals such as: Service Level, Days-Inventory-On-Hand (DIOH), spoilage and freight income.
• Proactively reviews projected out of stock report daily to ensure we deliver on customer order fulfillment.
• Analyzes economic order quantities, forecasts, lead times, vendor set-up, safety stock, etc., in-order to create efficient purchase orders with our suppliers.
• Communicates closely with our cross-functional partners to capture seasonal trends and events in the business as well as drive profitability with accurate costs.
• Partners appropriately with product/category management team to maintain supplier relationships and proper accountability.
• Cooperates with the logistics team to identify and achieve freight consolidation to maximize net income.
• Point person for all third party logistic managed loads.
• Evaluates inbound volume and purchase history to collaborate with warehouse operations on efficient receiving practices.
• Executes forward-buy opportunities to achieve profitability for period or year-end based on targeted goals.
• Confirm all purchase orders accurately using vendor confirmation as well verifying this cost using the loaded vendor price list.
• Clear any costing discrepancies between the received PO's and the vendor invoice, through the Buyer Match Pay process by 8 pm each Wednesday.
• Work with vendors to reconcile any discrepancies. Achieve PO Cost Accuracy % on the Buyer KPI scorecard
• Review all daily cost exception reports and take appropriate action to insure all costing data is accurate and up to date, including: Review Last Cost Reasonableness report and resolve any issues Last Invoice Cost to Total Market Cost variances Weekly review of the Last Invoice Cost Book report and resolve issues Inventory revaluation report including auditing any inventory gains Set-up new item cost attributes to reflect accurate inbound cost Review PO timing to identify and mitigate impact of LPM / LPW costs Review PO freight costs for appropriateness and address issues with the appropriate stakeholder (ie, incorrect freight on PO, freight rate issues.
• Maintain up-to-date and accurate freight information and maintain control of the freight rate process utilizing the Network Strategy Rate Maintenance team and produce replenishment. Obtain current transportation market data to update rate information based on industry trends or cost increases.
• Proactively ensure the accurate development of demand data based upon forecast, current inventory targets, replenishment lead-time and master data settings. Interpret and report forecast implications of phasing-in/out of items. Full ownership of forecasting of your desk.

Work Environment

Hybrid: This role is partially remote, and the associate is expected to perform assigned responsibilities from a combined home-based and office-based environment.

Related Experience/Requirements

Minimum 4 years of purchasing, and/or related work in the procurement or logistics field, produce experience preferred. Prior experience working in a large fast paced foodservice purchasing and/or logistics environment strongly desired

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities

Must have excellent written and verbal communication skills, excellent analytical skills, demonstrate a keen attention to detail, strong interpersonal skills, be able to communicate with vendors and across cross-functional. Knowledge of freight concepts and vendor pricing preferred. Must be able to manage successful relationships with product and transportation providers/suppliers.

Proficiency required in the use of Microsoft Office especially Microsoft Word and Excel, as well as Microsoft Outlook. PRISM and E3/AWR experience preferred

Benefits

• health insurance
• pre-tax spending accounts
• retirement benefits
• paid time off
• short-term disability
• long-term disability
• employee stock purchase plan
• life insurance

This role will also receive annual incentive plan bonus.

To review available benefits, please click here: https://www.usfoods.com/careers/benefits.html .

Compensation depends on relevant experience and/or education, specifi