Wood Buyer

Sappi; Maine; On-site; USD 55,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

Sappi is seeking a Wood Buyer to support our regional Wood Procurement team across Southern Maine and New Hampshire. The role focuses on securing a reliable, cost-effective supply of wood fiber and building strong supplier relationships.

You will identify supply opportunities, manage deliveries, monitor quality and performance, and work with mills to align fiber needs. Regular travel within the territory is required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in forestry or related field required.
• Minimum of three years of relevant forestry or wood procurement experience.
• Valid driver's license required.
• Strong communication, negotiation, and relationship-building skills.

Responsibilities

• Procure roundwood, pulpwood, and wood chips for multiple sites.
• Identify and develop new wood supply opportunities in Southern Maine and New Hampshire.
• Build and maintain relationships with suppliers, contractors, and industry partners.
• Manage weekly wood deliveries and monitor supplier performance.
• Evaluate wood fiber opportunities and negotiate pricing and supply terms.
• Track procurement activity, performance metrics, and wood quality.
• Support procurement strategy, contract management, accounting reconciliation, and reporting.
• Assist with Chain of Custody and forest certification audits.
• Collaborate with regional Wood Procurement and mill teams to meet fiber needs.
• Represent Sappi in industry associations and community activities.

Skills

Communication skills

Negotiation

Relationship-building

Organizational skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree in forestry or related field

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Sappi is seeking a Wood Buyer to support our regional Wood Procurement team across Southern Maine and New Hampshire. This role is responsible for helping ensure a reliable, cost-effective, and high-quality supply of wood fiber while developing and maintaining strong supplier relationships.

The Wood Buyer will identify new supply opportunities, manage wood deliveries, monitor quality and supplier performance, support procurement strategies, and work closely with the regional team to meet mill fiber needs.

Key Responsibilities

• Procure roundwood pulpwood and wood chips.
• Identify and develop new wood supply opportunities throughout Southern Maine and New Hampshire.
• Build and maintain relationships with suppliers, contractors, and industry partners.
• Manage weekly wood deliveries and monitor supplier performance.
• Evaluate wood fiber opportunities and negotiate pricing and supply terms.
• Track procurement activity, performance metrics, and wood quality.
• Conduct roundwood and chip sampling, specification audits, and quality reporting.
• Support procurement strategy, contract management, accounting reconciliation, and operational reporting.
• Assist with Chain of Custody requirements and forest certification audits.
• Collaborate with regional Wood Procurement and mill teams to support overall wood supply needs.
• Represent Sappi through appropriate industry associations, workshops, and community activities.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in forestry or a related field required.
• Minimum of three years of relevant experience in forestry, wood procurement or the forest products industry.
• Valid driver’s license required.
• Strong communication, negotiation, relationship-building, and organizational skills.
• Ability to work independently while contributing effectively to a regional team.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications.
• Ability to safely walk through forested areas, woodyards, and active logging operations.
• Maine and/or New Hampshire Scaler and Weight Master licenses preferred, or ability to obtain within 3-6 months.

This is a field-focused position with regular travel throughout the assigned territory, including support of the Ossipee Woodyard