Associate Supplier Relationship Manager

PetIQ•Richland I, NE

About The Position

The Associate Supplier Relationship Manager – Projects is a combined purchasing and project-support role that keeps PetIQ-Omaha's innovation pipeline moving on schedule. Working alongside the existing innovation project role, this position serves as the primary point of contact for supplier calls and alignment on innovation projects and manages purchasing for assigned suppliers and items as they move from development to launch. This individual prepares and supports Innovation meetings, owns recurring project-status communications to cross-functional partners and leadership, and provides surge capacity as new projects enter the queue so that intake is not gated by existing team bandwidth.

Requirements

4+ years of experience in purchasing, supply chain, supplier management, or project coordination, preferably in a manufacturing or consumer products environment.
Working knowledge of material resource planning and purchasing processes
Demonstrated ability to organize and track a high volume of concurrent projects and deliverables with strong attention to detail, along with strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
Excellent oral and written communication skills, including the ability to lead supplier calls and prepare clear, concise status updates and meeting materials for leadership.
Well-developed interpersonal skills and the ability to work cross-functionally.

Nice To Haves

APICS/ASCM (CPIM or CSCP) or project management certification.

Responsibilities

Owns end-to-end sample processing and tracking for active innovation projects. To include receiving, logging, and coordinating internal evaluation of supplier and product samples across concurrent projects. Updates the supply chain team on item development, including dielines, costing, launch timing and lead times.
Serves as the point of contact for supplier calls on innovation projects, keeping suppliers aligned to project status, timelines, and requirements, and flagging risks such as schedule slippage, missed samples, or quality issues early.
Issues and manages purchase orders for raw materials, primary and secondary components, packaging, and finished goods for assigned suppliers and new items, ensuring on-time delivery at the correct quantity and cost.
Monitors supplier performance (on-time delivery, lead time, quality), expedites orders as needed, and resolves pricing, receipt, and invoice discrepancies with suppliers and internal departments.
Prepares and supports Innovation meetings, including materials, agendas, logistics, updates, and follow-up actions. Updates the Asana board for team visibility to the progress of tasks.
Owns recurring project-status communications to cross-functional partners and leadership, keeping stakeholders informed of project status, risks, and changes across the innovation portfolio.
Participates in project and NPD meetings and supports launch readiness by setting up and maintaining new items, supplier data, and lead times in the ERP/MRP system for proper incorporation into Supply Chain and Production Planning.
Provides surge capacity as new projects enter the queue and identifies cost savings and process improvement opportunities with suppliers and internal departments.