Buyer - Direct Materials

Blommer Chocolate Company•Trent Hills, ON

8h•CA$60,000 - CA$70,000•Onsite

About The Position

This role is responsible for the acquisition of direct materials, focusing on converting demand requirements into detailed plans and schedules for inventory acquisition. The buyer will enter purchase orders, analyze and plan deliveries of raw materials and packaging, establish strategies to improve the supply chain, and apply cost-effective measures. The position also involves sourcing and qualifying suppliers, negotiating pricing, monitoring freight costs, leading material changes, and reconciling invoices. Additionally, the role includes inventory management, acting as a liaison for non-conforming materials, expediting orders, identifying process improvements, and reporting material variances.

Requirements

3 to 5 years of planning or procurement experience.
Proficient in Microsoft-based applications such as Word and Excel.
Maintain functional expertise and technical knowledge.
Excellent verbal and telephone skills; strong listening skills; ability to effectively exchange information; able to read and interpret documents, order forms, spreadsheets; ability to write reports and correspondence such as e-mail response to customers and vendors.
Ability to focus on customer, supplier needs and respond promptly, including internal stakeholders. Experience with regular business reviews.
Organized, able to multi-task, strong math and analytical skills; excellent attention to detail including data accuracy. Ability to handle changing priorities under tight deadlines with strong time management skills.
Able to work with others to meet departmental goals, understand the needs of the internal customers. Work collaboratively with others; commitment to achieve objectives.
Ability to assist others in addressing issues, trouble shoot and openly discuss.

Nice To Haves

Experience in purchasing, logistics, warehouse operations and customer service a plus.
CPIM, CSCP Certifications desirable.

Responsibilities

Convert demand requirements for products and services into detailed plans and schedules for inventory acquisition.
Enter all purchase order requirements and requests in a timely manner.
Enter approved purchase order requisitions for materials, components, equipment and other miscellaneous items needed to meet the facility needs.
Analyze, plan, order and schedule deliveries of raw material and packaging items needed to meet the production schedules.
Establish strategies to improve supply chain and solve shortage issues.
Apply cost effective measures as related to support standard cost and make/buy decisions.
Collaborate with internal commodity team to assess market conditions which may affect procurement strategies and recommend procurement and materials management strategy changes.
Source and qualify suppliers where needed. Collaborate with internal Quality team. Negotiate pricing using creative strategies to reduce total supply chain cost from the supplier to the consumer.
Monitor incoming freight and handling costs for all raw materials.
Lead raw material and packaging changes. Work cross-functionally with R&D, Quality and Production teams to coordinate transition from old to new inventories, minimizing disposal costs.
Lead invoice reconciliation efforts as required with Accounts Payable to ensure timely payment.
Develop and maintain professional supplier relationships while monitoring material quality non-conformance incidents and coordinating the return and credit process.
Act as a liaison between supplier, Blommer Quality and Production teams when non-conforming material is received to rectify the issue.
Expedite orders as necessary. Identify actual and potential delivery problems and take proactive steps to mitigate. Communicate to appropriate parties.
Identify and implement process improvements to optimize inventory on-hand and reduce non-value-added work.
Execute strategies to achieve the best results for pricing, logistics, inventory and payment terms.
Follow up on deliveries and ensure product arrives on time.
Review production and lead-time forecasting and delivery dates.
Monitor, analyze, and report material variances to standard cost. Interface with Finance, Manufacturing Engineering and Production to establish standard costs.
Operate within the core values of respect and care for others.