Buyer

Paradise Tomato Kitchen•Louisville, KY

23d•Onsite

About The Position

The Buyer is responsible for purchasing raw materials, semi-finished goods, indirect materials, services, and all maintenance, repair, and operations (MRO) items required for manufacturing and plant operations. This role ensures the best combination of cost, quality, delivery, and service while maintaining compliance with company policies and supporting production, new product launches, cost-savings initiatives, and equipment reliability.

Requirements

Associate Degree in Business, Accounting, or related field; three (3) or more years of purchasing experience, preferably in a food manufacturing environment; or equivalent combination of education and experience.
Solid negotiation skills
Understanding of procurement sourcing processes, supplier negotiations and contract execution
Good written and verbal communication skills
Ability to be flexible and willing to learn new skills quickly as the need arises
Effective in working collaboratively with cross-functional teams
Good analytical skills, able to perform data analyses in Excel
Team player with integrity, interpersonal, organizational and time management skills.
Ability to multi-task and work independently
Make decisions while following company procedures.
Ability to perform work accurately and thoroughly, detailed oriented.
Microsoft Office (Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook)

Responsibilities

Obtain materials, parts, and services from suppliers at the lowest total cost consistent with required quality, delivery, and urgency; expedite as needed.
Source, evaluate, select, and negotiate with vendors for the best combination of quality, price, availability, reliability, payment terms, and delivery performance.
Prepare RFQ packages, obtain and compare quotations, and negotiate pricing contracts and agreements.
Create, issue, and manage the full purchase order lifecycle in the ERP system from PO creation through receipt and invoice reconciliation.
Maintain accurate and complete purchasing records, vendor pricing, specifications, and databases in the ERP and procurement systems.
Monitor and resolve pricing discrepancies, claims for defectives, shortages, overages, or missing products with vendors and internal stakeholders.
Study market conditions, commodity trends, and supplier performance to optimize purchasing decisions and anticipate supply risks.
Build and maintain strong relationships with internal customers (Production, Maintenance, R&D, Quality, Inventory) and external vendors regarding specifications, scheduling, invoices, packing slips, and delivery issues.
Collaborate with R&D, Quality, and Marketing to identify and qualify new/alternate suppliers and support new product development, limited-time offers, and customer bids/quotes.
Assist Inventory Control with monthly cycle counts and year-end physical inventory.
Support cost-savings initiatives and continuous improvement efforts within Procurement and across the organization.
Ensure all purchasing activities comply with company policies, procedures, and applicable government regulations.
Perform other duties as assigned.