Director of Procurement- Meat Manufacturing

Cesna Recruitment•Troy, NY

4d•Onsite

About The Position

Old World Provisions is seeking a Director of Procurement to lead the company’s procurement function. The Director owns sourcing strategy across all categories — raw meat, packaging materials, ingredients, and indirect spend — and personally leads raw meat sourcing and price negotiation with major U.S. meat processors and packers. Packaging and indirect categories are executed by a dedicated buyer under the Director’s direction. The role carries full accountability for supplier strategy, material cost, inventory, and continuity of supply, with total annual procurement spend of approximately.

Requirements

10+ years of procurement experience in meat or food manufacturing, including experience leading or managing a procurement team
Hands-on raw meat sourcing experience gained at a meat processing or further-processing manufacturer, or at a packer; distribution or retail channel sourcing experience alone will not be considered
Track record negotiating bulk commodity purchases directly with major suppliers
Working knowledge of IMPS/NAMP specifications, grading, and yield
Experience managing frozen and refrigerated raw material inventory and cold chain logistics
Experience operating procurement processes within an ERP environment
Comfortable working hands-on in a mid-sized manufacturing environment

Nice To Haves

Existing relationships with Tyson, JBS, Cargill, Smithfield, or comparable processors
Experience with commodity hedging or price risk management
Experience managing multiple categories including packaging, ingredients, and indirect spend
Exposure to export operations or international customers

Responsibilities

Set sourcing strategy for the entire procurement organization, covering raw meat as well as packaging and ingredient materials
Direct and oversee the buyer responsible for packaging and indirect categories — the Director sets direction and controls outcomes, the buyer executes
Hire, develop, and manage performance across the procurement team
Own budget and cost accountability across all categories, both raw meat and non-meat
Establish procurement process standards and own compliance with them
Build and manage direct relationships with major U.S. meat processors and packers (Tyson, JBS, Cargill, Smithfield) and approved brokers
Determine and manage the pricing structure by item — formula pricing against USDA cutout, fixed-price contracts, or spot purchasing
Monitor CME lean hog and live cattle markets, USDA reports, and cutout trends; provide a regular raw material cost outlook to leadership
Own raw material specifications (IMPS/NAMP), grade, trim, and yield standards; evaluate yield performance by supplier
Identify and execute forward-buy and hedging opportunities
Own raw material inventory levels, coverage days, and turns across frozen and refrigerated stock
Align purchasing volume with the production schedule and sales forecast
Set and maintain buffer stock policy by item, balancing supply risk against carrying cost
Manage cold storage relationships and inbound freight
Work with Operations and Finance on inventory accuracy, aging, and obsolescence
Oversee sourcing of casings, packaging materials, spices and seasonings, and additives
Oversee indirect procurement including MRO, supplies, equipment parts, outsourced services, and logistics and cold storage contracts
Review and approve major contracts and price negotiations
Oversee inventory levels and lead times for packaging and ingredient materials
Qualify, approve, and periodically audit suppliers; maintain the approved supplier list and secure backup sources for critical items
Maintain the supplier master, conduct spend analysis, and identify savings opportunities by category
Partner with Production and Quality to resolve material issues and manage claims
Ensure supplier compliance with USDA, FSIS, and food safety requirements