Director of Protein Procurement

Just Food For Dogs

2d

About The Position

The Director of Protein Procurement is responsible for JFFD’s Total Cost of Ownership of all proteins used in our products. This role will be responsible for ensuring we partner with the right suppliers from across the globe – innovation, service, quality, cost – with the right commercial relationships. 

The role needs to embrace our entrepreneurial culture and work with; our New Product Development and Veterinary Services teams to develop new products and our Quality team to ensure our protein suppliers adhere to our standards. 

In addition, the Director needs to be a leader across all Operations to identify, scope, and drive improvement projects related to how we acquire and use our proteins. The ideal candidate will also help JFFD improve its Procure to Pay processes, leveraging our core ERP, NetSuite.

Requirements

• 7+ years of experience in procurement or category management, including strategic sourcing and supplier partnerships.
• Must possess deep experience in the human food meat/poultry/seafood supply chain. Traditional "feed grade" pet food experience is secondary to USDA/FDA human food processing knowledge.
• Proven track record of managing volatility in protein markets (Poultry, Beef, Pork, Fish). Ability to execute forward buys, formula pricing, and index-based contracts (Urner Barry, USDA market reports).
• Deep understanding of international freight, customs clearance, tariffs, and USDA/FDA import regulations for sourcing proteins outside the US (e.g., New Zealand lamb, international seafood).
• Demonstrated history of delivering cost savings and driving cross-functional collaboration in dynamic environments.
• Excellent negotiation, communication, and relationship-building skills.
• Passion for pets and alignment with JustFoodForDogs' mission and values.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute multi-year strategies to reduce the Total Cost of Ownership in alignment with product quality objectives, balancing cost savings with quality and supply continuity.
• Manage and optimize supplier relationships, focusing on turnkey purchased finished goods and expanding product offerings.
• Lead strategic supplier network planning, including capacity strategy, geographic risk diversification and supplier segmentation.
• Support innovation and renovation initiatives by collaborating with Supply Chain, Manufacturing, Quality, and R&D teams.
• Resolve supplier performance issues, ensuring On Time In Full (OTIF) delivery and quality standards.
• Build insights into supply dynamics, including supplier performance, contracting techniques, and market trends.
• Conduct market research to identify opportunities and mitigate risks within assigned categories.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director
• Education Level: No Education Listed