Forester

LIGNETICS INC•Erie, PA

9h•$80,000 - $95,000•Remote

About The Position

Lignetics, Inc. offers clean, renewable solutions. We have 30 years of experience innovating eco-friendly essentials for everyday life. Lignetics manufactures a variety of consumer brands in several different categories including wood pellets for home heating, BBQ pellets for grilling, wood pellets and shavings for animal bedding, and wood fiber-based cat litter. Each of our products has unique features and benefits but are all linked with a wonderful recycled, renewable, sustainable, and carbon neutral story. We turn recycled sawdust into value-add, branded consumer products. Position Summary The Forester/Senior Buyer will work closely with plant teams to manage wood raw material inventory for a regional set of wood pellet plants. These inventories must be closely managed for price and product mix to support the plant production plan. This position is responsible for managing supplier relationships, negotiating contracts, tracking supplier performance, and resolving non-conformance issues. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience with both wood residual procurement, logging operations, and timber products transportation.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in forestry, Forest Management, or Biology
Minimum of 8-10 years of combined wood residual procurement and forestry/timber ops experience
Excel and Word proficiency
Effective analytical skills, contract negotiation and management skills required
Accounting knowledge and strong written and verbal communications required
Legal knowledge of contracts preferred.

Responsibilities

Continual communications with plant leadership and production planners to understand dynamic plant sourcing needs
Maintain good relationships and sound partnerships with suppliers
Monitor regional market dynamics and understand how this will impact suppliers, predict future market trends, and develop and execute buying strategy accordingly
Monitor suppliers for volume, mix, and quality.
Resolve any non-conformance issues with suppliers
Single point of communication between the plants and the suppliers
Responsible for negotiating best cost per ton (CPT) and providing forecasts
Expected to make frequent face-to-face visits with plant leadership and suppliers
Cruise timber, purchase timber, contract logging and trucking, for the procurement of roundwood raw material, if needed.
Understand current roundwood market for the negotiation of timber and Gatewood pricing
Arrange transportation as needed