Grower Relations / Sourcing Manager

Produce Careers

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About The Position

A leading national sales and marketing organization is seeking a Regional Sourcing Manager to oversee the procurement of onions from growers and packers across key sourcing regions. This role is essential in managing grower relationships, negotiating contracts, ensuring quality standards, forecasting supply, and working cross-functionally with internal teams to maintain an efficient raw product supply chain.

Requirements

• Experience in procurement, sourcing, or grower coordination within the produce industry.
• Experience managing grower relations and contract negotiations
• Solid understanding of crop planning, supply forecasting, and quality control
• Excellent communication and organizational skills
• Ability to travel regionally as needed

Responsibilities

• Relationship Management: Build and maintain strong relationships with onion growers and packers; serve as the primary contact for sourcing and contract-related discussions.
• Contract Negotiation & Management: Lead the negotiation of contracts with growers and packers, ensuring mutually beneficial terms. Oversee implementation and compliance with quality, quantity, and delivery expectations.
• Grower/Packer Recruitment: Identify and onboard new growers and packers to diversify and strengthen the supply base.
• Production Planning & Forecasting: Collaborate with sales and planning teams to align raw product needs with forecasts. Monitor market trends, weather patterns, and agronomic inputs to ensure accurate supply forecasting.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work closely with sales, operations, and agronomy teams to ensure raw product quality and availability. Participate in weekly team meetings to provide updates on market and supply status.
• Agronomy & Industry Expertise: Leverage agricultural knowledge to support field planning and monitor crop quality. Stay informed on emerging varieties, farming innovations, and sourcing strategies.
• Recordkeeping & Reporting: Maintain detailed records of contracts, inventory, grower performance, and raw product quality. Manages and verifies all supplier food safety audits and certifications, third-party audits, and annual recertifications.

What This Job Offers

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