Packaging Materials Procurement Manager

Furmano's•Northumberland, PA

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Packaging Materials Procurement Manager plans, purchases, and manages inventory for packaging materials needed to meet production schedules and customer commitments. Assigned materials include corrugate, labels, stretch wrap, shrink film, steel containers, retort pouch film, and related items. The role is also the primary liaison for private-label and branded-label development and change management, coordinating customer requirements with suppliers to ensure timely, accurate, compliant, and cost-effective execution. The position leads supplier negotiations and requests for proposal (RFPs) for key packaging materials, analyzes supplier proposals, and presents sourcing recommendations to leadership. It builds commercial relationships with current and prospective suppliers and coordinates packaging and label workflows with customers, suppliers, and internal stakeholders. The manager also cross-trains with other procurement personnel to support procurement operations and business continuity. This is a hands-on management role with frequent presence in warehouse and production areas and occasional presence in suppliers’ production areas. The position reports to the Director of Procurement and is scheduled for first shift. The role is based in Northumberland, Pennsylvania; commuting there is required, while relocation before starting is preferred.

Requirements

Associate's or bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Business, Operations, Packaging, or a related field preferred; equivalent relevant experience may be considered in lieu of formal education.
Experience in procurement, materials planning, packaging coordination, customer service, or manufacturing support preferred.
Strong organizational skills, sound judgment, attention to detail, and ability to manage multiple priorities.
Strong written and verbal communication skills and ability to coordinate effectively with suppliers, customers, operations, quality, logistics, customer service, and finance.
Working knowledge of ERP/MRP systems and Microsoft Office.
Ability to walk, sit, and stand for extended periods and occasionally lift up to 50 pounds.
Ability to operate and interface with technical equipment and software platforms.
Ability to commute to Northumberland, PA 17857 is required.

Nice To Haves

Experience with packaging materials, label control, inventory management, and supplier coordination in a manufacturing environment.
Engineering or materials science background.
Relocation to Northumberland, PA 17857 before starting work is preferred.

Responsibilities

Ensure continuous availability of packaging materials to support production schedules and customer demand.
Manage purchasing and inventory levels for assigned packaging materials, including corrugate, labels, stretch wrap, shrink film, steel containers, retort pouch films, and related items.
Analyze MRP outputs and inventory positions, determine replenishment needs, maintain appropriate safety stock, and minimize stockouts and excess inventory.
Create and maintain inventory items, supplier-item relationships, safety stock settings, manufacturer identifiers, and related system data.
Generate purchase orders, blanket purchase orders, and non-stock requisitions as assigned; maintain supplier pricing, quotes, and item records.
Review and approve assigned invoices for price, quantity, and general ledger accuracy.
Serve as the primary liaison with label suppliers for private-label and branded-label development, revision, and file maintenance.
Coordinate customer-directed packaging and label file development using supplier and customer workflow systems.
Manage label file updates and coordinate packaging artwork revisions with suppliers, customers, regulatory, quality, and internal stakeholders.
Support label regulatory accuracy and authorize destruction or disposition of obsolete label inventory when appropriate.
Manage in-house label inventory and branded label inventory held at co-packers or external locations, as assigned.
Monitor obsolete, slow-moving, or at-risk packaging inventory and recommend actions to reduce waste and prevent write-offs.
Generate label SKU information for in-house brands and maintain brand suffix listings and other packaging reference data.
Coordinate with Production, Warehouse, Customer Service, Quality, Maintenance, Finance, and suppliers.
Identify opportunities to improve packaging procurement processes, inventory accuracy, artwork workflow, supplier communication, and operating efficiency.
Cross-train with other procurement personnel on procurement tasks to support teamwork, business continuity, and backup capacity.
Perform other duties as assigned to support supply chain, procurement, and business needs.
Lead negotiations with packaging suppliers on pricing, delivery schedules, lead times, payment terms, and other commercial conditions.
Structure, organize, and lead RFPs for labels, corrugate, steel containers, and other key packaging materials; coordinate requirements, supplier engagement, evaluation criteria, bidding processes, and timelines.
Analyze supplier proposals and develop sourcing recommendations based on total cost, quality, delivery performance, capacity, and service; present findings to leadership and lead follow-up negotiations.
Lead commercial relationships with packaging suppliers, build relationships with current and prospective supplier contacts, and support supply continuity and competitive sourcing.
Promote positive teamwork, responsiveness, follow-through, proactive communication, continuous improvement, professionalism, and a service mindset.
Take initiative in supplier relationship-building and competitive sourcing, align internal stakeholders, use objective analysis, and hold suppliers accountable for agreed commitments.
Bring food safety issues promptly to the area supervisor or manager.