Procurement Associate

Home Chef • Chicago, IL

43d • $48,000 - $58,000

About The Position

Founded in 2013, Home Chef is the leading meal solutions company with both a retail and online presence. Available online at homechef.com and in retail at more than 2,100 Kroger grocery stores, Home Chef is committed to inspiring and enabling more people to cook simple, delicious meals, no matter how busy they are. In 2023, Home Chef introduced a new brand, Tempo! Tempo features a rotating selection of ready-to-heat meals delivered directly to your door. These meals are better-for-you versions of familiar favorites, designed to save you time and reduce stress while maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Our Tempo menu includes options that are protein-packed, fiber-rich, calorie and carb conscious, keto-friendly, and dietitian-approved. Similar to our recipes, we recognize that variety is the spice of life, and therefore, our employees also bring their uniqueness and color to our fantastic team. We’re eager to work with humble team players and pragmatic next-level thinkers to innovate on Home Chef’s offerings. The Procurement Associate provides administrative and operational support to the Procurement team to ensure the accurate and timely flow of materials into Home Chef facilities. This role assists with purchase order management, supplier communication, data entry, and reporting. The ideal candidate is detail-oriented, highly organized, and comfortable working in a fast-paced environment where accuracy and follow-through are critical.

Requirements

• General high school degree, or equivalent, (e.g. GED).
• 1+ years of previous experience as a buyer
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Strong Experience in Excel
• Ability to problem-solve and balance priorities in a fast-paced environment

Nice To Haves

• Previous experience purchasing food/packaging goods
• Experience with an ERP system preferred

Responsibilities

• Create, issue, and maintain purchase orders for food and packaging materials, ensuring accuracy in quantities, lead times, and pricing.
• Track purchase order status and proactively communicate updates, shipment delays, or changes to internal stakeholders.
• Assist in managing the ordering process across multiple menu cycles by balancing supplier lead times and forecast variability.
• Research and collect supplier information, including price quotations, proposals, and terms and conditions.
• Communicate with suppliers to confirm order details, resolve basic issues such as delivery delays or invoice discrepancies, and maintain positive working relationships.
• Work cross-functionally with Quality, Production, and Warehouse teams to address product quality issues, aging inventory, or supply interruptions.
• Balance production schedules with product perishability to recommend optimal delivery timing.
• Support buyers by updating product information, maintaining supplier files, and assisting with sourcing tasks as assigned.
• Monitor inventory levels across facilities to ensure appropriate material availability and minimize shortages or overages.
• Collaborate with Warehouse and Inventory teams to track stock levels, manage aging product, and prevent waste.
• Support regular inventory counts and reconciliation to maintain accurate stock data.
• Review weekly yield and over-order reports, escalating discrepancies to the appropriate buyer or manager.
• Work with buyers to identify root causes of shortages, overages, or discrepancies and assist in implementing corrective actions.
• Maintain accurate procurement records, including purchase orders, contracts, and supplier data, ensuring alignment between systems and documentation.
• Manage and update the Price Discrepancy Log, partnering with Finance and Procurement stakeholders to correct issues and prevent future errors.
• Prepare and update purchasing trackers, reports, and KPI summaries for weekly meetings.
• Assist with maintaining dashboards and data files that support procurement metrics, vendor performance tracking, and cost monitoring.
• Collaborate with Operations, Quality, and Inventory teams to understand purchasing needs and ensure timely material delivery.
• Support communication between vendors and internal partners to resolve service or quality issues.
• Provide administrative assistance to the Procurement team, including data entry, scheduling meetings, and maintaining digital and physical filing systems.
• Contribute to small process improvement or documentation projects designed to enhance supply accuracy, operational efficiency, or system performance.

Benefits

• Candidates can experience Home Chef as a customer - enter promo code PEOPLE30 for $30 off your first order!
• Medical, dental, vision, life and disability insurance available
• Paid holidays, sick time and vacation time
• 401k program
• Flexible spending accounts for qualified medical, dependent care, parking, or transit expenses

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: High school or GED
• Number of Employees: 1,001-5,000 employees