Sr Category Buyer

E.A. Sween•Eden Prairie, MN

9d•Hybrid

About The Position

E.A. Sween is seeking a strategic Senior Category Buyer to advance the team by developing and implementing measures that support effective sales and marketing strategies. The position manages supplier relationships, sourcing, category strategy, material availability, supplier performance, and supply continuity. It works closely with internal functions and external partners to support production, customer service, innovation, and continuous improvement. The position is primarily onsite at the Eden Prairie, Minnesota office, with one work-from-home day.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree with a strong mathematics, statistics, or business background.
At least 5 years of diverse Procurement and Supply Chain experience.
Advanced analytical skills.
Interpersonal effectiveness and negotiation skills under pressure.
Advanced Excel skills.
Ability to analyze and anticipate changes in market conditions, implement appropriate tools, and use them effectively.
Ability to work with ambiguity and think strategically 3–5 years ahead.
Ability to work on multiple projects at a time.
Ability to work occasional extra hours, evenings, and weekends if necessary.
Ability to travel 20%–30% of the year.

Responsibilities

Manage relationships with industry partners and suppliers to maintain a “customer of choice” profile.
Track macroeconomic and microeconomic trends and communicate their implications and potential execution choices to the organization.
Lead buying initiatives, sourcing quality materials at competitive prices to support plant production and on-time delivery.
Coordinate with internal partners to support potential innovation and new tools.
Create category strategies that provide access to suitable suppliers and industry capabilities.
Ensure adequate supplier capacity and customer service for raw materials supplied to production facilities, and adequate service levels for in-network raw materials and finished goods.
Manage supplier relationships and contracts, and establish service-level agreements and contracts for appropriate raw materials.
Track market metrics and inform internal partners of industry dynamics that may affect organizational effectiveness.
Develop strategies for evolving supplier capabilities in response to customer demand, service, cost, and industry dynamics.
Develop and manage key performance indicators, including on-time shipping, cost, throughput, capacity, yield loss, and labor.
Develop supplier relationship management practices and maintain suppliers in good standing as a customer of choice.
Monitor industry trends, demographics, industry changes, emerging supply-chain risks, and consumer interests.
Develop and manage continuity of raw-material supply.
Establish a regular process for using external expertise to analyze and assess market dynamics, including materials and underlying commodities.
Form perspectives with the broader team and communicate regularly with key internal stakeholders.
Work cross-functionally with Production, Planning, Transportation, Food Safety, Sales, Marketing, R&D, and other teams to support sales and marketing efforts.
Participate in cross-functional continuous-improvement initiatives that drive end-to-end cost savings.
Drive implementation and management of key metrics, collaborate with peers on goal setting, and support leadership and development of procurement resources.