Supplier Partnerships Manager - US

Opply•Chicago, IL

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

Opply is modernising how scaling food and consumer goods brands buy ingredients, solving a £1 trillion market inefficiency that's been overlooked for decades. Right now, SMB brands waste 70% of stock and pay 40% above market rate because they lack access to enterprise-level supplier networks and smart automation. We've built an AI-powered platform that changes this entirely: automated ordering, predictive forecasting, supplier matching, and embedded credit that lets brands sell before they pay. We're a scaling, VC-backed by Index Ventures, Anthemis, and Chalfen Ventures, with unicorn angels from GoCardless, Flow.io, and Trouva. We've won StartUp of the Year and Supply Chain Specialists of the Year, and we're scaling fast across the UK and internationally. This is category-defining work in a massive, underserved market. This is a commercial, relationship-led role at the intersection of partnerships, sales and sourcing - with a clear mandate to unlock new supply, win better commercial terms, and grow order volume through the platform. You'll be the person out in the market: finding and winning the suppliers whose ingredients our customers want, building the kind of relationships that get us preferential pricing and better service, and spotting where the real opportunities are rather than chasing every deal that comes along. You'll own relationships on both sides, suppliers and buyers, and turn them into repeatable, margin-generating orders on the platform. You'll learn the industry fast, mostly by getting stuck in: going to events, talking to suppliers, asking the right questions, and using what you learn to sniff out the deals worth our energy. If you can close them too, even better. This is a hands-on, high-ownership role with a clear path to grow as our US supply network scales.

Requirements

3 years in a commercial role - sales, business development, partnerships, account management, or commercial operations. A track record of building relationships and chasing down opportunities matters more than a procurement background.
Exposure to the food & beverage industry is helpful but not essential. If you learn fast and independently, we'll back you to pick up the industry quickly.
Strong commercial instincts: a feel for pricing, margins and negotiation, and a nose for which opportunities are worth pursuing.
Comfortable carrying targets and managing multiple supplier and buyer conversations at once in a fast-moving environment.
A clear, confident communicator who builds trust with external partners quickly.

Nice To Haves

experience negotiating terms with suppliers or vendors, or any exposure to ingredient/commodity sourcing.

Responsibilities

Identify, pursue and onboard new suppliers whose ingredients can be sold through Opply, expanding category coverage and revenue.
Build a pipeline of supplier opportunities and qualify ruthlessly, focus your energy on the relationships and deals most likely to convert, rather than chasing everything.
Negotiate core commercial terms, including pricing and minimum order quantities, to support profitable orders.
Get out into the market - attend industry events, trade shows and supplier meetings to build a strong personal network and stay close to where supply and opportunity are moving.
Build and own key supplier relationships that deliver more than price: better rates and better service levels, reliability and responsiveness.
Connect with brands, to understand what it is they want from their supplier network. Use these relationships to either support or finalise the sale of a product.
Work both sides of the platform, pairing supplier products with buyer demand to drive quote-to-order conversion.
Actively present and sell competitive supplier options to buyers, structuring deals that let Opply generate margin while staying competitive.
Turn one-off sourcing activity into repeatable order volume. Closing deals end-to-end is a strong plus.
Collect and maintain essential technical and compliance information from suppliers, including product specifications and certifications.
Support buyer requirements such as Organic certification and GFSI (Global Food Safety Initiative), recognised standards, ensuring suppliers are order-ready.
Track supplier pricing, availability and certification coverage to inform category-expansion decisions.