Buyer

About the role

Vaco is hiring a Buyer in Chicago, IL. This role reports to the Purchasing Manager. The ideal candidate will bring strong purchasing, supplier negotiation, forecasting, and inventory management experience within the food industry. Experience purchasing proteins, particularly fish/seafood, pork, chicken, or beef, is strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

• Purchase raw materials, ingredients, packaging, and other production-related supplies.
• Negotiate with suppliers to obtain competitive pricing, favorable terms, quality products, and reliable service.
• Seek competitive bids for purchases, analyze proposals, and make purchasing recommendations and awards.
• Negotiate supplier contracts when appropriate and monitor market costs throughout contract terms.
• Interpret production schedules and forecasts to determine material and purchasing needs.
• Monitor purchase order delivery timelines and investigate late or delinquent shipments.
• Maintain accurate and current supplier records, including required documentation and expiration dates.
• Communicate company requirements to suppliers regarding product specifications, lot limitations, and receiving appointments.
• Research and develop new sources of supply when existing suppliers cannot meet company standards.
• Vet prospective suppliers through the company's vendor qualification process.
• Maintain compliance with ASC, MSC, OU, FSMA, BRCGS, and other applicable food safety requirements.
• Support the development and implementation of Food Safety Fundamentals and the company's Food Safety Plan.
• Maintain supplier and purchasing documentation in an audit-ready state.
• Update Bills of Materials (BOMs) when unavoidable pricing changes occur and communicate changes to the Corporate Controller.
• Verify appropriate approvals and account information for purchase orders.
• Work closely with Quality and Receiving to ensure appropriate materials are received.
• Partner with Accounts Payable to help ensure supplier payments are processed accurately and on time.
• Follow company safety, environmental, corporate, and regulatory requirements.
• Take appropriate action when necessary to protect the integrity of the BRCGS system.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or higher in Business or a related field.
• 5-10 years of progressive purchasing/buying experience.
• Experience purchasing protein products such as fish/seafood, pork, chicken, or beef strongly preferred.
• Seafood purchasing experience is a major plus.
• Strong supplier negotiation and vendor management experience.
• Demonstrated ability to forecast material needs based on production schedules and demand.
• Previous experience supervising staff.
• Experience with electronic business/ERP software.
• Experience with Microsoft Dynamics GP or similar business software preferred.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, including Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.
• Knowledge of food safety initiatives and requirements is a plus.

Skills

• Strong negotiation skills
• Purchasing and procurement expertise
• Forecasting and inventory planning
• Supplier relationship management
• Sound decision-making and analytical skills
• Excellent organization and attention to detail
• Ability to communicate professionally with employees, leadership, vendors, and other external partners

Pay & Benefits

Compensation: $79-$85k/annually. The individual may also be eligible for discretionary bonuses and can participate in medical, dental, and vision benefits as well as the company's 401(k) retirement plan.