Specialist, Seafood Purchasing

About the role

Quirch Foods is seeking a detail-oriented Seafood Purchasing Specialist to coordinate procurement activities for center-of-the-plate proteins within the seafood category. This role supports sourcing, vendor communication, and purchase order management to ensure product availability, quality, and cost efficiency. Experience purchasing beef, pork, poultry, seafood, or dairy products is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Reviews purchase requisitions and translates them into accurate purchase orders and bid requests.
• Communicates with seafood and protein vendors to confirm pricing, availability, and delivery schedules.
• Selects products for purchase by testing, observing, or examining samples against quality and specification standards.
• Estimates values and evaluates cost competitiveness according to knowledge of current market pricing and seasonality.
• Determines the appropriate method of procurement, such as direct purchase, contract, or competitive bid.
• Reviews bid proposals and negotiates contract terms within budgetary limitations and scope of authority.
• Maintains accurate procurement records, including items or services purchased, costs, delivery status, product quality, and inventory levels.
• Discusses defective, delayed, or unacceptable goods with quality control personnel, internal users, and vendors to determine root causes and drive corrective action.
• Monitors inventory positions and purchasing forecasts to help minimize shortages, excess inventory, and product obsolescence.
• Supports compliance with food safety, regulatory, and traceability requirements (FDA, USDA, and other applicable standards) across the purchasing lifecycle.
• May approve invoices for payment and expedite delivery of goods to internal users or customers.
• Collaborates with sales, logistics, and quality assurance teams to align purchasing activity with customer demand.
• Works with the leadership team and appropriate team members to encourage and support organizational sustainability efforts, including waste reduction, water and energy conservation, and environmentally preferred purchasing practices.

Requirements

• Associate's or Bachelor's degree preferred, or equivalent certification/licensing in a purchasing or inventory management program of 18 months to 3 years.
• 3-5 years of purchasing experience within the poultry, beef, seafood, or dairy industry.
• Working knowledge of product and vendor sourcing channels, purchasing procedures, and industry practices.
• Ability to analyze varying product and service features, pricing, and quality to determine the most cost-effective purchase for the organization.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, Outlook).
• Strong negotiation, organizational, and time management skills with close attention to detail.

Preferred Skills

• Familiarity with seafood species, harvest cycles, and import/export considerations affecting sourcing decisions.
• Experience with eProcurement or purchasing software systems.
• Bilingual (English/Spanish) a plus.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills across internal teams and external vendors.

Benefits

• Comprehensive benefits package including Medical, Dental, Prescription Drug, Disability, and Life Insurance plans.
• 401(k) Savings Plan.
• Paid Holidays and Personal Time Off.
• Employee Discounts.