Eden Foods - Clinton, Mich. (Lenawee Co.) seeks reliable, competent Purchasing Dept. professional. Some travel. Accuracy, computer skill, and an eagerness to learn are essential. Buyer and supplier relationship development role. Good work, good mission.
Please send resume to [email protected]
Job Description:
Purchasing Department
Position: Purchasing Agent/Procurement Technician/Buyer
Reports to: Purchasing Manager
Position Objective:
Eden Foods is looking for a Purchasing Department team member to manage supplier relationships and help facilitate the efficient supply of authentic, natural, and organic items for its customers. The primary goal is to make rational decisions to maintain proper inventory levels through healthy relations on the supply side while integrating these processes efficiently into the company’s business systems.
Key Responsibilities:
Source and Supplier Management:
- Identify, evaluate, and source suppliers, negotiating prices and terms to meet annual supply needs.
- Farm and vendor visits require occasional overnight travel.
- Interface personally and through business systems with Purchasing Department members and other company Department personnel as necessary.
Product Information Database:
- Maintain updated and accurate data in the Product Information Database (PID).
- As facts are acquired concerning farms, foods, and packaging, insert them succinctly (zero fluff facts) into the PID for access by other company Departments and company personnel who must interface with the public (example Marketing & Sales) and agencies that have jurisdiction over aspects of Eden Foods.
Product Specification:
- Acquire facts and data necessary to create and maintain on file in the Purchasing Department current, up-to-date Eden Specification Sheets for items purchased on the company’s behalf.
- Acquiring supplier spec. sheets is helpful in completing this necessity and learning about the supplier’s and industry’s perspective on what is usually included on a spec. sheet for a given item.
P.O. Processing & Management:
- Issue detailed and accurate purchase orders (P.O.s).
- Maintain knowledge about the order status to ensure the best on-time delivery to Eden Foods.
Inventory Management:
- Maintain intelligent inventory levels, conservatively maximize inventory turns, and identify potential shortages or overstocking.
- Work and communicate with Operations / Inventory Management ensuring that they are in-the-loop for goods routed to them.
Negotiation and Contract Management:
- Negotiating favorable terms and prices with Eden suppliers.
- Manage contract data and necessary/courteous communications with our suppliers.
- Maintain details and paperwork related to supplier contracts with Eden Foods.
Cost Analysis and Savings:
- Maintain data necessary for accurate landed cost of goods purchased.
- Remain aware of industry and item market prices to ensure Eden Foods receives competitive pricing from suppliers.
- Identify opportunities for cost reductions and recommend best practices for business systems and purchased-goods handling.
Quality Control:
- Ensure that purchased goods and services meet Eden Foods’ quality standards, specifications, and requirements.
Reporting and Analysis:
- Track P.O.s. Prepare reports on supplier performance.
- Be knowledgeable about purchasing trends and Sales Department projections.
Essential Skills:
- Analytical and problem-solving.
- Strong interpersonal and factual communication skills are essential for interacting with vendors and colleagues.
- Effective and efficient verbal and written communication skills.
- An openness to learning Eden Foods’ business and having full command of your products and vendor relationships.
- Clean, authentic organic food is a core responsibility at Eden.
This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive or a complete explanation of duties. Employees are required to perform duties as assigned by their supervisor or management. Eden reserves the right to modify job duties and responsibilities as needed. Job descriptions do not constitute or imply an employment contract.
Eden Foods is the senior natural and organic food company in North America. It remains an independent manufacturer of dry grocery organic food, focused on the relationships necessary to sustain them. Whole grain, beans, and macrobiotic Japanese traditional foods have been core to its product line since 1968.
Over 93% of Eden foods are sold by natural food stores, co-ops, and other retail outlets via traditional natural and grocery distribution channels. The internet, Eden’s website, wholesale sales, and employee purchases make up the remainder.
Eden Foods' two warehouses – in Clinton, Michigan and Fremont, California – handle all the food we distribute.
Eden Foods Goals
1) Provide the most pure, high quality, life-supporting food and accurate information about them, their uses and benefits.
2) Creation and maintenance of a healthy, respectful, challenging, and rewarding environment for people involved with the Company.
3) Development of the ability to produce and disseminate the foodstuffs and information we create and handle.
4) Cultivate sound relationships with like minded people and organizations involved in like pursuits.
5) Cultivate adaptability to changes in economic, social, and environmental conditions to allow Eden Foods the opportunity to survive long term.
6) Have a strong, positive impact on farming and food processing practices used in the world.
7) To contribute to peaceful development of life on Earth.
Eden Foods is a principled natural food company and developing organization. Quality people of good character is what keeps us going and growing. We seek to contribute to the realization of a better world. Eden Foods is an excellent career opportunity.
Organic Buyer