Ingredients Buyer - Wilton or Minneapolis

POSITION OVERVIEW This position will manage the procurement and deployment of raw materials in assigned categories. These will be primarily agricultural crops (e.g. Grains, Fruit and Vegetable) and other value added ingredients. Responsibilities involve building procurement strategies, selecting and maintaining relationship with vendors, contracting, ensuring on time/in spec delivery, market analysis and price negotiations as well as developing and maintaining raw material processes and procedures. The key focus will be to ensure supply of assigned materials according to strategy and building efficiency and consistency in internal processes related to raw materials. The location for this position is either Wilton, CT or Minneapolis, MN. Expected time in office is 2 days per week. MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES Analyzes material market dynamics/ trends and price environment in order to manage price risk in accordance with Company Risk Management Policies Selects and maintains supplier relations, negotiates prices and oversees contract and follows up on deliveries through completion. Creates, measures and communicates supplier performance metrics to improve service and reduce costs. Engages in reviews with suppliers and internal/external stakeholders based on total cost and works to optimize this total cost and drive productivity savings. Works with suppliers and internal stakeholders on development of new materials, products or services to optimize opportunity. Minimizes and communicates any service related issues to all internal stakeholders Manage the data related to assigned materials, including budget and price variance forecasts, volume reconciliations and developing visibility to impact of change to all raw material requirements. Develops and executes deployment strategies to meet business requirements in accordance to latest forecasts. Ensures the company’s ability to execute daily material ordering, deployment and procure to pay processes to meet business production requirements. Coordinates timelines, inventories and transitions during material changes so as to minimize transition costs, without impact to Customer Service Levels. Creates visibility to financial impact of such changes. Provides support to development, alignment and implementation of sourcing strategies and supplier network capability and capacity for assigned materials. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS Requires a BA (or equivalent) in business or related field Minimum 3 years of procurement experience. Experience in direct raw material buying, Contract Negotiations and Supplier Management. Ability to travel up to 25% PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS Experience in buying agricultural commodities Inter-personal communication skills, including verbal, written and presentation Leadership skills Market Analysis skills Negotiation skills Knowledge of purchasing principles, practices, methods and procedures used in CPG procurement. Project and performance management, analytical, planning and problem solving skills. Financial analysis experience Must be able to work in environment with free-roaming companion pets Pet parent preferred COMPANY OVERVIEW We exist to make food the world loves. But we do more than that. Our company is a place that prioritizes being a force for good, a place to expand learning, explore new perspectives and reimagine new possibilities, every day. We look for people who want to bring their best — bold thinkers with big hearts who challenge one other and grow together. Because becoming the undisputed leader in food means surrounding ourselves with people who are hungry for what’s next.