Purchasing Agent
Elite Spice Inc, Jessup, MD, United States
Position Summary
The Purchasing Agent is responsible for all aspects of ingredient procurement to maximize the efficiency of Elite Spice’s supply chain. This will require extensive market research and strong analytical skills to effectively negotiate with vendors in accordance with compliance with food safety, quality, and regulatory standards. The Purchasing Agent also works cross-functionally with Sales, Product Development, Quality Control and Technical Teams to drive uninterrupted supply and cost-effective purchasing, fostering partnerships that aid the company’s long-term growth.
Position Description
Purchase ingredients in compliance with the product’s physical, chemical, and microbiological specifications, flavor parameters, food safety guidelines and all applicable federal laws and regulations
Develop and optimize profitable purchasing strategies and inventory stock levels based on historical data, demand forecasting and market trends to support production and sales needs.
Select, qualify and evaluate ingredient suppliers based on reliability, quality, cost-efficiency and performance
Build and maintain positive, long-term relationships with vendors
Communicate purchasing opportunities, cost changes and potential market disruptions to leadership
Recommend alternatives for cost savings, availability, or problematic products
Coordinate with Manufacturing, Sales, Product Development, Quality Control, Customer Service and Technical teams regarding supply needs
Provide market availability information to Sales and Customer Service as required
Process purchase orders; schedule, track and verify deliveries
Support established logistics procedures to facilitate and verify timely product arrival
Resolve supplier issues related to quality, performance, delivery or compliance
Evaluate purchased materials upon receipt to ensure conformance to specifications
Maintain complete and accurate purchasing records, including purchase orders, invoices, pricing and contracts
Report ingredient costs for inventory valuation and pricing purposes
Authorize payments and provide purchasing documentation to Accounting to ensure timely vendor payment
Occasional exposure to dust, spices, heat and cold
Qualifications
High school degree, Bachelor’s degree preferred
Previous experience in Purchasing, Supply Chain, or other related field a plus
Proficient in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook) required
Strong research and analytical skills
Ability to exercise sound judgment in strategic decision making
Strong professional communication and negotiation skills
Polite, professional, and courteous
Strong organization and documentation skills
High attention to detail and accuracy
Ability to work well with others and independently
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Position Description
Purchase ingredients in compliance with the product’s physical, chemical, and microbiological specifications, flavor parameters, food safety guidelines and all applicable federal laws and regulations
Develop and optimize profitable purchasing strategies and inventory stock levels based on historical data, demand forecasting and market trends to support production and sales needs.
Select, qualify and evaluate ingredient suppliers based on reliability, quality, cost-efficiency and performance
Build and maintain positive, long-term relationships with vendors
Communicate purchasing opportunities, cost changes and potential market disruptions to leadership
Recommend alternatives for cost savings, availability, or problematic products
Coordinate with Manufacturing, Sales, Product Development, Quality Control, Customer Service and Technical teams regarding supply needs
Provide market availability information to Sales and Customer Service as required
Process purchase orders; schedule, track and verify deliveries
Support established logistics procedures to facilitate and verify timely product arrival
Resolve supplier issues related to quality, performance, delivery or compliance
Evaluate purchased materials upon receipt to ensure conformance to specifications
Maintain complete and accurate purchasing records, including purchase orders, invoices, pricing and contracts
Report ingredient costs for inventory valuation and pricing purposes
Authorize payments and provide purchasing documentation to Accounting to ensure timely vendor payment
Occasional exposure to dust, spices, heat and cold
Qualifications
High school degree, Bachelor’s degree preferred
Previous experience in Purchasing, Supply Chain, or other related field a plus
Proficient in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook) required
Strong research and analytical skills
Ability to exercise sound judgment in strategic decision making
Strong professional communication and negotiation skills
Polite, professional, and courteous
Strong organization and documentation skills
High attention to detail and accuracy
Ability to work well with others and independently
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