Purchasing Agent

Position Summary The Purchasing Agent is responsible for all aspects of ingredient procurement to maximize the efficiency of Elite Spices 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 companys long-term growth. Position Description Purchase ingredients in compliance with the products 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, availablity, 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, Bachelors 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