Category Buyer for Capital, Maintenance, Supplies, and Services

Position Summary:

The Buyer is responsible for sourcing, purchasing and managing materials, components and services for specific categories for all Volpi locations. This role focuses on ensuring timely availability of high-quality materials and professional services while optimizing costs and maintaining strong vendor relationships. Responsibilities include analyzing and selecting vendors, negotiating contracts and pricing and overseeing vendor performance to drive fulfillment of purchase orders at the best price, highest quality and optimal value. The Buyer is also responsible for verification and certification of all materials and services purchased to ensure compliance with all food safety and insurance requirements.

Essential Functions and Responsibilities:

• Develop category plans for assigned categories to align with overall business objectives.
• Prepare, review and issue purchase orders ensuring accuracy, timely delivery and optimal pricing.
• Conduct market research to stay informed about supplier capabilities and category/industry trends.
• Create and maintain scorecards with key metrics for applicable categories.
• Monitor material inventory levels to prevent shortages or overstock situations amidst changing forecasts and collaborate with inventory management to establish reorder points and optimize stock levels.
• Negotiate pricing, terms and conditions with suppliers to achieve cost savings and favorable agreements.
• Establish and maintain strong, productive relationships with key suppliers to reduce costs, improve product quality, ensure timely delivery and maintain open communication.
• Promptly and thoroughly address any supplier-related issues such as quality concerns, delivery delays or price increases.
• Continuously drive improvement and efficiency within the purchasing process.
• Participate in the development of specifications and sourcing for new products for applicable categories.
• Manage product claims, returns and non-conforming products.
• Analyze applicable categories to identify and implement cost savings.
• Collaborate with Quality Assurance to maintain compliance with all policies, promptly report and resolve any deviations, coordinate any quality audits or site visits and ensure purchased materials and services meet specifications and quality standards.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Candidate Qualifications:

• A minimum of three (3) years purchasing and sourcing experience, preferably in a manufacturing environment.
• A bachelor's degree in Business, Supply Chain or related field is preferred.
• Strong technical knowledge of material resource planning.
• Advanced negotiation and communication skills (both written and oral).
• Analytical skills with a strong attention to detail.
• Exemplary organizational skills and task management capabilities.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite products (especially Outlook, Word and Excel) and ERP systems (especially Purchasing and Inventory modules).
• Certification in Supply Chain Management (e.g., CPSM, CPIM) is preferred.
• Ability to work full time in the office at one of two greater St. Louis-area manufacturing plants.
• Ability to travel occasionally (about 5%) to vendor locations and trade shows.