Charlie’s Produce is the largest independently owned produce company in the Pacific Northwest with over 1400 employees’ company wide. We offer an expansive benefits package which includes Medical/Dental/Vision/401(k)/Profit Sharing/Flexible Spending Account and more.
We are currently recruiting for a full time Produce Buyer in our Corporate Headquarters, located in South Seattle’s Sodo District.
The primary purpose of this position is to secure the right product, at the right price, from the right source, at the right time to achieve the sales and financial goals of assigned categories and enable the Company to profitability and competitively meet customer needs.
- Candidate should possess bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience
- Minimum Five (5) years produce experience
- Strong negotiating skills
- Strong Math & Writing skills required to quickly multiply & add cases/pallets & calculate product cost, market, & margin
- Multiple task management
- Be able to set priorities, meet deadlines, and able to accomplish team objectives
- Candidate should possess excellent verbal and written communication skills with computer competency, including Excel, Word, & Outlook
- Strong commodities knowledge, including vegetable, fruit, herbs, and specialty produce lines
- Physical requirements: Walking thru the warehouse to check product inventory & quality
- Ability to observe and follow proper safety procedures, and a willingness to report potentially unsafe conditions
- Monday – Friday Shifts (Rotating Saturday’s)
- Continually identify and determine optimum sources of supply
- Manage service levels and inventory of assigned categories
- Make purchase decisions and manage process for order fulfillment
- Be responsible for procuring designated quality and quantity
- Maintain Minimize shrinkage/spoilage of fresh fruits and vegetables
- Manage marketing/promotional funds, rebates, slotting fees and payment terms.
- Manage USDA inspection process when necessary
- Negotiate revised billing resulting from USDA inspection reports when applicable
- Ensure that product recalls are completed
- Support established logistical procedures to facilitate product arrival
- Communicate effectively to all department supervisors
- Seek opportunity/spot buys
- Monitor and report items/categories/business trends within assigned categories
- Maintain awareness of market trends, technology and food safety
- Maintain awareness of Company’s marketing strategies and competitive activity
- Participate in plant/QA tours
- Some travel required: visiting growers & attending produce conventions
The ideal candidate is a detail-oriented team player who has experience buying fresh produce. In this key role, you will use the best practices to manage all buying activities from forecasting and inventory management to vendor management and PO reconciliation. Must be highly flexible to meet the needs of the business and have an ability to work in a fast paced, closely configured work environment.