Purchasing Manager

Fitlife Foods

Do you enjoy kickball games, learning and developing others, building meaningful relationships, and making a substantive difference in others’ lives, solving problems, eating for free and fostering a culture of fun?

Fitlife Foods is the leading multi-channel prepared meals company throughout Florida and Georgia. With 12 retail locations and a sustainable home delivery subscription business, Fitlife powers customers to be their best by offering with the best in prepared meals, and wellness coaching.

Fitlife’s core focus is to elevate the way people feel. This extends to the products that we create and how we impact people’s lives, from our customer service to the way we connect with each other within the company. We are continually trying to elevate each other’s learning and growth.

What You’ll Be Doing

The Purchasing Manager, in support of Culinary Leadership, will plan, develop, lead, coordinate, and implement all activities related to purchasing for the culinary center. This position reports to the Director of Operations. The role is charged with supporting Fitlife Foods mission through ensuring the culinary team is supplied in the most fiscally responsible manner to execute our core focus; to elevate the way people feel.

The key to success will be the ability to collaborate with senior leadership on Fitlife’s overall business goals. The successful candidate will display leadership and professionalism with a strong understanding of balancing supply chain responsibilities with the need for deep collaboration with product marketing and culinary development, culinary center operations, and collaborative partnership building with suppliers outside the organization.

It is essential that this leader is highly knowledgeable in demand planning, inventory management, financial management and relationship building. The Purchasing Manager will work across functional boundaries to ensure high levels of customer service and satisfaction relative to inventory turns, management, and communication of inventory. They will develop tools to improve both the speed and the quality of our purchasing decisions and will be expected to quickly identify and implement process improvements for ordering, information, and inventory management.

KEY INITIATIVES & RESPONSIBILTIES

• In consultation with the Director of Culinary Center Operations, develop and communicate a purchasing business plan; establish, communicate, and implement long-term goals for the department to promote effectiveness and efficiency.
• Manage current purchasing, policies, procedures, and programs with a focus on the ability to enhance organizational value and efficiency; meet regularly with respective departments regarding procurement for their understanding and/or recommendations to enhance policies, procedures and develop, communicate, and implement new/revised policies, procedures and programs as needed.
• Determine delivery logistics and manage lead times of domestic and international supply chain with supply partners. Assess, manage, and mitigate risks to stock outs that hinder production
• Determines, places and confirms all purchase orders and correct/efficient ordering patterns/cycles i.e. even pallets. Schedules deliveries.
• Manages the procedures for ordering, receiving, storing, and packaging meals and foods items in large quantities. Implements and maintains “first in first out” principles of inventory management.
• Books freight when needed. Coordinates shipping/receiving of product to/from off-site facilities.
• Collaborates in material flow management with Director of Culinary Center.
• Drives positive results by supporting the project coordination related to procurement.
• Identify opportunities; assist with problem solving/root cause analysis, offer solutions and process improvements for consideration.
• Establishes and maintains effective working relationships with all internal departments and team members.

SUPPLY PARTNER MANAGEMENT

• Ensure all vendors meet FDA & USDA guidelines, including up-to-date vendor traceability plans with QA Manager and Executive Chef.
• Lead and manage the RFP process for new and existing products and services including distribution, evaluation, and selection of vendors.
• Build positive and productive relationships with external partners (vendors).
• Work with new and existing partners to obtain the best pricing, quality and service through negotiated discounts and contracts.
• Inventory management and process flow including monitoring the inventory levels in our internal and external partner warehouses.
• Manages frequency of delivery vs. storage space and menu date.

PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT COLLABORATION

• Participates and provides input (specifics) with Menu Planning.
• Works with culinary team to determine value and yield for new and existing products purchased.
• Orders new products in a timely manner to arrive prior to menu date. Discontinues products as planned by Product Marketing.
• Adheres to Master Specification List - ordering Rev Foods spec’d products only.

FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT

• Ensures food and packaging returns and credits are accurately processed.
• Establishing and maintaining measurable performance metrics for all levels of procurement activities including, but not limited to, supplier performance, supplier quality, buyer activity levels, inventory turns, and waste & price paid variances (PPV).
• Drives usage of cost models to validate commodity strategies and to understand significant cost drivers.
• Develop and provide various reporting and analytics as required (i.e. inventory, spend profile, costing, etc.) Perform cost and scenario analysis, market trends and benchmarking.

CANDIDATE QUALIFICATIONS

• 3 - 5 years of related experience, with at least 2 years of supervisory experience in purchasing & sourcing with a focus in planning and/or distribution with proven success.
• Experience in sourcing and partner relationship building / vendor management
• Ability to lead and manage contract negotiations
• Working experience of inventory management software
• Excellent organizational and problem-solving skills with superior positive communication style
• Strong leadership capabilities with a positive mindset and emotional intelligence
• Ability to quickly learn and utilize various software platforms
• Ability to coordinate multiple group efforts within the company to achieve objectives
• Embraces change with a positive mindset and can implement changes and quickly adapts
• Ability to handle multiple tasks, with ability to meet deadlines
• Excellent communication and relationship management skills
• Developing and managing an inventory department
• Strong working knowledge of inventory planning, forecasting techniques as well as operational systems and warehouse management
• Ability to create structure and to develop sustainable processes for fast-growing organization

EDUCATIONAL AND CERTIFICATION QUALIFICATIONS

Bachelor’s degree in Business, Purchasing, Production/Operations Management, Engineering, or equivalent business experience

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer.

Must be able to lift 50 pounds at times.

BENEFITS

• Competitive compensation
• Continuing education opportunities
• Free meals
• Awesome culture
• Group health, dental, vision plan
• Paid time off
• Career growth experience