Senior Manager, Purchasing

SENIOR PURCHASING & SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGER

La Tienda is an ecommerce business offering the finest products from Spain, ranging from artisanal cheeses to gourmet delicacies, embodying the passion and craftsmanship of our hand-selected producers. We are a growing company dedicated to bringing the essence of cuisine from Spain to homes in America and Canada.

The Senior Purchasing & Supply Chain Manager (SPSCM) opportunity is located at our main distribution center based in Toano, VA. The SPSCM manages and executes demand forecasting, purchasing, vendor relationships and regulatory compliance. Leads purchasing team to optimize stock status and ensure compliance with all regulations. Works closely with the marketing team to provide support for sales efforts.

This position reports to the President and has 2-3 direct reports.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Manages Direct Reports – Manages the Purchasing Specialist (PS) to execute the monthly demand & purchasing forecast as well as purchase orders, providing day-to-day leadership and development, job assignments and performance review and direction for the PS. Manages the European Operations Team in Spain to ensure new product leads are developed, shipments are made on PO’s, new prices are approved, and government regulations are followed.
2. Manages Product Forecasting - Manages demand forecasting with the goal of minimizing out of stocks, overstocks and expired product write offs. Forecast demand based on sales trends, seasonality, and upcoming promotions in collaboration with the marketing department. Maintains reporting on out-of-stock status, inventory turns, inventory value and other metrics,
3. Manages Purchasing - Determines purchasing needs based on forecast, current inventory, vendor minimums and other factors. Leads a team to execute all Purchase Orders.
4. Oversees Product and Vendor Data - Owns the accuracy of all vendor data, item level data and cost data in Epicor. Responsible for autonomously updating data on an ongoing basis.
5. Manages Vendor Relationships – Manages or delegates management of vendor relationships, including vendor agreements, price negotiations, payment terms and communication of Company expectations. Proactively engages with vendors on collaborations and opportunities to improve sales and product quality.
6. Manages Company’s Product Recall Plan – Manages and coordinates the implementation of the Company’s product recall plan. Identifies and assigns responsibilities to a recall team and assures the documentation of the recall plan, recall decisions, and actions are in a master recall file.
7. Contributes to Annual Business Plans – Provides strategic analyses, develops purchasing strategy and recommendations to the President in support of annual purchasing goals and company objectives.

JOB COMPETENCIES

To perform the job successfully, this individual must demonstrate the following competencies to perform the essential functions of this position.

1. Management skills—the individual appropriately includes staff in planning, decision-making, and facilitating process improvement; makes oneself available to staff; provides regular performance feedback to staff; and develops staff’s skills, encourages growth, and maintains accountability.
2. Analytical—the individual is proficient in distilling large amounts of data from multiple sources into one data set, then analyzing that data in an accurate and timely manner.
3. Problem solving—the individual identifies and resolves problems in a timely manner and gathers and analyzes information skillfully; thinks creatively to solve problems, to conduct organizational planning and to meet strategic goals.
4. Communication—the individual speaks clearly and persuasively in all situations and conducts effective presentations and productive meetings involving various internal and external stakeholders; produces effective written communications.
5. Delegation—the individual delegates work assignments, gives authority to work independently, sets expectations, mentors, and monitors delegated activities.
6. Judgment—the individual displays willingness to make decisions, exhibits sound and accurate judgment and makes timely decisions.
7. Planning/organizing—the individual prioritizes and plans work activities, uses time efficiently and develops realistic action plans.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

1. BA/BS degree in business, supply chain management, logistics or related field from an accredited college or university; advanced business degree preferred. Relevant experience may be considered in lieu of education.

2. Minimum of 5 years of experience in a purchasing role managing forecasting and purchase order creation for wholesale or retail. Food industry experience is a plus. Regulatory compliance experience preferred or capability to acquire the skills to oversee and ensure adherence as needed.

3. Experience using an ERP (enterprise resource planning) system and using SQL strongly preferred.

4. Minimum of 2-3 years managing direct report(s).

5. Must be highly analytical and detail oriented with strong problem-solving skills. Must be able to multi-task and thrive in a fast paced, autonomous environment.

6. Excellent verbal and written communication skills. English required, Spanish a plus.

7. Excellent interpersonal skills. Must work well in a team environment and be able to collaborate with other employees in multiple departments. Must be able to effectively build relationships with suppliers, vendors, and service providers.

8. Must work well under pressure, excellent organizational abilities, set and meet deadlines, be able to manage multiple priorities in a day; must be adaptable, creative, and self-motivated.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Under La Tienda’s compensation structure, this position is in the Purchasing Job Family at the Manager/Lead Specialist level. Starting salary is commensurate with experience. This is an exempt position and is eligible for benefits which include health, vision and dental insurance, 401K plan, life insurance, company paid holidays, paid time off and a flexible work environment.

This is not an attempt to list all the essential functions of this position. It is recognized that job duties may change over time based on La Tienda’s needs.

La Tienda is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE).

Internal applicants should apply directly to the Company’s Recruitment Dashboard on the ADP home page.