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About Valley

Valley Cooperative Association (VCA) is a member-owned Cooperative focused on providing the finest baking & brewing ingredients, supplies, and business services. VCA maximizes success through customized and highly responsive service, and delivery of food ingredients, products, and packaging.

Valley was recognized as Vendor of the Year by the Wisconsin Bakers Association in 2023 for our many contributions as a proactive industry partner.

Job Summary

This position is responsible for reliably and efficiently transacting purchases from replenishment planning, purchase order creation, entering vendor confirmations, expediting orders, and resolving invoice discrepancies, using current systems and processes. The Buyer provides excellent customer service to Sales, Planning, and Logistics employees. This includes RFI/RFP/RFQ activities as relevant, analyzing supplier quotation(s) for total value, creating, verifying, and editing purchase orders/contracts.  The role is responsible for workflow management, assisting in qualifying new suppliers, contacting and setting up potential new suppliers, receive bids or quotes, recommend alternative vendor options to Sales team, and maintaining accurate system pricing at the material item level. The role acts independently while maintaining communications with leadership and other VCA functional departments.

Key Responsibilities

+ Manages a group of products by utilizing sales demand/ forecasting and replenishment software, ensuring target on-hand levels and fulfillment policies are met.

+ Responsible for converting internal demand requests into purchase orders using current ERP system, following all standard VCA procedures and policies.

+ Oversees supplier acknowledgements, ensuring they are received and recorded as part of the original Purchase Order (PO).

+ Monitors relevant information to determine the status or expedite materials to ensure on-time and in full delivery (OTIF).

+ Proactively resolve any order issues that could jeopardize the original request by partnering with Sales and Suppliers proactively to implement alternative sourcing or other corrective actions .

+ Collaborate with the Sales team to manage all incremental demand beyond the normal monthly forecast, such as ad events, etc., for accurate planning and fulfillment.

+ Set up new products by creating item numbers, filing required documentation, and communicating estimated usage to Inventory Control Managers to ensure accurate tracking and compliance.

+ Negotiates basic terms and conditions with new and incumbent suppliers that maintain customer/member value.

+ Use the ERP system and internal resources to identify slow-moving or obsolete products, develop drawdown strategies that reduce cost and waste, and communicate changes to stakeholders so quality issues or customer outages are minimized.

+ Leverage “VCA Shelter Benchmark” process to align or reconcile replenishment tactical goals with Category Manager goals.

+ Using system reports, analyze any periodic/ongoing inventory issues, providing and executing resolutions. Analyze periodic/ongoing inventory issues using system reports and implement resolutions to maintain accuracy and other key metrics.

+ Applies LEAN or similar principles to address root-cause inventory control failures with suppliers, operations, Valley Cold Transit and Valley Logistics to improve accuracy and efficiency.

+ Maintain supplier quality credentials, such as Certificates of Authenticity, in the VCA system to ensure compliance and accurate records.

+ Meets regularly with Warehouse Operations to resolve inbound receiving issues by coordinating with transportation providers or suppliers, ensuring products arrive undamaged and properly palletized.

+ Collaborate with Accounts Payable to resolve invoice and receiving quantity discrepancies, for accurate payments and inventory purposes.

+ Provide data and other insight into the development of accurate annual supplier reviews that supports performance levels and results.

+ Meets formally and ad hoc with internal stakeholders to ensure the smooth supply chain experience of our member/customers.

Qualifications

+ Associate degree or equivalent work experience in supply chain, purchasing/procurement.

+ 1- 3 years of P urchasing/Buying experience, preferably in a distribution/logistics operation.

+ Functionally proficient in all aspects of Replenishment Planning, Purchasing, conflict management, negotiations, effective communications – oral, written, and video, basic finance, basic contracting, organizational sensitivity, problem solving, and process improvement.

+ Proficient in the use of a PC and Microsoft Office Suite.

Valley Cooperative Association is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace and do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to any of these characteristics. We encourage individuals from underrepresented backgrounds to apply and join our team, as we believe that diversity enriches our work environment and drives innovation.

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