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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

+ Reviews forecasts and customer orders daily and creates purchase orders accordingly.

+ Ensures supplier PO acknowledgements are received and recorded timely.

+ Works with suppliers and stakeholders to expedite purchase orders as needed to prevent out of stocks and ensure high service levels to Valley customers.

+ Proactively resolves any potential order fulfillment issues by partnering with Sales and suppliers to implement alternative sourcing or other corrective actions; escalates to sourcing leaders when needed to achieve satisfactory resolution.

+ Plans and maintains appropriate inventory levels on all stock products to optimize turns, ensuring high service levels and minimizing obsolete inventory.

+ Identifies slow-moving or obsolete products, and works with Sales and Sales Support to sell through excess inventory to reduce waste.

+ Collaborates with the Sales team to manage demand changes, such as customer ad events or new or lost business opportunities, for accurate planning and fulfillment.

+ Supports new item setup process by creating and maintaining appropriate vendor and item master data to successfully execute replenishment planning leveraging ERP system capability.

+ Negotiates basic terms and conditions with new and incumbent suppliers to ensure Valley delivers value to our members and customers.

+ Uses continuous improvement philosophy and problem solving methodology to improve Buyer processes and solve recurring problems to root cause.

+ Investigates and resolves discrepancies between PO, goods receipt, and invoice timely to enable Valley to pay suppliers within stated terms and leverage early payment discounts.

+ Provides supplier performance data insights and feedback as part of Valley’s supplier annual review process, partnering with sourcing leads to ensure supplier performance meets expectations.

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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