Senior Buyer

We are partnering with a well-established and growing seafood distribution company seeking an experienced Senior Buyer to oversee purchasing, supplier relationships, inventory planning, and sourcing strategies. This individual will play a critical role in ensuring product availability, maintaining competitive pricing, and building strong relationships with domestic and international seafood suppliers. The ideal candidate will have experience purchasing perishable food products, strong negotiation skills, and the ability to make purchasing decisions in a fast-paced, high-volume environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage the purchasing and sourcing of fresh and frozen seafood products from domestic and international suppliers.
• Negotiate pricing, purchasing agreements, and supplier terms to maximize profitability and maintain competitive costs.
• Develop and maintain strong relationships with seafood processors, fisheries, importers, and distributors.
• Monitor seafood market conditions, seasonal availability, supply fluctuations, and pricing trends to make informed purchasing decisions.
• Analyze inventory levels, historical sales, and demand forecasts to ensure adequate product availability while minimizing waste and excess inventory.
• Partner with sales, operations, and logistics teams to align purchasing decisions with customer demand and business objectives.
• Identify new suppliers and sourcing opportunities to improve product quality, availability, and overall margins.
• Manage purchase orders, vendor performance, product specifications, and delivery schedules.
• Work closely with quality assurance teams to ensure products meet company standards and applicable food safety requirements.
• Evaluate purchasing performance, inventory turnover, product costs, and supplier profitability.
• Identify opportunities to improve procurement processes, reduce costs, and increase operational efficiency.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of purchasing, procurement, or category management experience within seafood, food distribution, or a related perishable products industry.
• Strong understanding of seafood products, sourcing channels, pricing structures, and market dynamics.
• Proven experience negotiating with domestic and international suppliers.
• Experience managing inventory, purchasing forecasts, and supplier relationships in a high-volume distribution environment.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to evaluate purchasing costs, margins, and inventory performance.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and purchasing or ERP systems.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and relationship management skills.
• Ability to work independently, make timely purchasing decisions, and thrive in a fast-paced environment.
• Bachelor's degree in Business, Supply Chain Management, or a related field preferred.