Associate Purchasing Manager

Associate Purchasing Manager

From tree to table, POM Wonderful delivers a whole lot of healthy. Known for our iconic double-bubble bottle, we grow, harvest, package, and market fresh pomegranates, pomegranate arils, and a selection of delicious pomegranate-blended juices and teas. With over 9,000 acres in California's Central Valley, POM Wonderful is committed to unleashing the antioxidant power of our handpicked pomegranates.

JOB SUMMARY:

The Purchasing Manager is responsible for developing and executing procurement strategies that support Fresh, Arils, and Beverage Operations. This position manages the sourcing, purchasing, inventory planning, supplier performance, and material availability required to meet production and customer demand while minimizing total cost and working capital. The Purchasing Manager will collaborate closely with Operations, Production, Finance, Quality, Planning, and Logistics teams to ensure uninterrupted supply of packaging, ingredients, processing materials, maintenance supplies, and indirect goods and services. A key responsibility of this role is reducing Work-In-Process (WIP) inventory through improved material planning, supplier management, production alignment, and inventory controls while developing dashboards that provide visibility into WIP value, WIP inventory on hand, inventory turns, and procurement performance.

Base Compensation: $85,000.00 - $100,000.00

Job Description

Strategic Procurement

• Develop and execute sourcing strategies for Fresh, Arils, and Beverage business units.
• Negotiate pricing, contracts, service agreements, and supplier performance metrics.
• Identify cost-reduction opportunities while maintaining quality and service standards.
• Evaluate supplier capabilities, risks, and long-term capacity requirements.
• Lead supplier relationship management and quarterly business reviews.

Inventory & Material Management

• Ensure uninterrupted supply of materials for Fresh, Arils, and Beverage production.
• Establish inventory targets, reorder points, and safety stock strategies.
• Monitor inventory aging and obsolete inventory.
• Coordinate procurement plans with production schedules and demand forecasts.
• Improve inventory accuracy through cycle counting and control processes.

WIP Reduction Initiatives

• Lead initiatives to reduce work-in-process inventory across all operations.
• Identify process bottlenecks contributing to excess WIP.
• Partner with Operations and Planning teams to improve material flow.
• Implement procurement and production planning strategies that reduce inventory dwell time.
• Drive continuous improvement projects focused on inventory reduction and cash flow improvement.

Dashboard Development & Analytics

• Develop and maintain executive dashboards that provide:
• WIP Value by department and product category
• WIP Units On Hand
• Inventory Turns
• Days of Inventory on Hand
• Material Availability
• Supplier Performance Metrics
• Purchase Price Variance
• Inventory Aging
• Stockout Events
• Utilize Oracle, Power BI, Excel, and other reporting tools to provide real-time visibility.
• Present procurement and inventory performance metrics to senior leadership.

Supplier & Risk Management

• Establish supplier scorecards and performance metrics.
• Improve material specifications for packaging materials
• Monitor supplier quality, service, and delivery performance.
• Develop contingency plans for critical materials.
• Identify opportunities to reduce supplier risk and improve supply continuity.

Cross Functional Leadership

• Partner with Fresh, Arils, Beverage, Quality, Finance, and Operations teams to support business objectives.
• Participate in annual budgeting and forecasting processes.
• Lead procurement-related continuous improvement initiatives.
• Support new product launches and packaging transitions.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Inventory & WIP Goals

• Reduce total WIP value by 15-20% annually.
• Reduce WIP days on hand by 20%.
• Improve inventory turns across Fresh, Arils, and Beverage operations.
• Reduce obsolete inventory by 25%.

Procurement Goals

• Achieve annual material cost savings of 3-5%.
• Maintain supplier on-time delivery performance above 98%.
• Reduce purchase price variance versus budget.
• Maintain material availability above 99%.

Reporting Goals

• Implement real-time dashboard reporting for:
• WIP Value
• WIP On Hand
• Inventory Turns
• Supplier Performance
• Material Cost Trends
• Deliver monthly executive procurement scorecards.

Qualifications

• Strong understanding of procurement, supply chain, inventory management, and production planning.
• Experience with manufacturing, food processing, agricultural, or beverage operations.
• Advanced analytical and financial skills.
• Strong negotiation and supplier management capabilities.
• Experience developing dashboards using Power BI, Excel, or similar BI tools.
• Knowledge of ERP systems (Oracle preferred).
• Excellent communication and leadership skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Continuous improvement mindset with Lean or Six Sigma experience preferred.

Education & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, Operations, Finance, or related field.
• 5-8+ years of progressively responsible purchasing or procurement experience.
• Experience supporting Fresh Produce, Food Processing, Arils, Beverage, or Consumer Packaged Goods operations preferred.
• Experience managing suppliers, contracts, and inventory programs.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel and business intelligence reporting tools.

Leadership Expectations

• Demonstrate ownership, accountability, and integrity.
• Build strong partnerships across operations and support functions.
• Promote continuous improvement and data-driven decision making.
• Drive measurable reductions in WIP, inventory costs, and supply chain risk.
• Develop a culture focused on operational excellence and supplier performance.
• Hold a position on the TWC Purchasing Board, Transportation Board

Additional Information

POM's Dedication to You:

• Thriving Wellness Community: Access to top-notch medical coverage comprehensive vision and dental plans, and a 401k with match eligibility to secure your financial future and including:
• 24/7 online physician consultations
• virtual mental health resources
• life coaching
• engaging employee community groups
• cash rewards for healthy habits and fitness reimbursements
• library of on-demand fitness videos
• Career Advancement Opportunities: Unlock your potential with clear paths for career progression and internal mobility across our diverse family of brands and business units.
• Focused Learning and Development: Grow as a leader with our dedicated Learning and Organizational Development department, offering extensive resources like People Manager and leadership training, webinars, and eLearning courses.
• Empowering Mentorship Program: Connect with colleagues through our company-wide mentorship program to share goals, overcome challenges, and drive your career forward.
• Continuous Improvement Training: Participate in training that empowers all employees to learn and implement concepts that drive