Job Description

About the job

Champion Foods, a pizza trailblazer, is expanding, and we're looking for dynamic talents to enhance our innovative and quality-driven team. We produce products cherished by families nationwide and pride ourselves on our entrepreneurial spirit, commitment to quality, and a warm workplace culture that feels like family. If you're passionate, eager to grow, and want to work for a company that values each voice and champions personal development, your next career adventure starts here. Join us, and let's craft great things together, one delicious slice at a time.

Your Mission:

Negotiate and oversee the procurement of ingredients, raw materials, and packaging for Champion Foods. This role is directly responsible for establishing and nurturing strategic relationships with key suppliers to meet quality, cost-saving, and profitability targets. Must collaborate effectively with other departments to set and manage priorities. Build and maintain relationships that foster mutually beneficial partnerships with suppliers; apply consistent procurement procedures with all vendors, continuously seek cost-saving opportunities, and develop purchasing policies aligned with long-term goals. Supervise all staff within the procurement team. This position will manage the procurement department and operate independently with decision-making authority appropriate for the role.

Key Responsibilities:

• Successfully negotiate favorable pricing, terms and agreements with suppliers by researching commodity markets and identifying trends. Create reports for management to summarize findings and make recommendations on purchasing strategy
• Coordinate the Request for Quote/Request for Price (RFQ/RFP) process via supplier research, test coordination and price negotiation
• Identify and source primary and secondary suppliers to meet current and future business needs
• Manage supplier relationships and lead internal teams to identify cost-saving opportunities with existing or new technologies for applications across product offerings.
• Monitor performance of suppliers to ensure suppliers meet specifications and deliver according to agreement.
• Maintains and makes recommendations for procurement during annual budgeting process.
• Maintain ERP system as it relates to supply chain activities; Ensures system entries by Supply Chain Analyst are accurate and up to date.
• Understand, research and monitor commodity market, industry trends, and the latest manufacturing and packaging technology as a means to implementing cost-saving initiatives in the areas of purchasing, inventory control, freight and operations.
• Develop and maintain purchasing protocols to ensure quality and oversight of suppliers.
• Recommend and draft new policies and procedures or update to existing ones.
• Manage the procurement functions, including coaching, development, training, and performance management of all procurement direct report colleagues.
• Conduct routine audits of products and pricing.
• Supplemental Job Functions
• Participate in budgeting process for purchasing and supply chain management.
• Prepare and implement product/supplier contingency plans.
• Participate on cross-functional teams or work on special projects as assigned.
• Develop and implement effective sourcing strategies for food ingredients, packaging, and related goods and services.
• Identify and qualify new suppliers while maintaining strong relationships with existing vendors.
• Negotiate contracts, pricing, and terms with suppliers to secure competitive deals.
• Monitor inventory levels and coordinate with production and warehouse teams to forecast demand.
• Ensure procurement activities comply with food safety regulations (e.g., HACCP, FDA, USDA, GMP).
• Manage procurement budgets and cost-saving initiatives.
• Evaluate supplier performance and conduct periodic reviews based on quality, delivery, and compliance.
• Collaborate with R&D and quality assurance teams on sourcing new ingredients and ensuring supplier certifications.
• Keep up to date with market trends, seasonal availability, and risk factors impacting food supply.
• Use ERP systems to manage purchase orders, receipts, and reporting.

Supplemental Job Functions:

• Participate in the budgeting process for purchasing and supply chain management.
• Prepare and implement product/supplier contingency plans.
• Participate in cross-functional teams or work on special projects as assigned.

What You'll Bring:

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Business, Food Science, or related field (or equivalent experience).
• 5+ years of procurement experience in the food industry.
• Strong knowledge of food safety standards and supply chain regulations.
• Proven experience in contract negotiation and vendor management.
• Proficiency in ERP systems (e.g., SAP, Oracle, NetSuite, QAD).
• Excellent analytical, organizational, and communication skills.
• Experience managing teams and departmental budgets.

Preferred Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Experience in purchasing pre-portioned convenience/specialty foods
• Familiarity with commodity markets and packaging technologies.
• Strong project management and cross-functional collaboration skills.

Working Conditions:

• Office and warehouse environment with occasional travel to supplier locations.

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