Protein Procurement Manager

Protein Procurement Manager

Location: Brantford, ON

Work Arrangement: On-site

Schedule: Day Shift, approximately 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Salary: CAD $63,000 – $83,000 + Benefits from Day One

Travel: Valid driver’s licence and reliable vehicle required

Role Requirements

• Must be comfortable visiting slaughter and meat processing facilities and working in environments involving a variety of protein products, including beef, pork, poultry, and seafood.
• Valid driver’s licence and access to a reliable vehicle are mandatory.

Purpose of the Role

The Protein Procurement Manager will be responsible for coordinating and managing purchasing activities with Walmart buyers while serving as a key point of contact between customers, suppliers, procurement, and commercial teams.

Key responsibilities include:

• Organizing and managing buying events with Walmart buyers.
• Acting as the primary point of contact between customers, suppliers, and the commercial team.
• Identifying and escalating service-level challenges with customers and internal stakeholders.
• Coordinating short- and medium-term requirements with Demand Planning and Raw Material Scheduling teams.

Key Accountabilities

Supplier Management & Procurement

• Serve as a key contact for customer and commercial communications related to procurement.
• Work closely with the Procurement Insights team to support and influence purchasing decisions.
• Manage purchasing events and purchasing agreements within the Foods Connected platform.
• Maintain supplier price files, ensuring agreed pricing is accurately entered and approved with suppliers.
• Manage long-term contract purchasing activities.
• Maintain supplier purchasing models within Foods Connected and in alignment with customer requirements.
• Ensure all active product codes are accurately established within procurement documentation for both retail and primal products.
• Review retail order amendments and identify opportunities to improve service levels.
• Manage purchasing timelines and ensure key deadlines are met.
• Participate in S&OP meetings.
• Manage imported meat schedules, where applicable.
• Oversee frozen inventory held at external cold-storage facilities, where applicable.
• Manage external fresh inventory held at cold-storage facilities, where applicable.

Demand Planning & Raw Material Scheduling

• Partner with the Demand Planner to understand and plan for long-term requirements.
• Oversee short- and medium-term supplier forecasts and determine appropriate actions in response to forecast increases, decreases, or shortages.
• Review daily order shortages with the Raw Material Scheduler to assess potential business impacts and determine appropriate mitigation strategies.
• Escalate material shortages and service-level concerns to the Protein Procurement Manager and Commercial team, as required.
• Monitor supplier usage and purchasing requirements in partnership with the Raw Material Scheduler.

New Product Development & Continuous Improvement

• Participate in NPD and feasibility meetings, providing procurement insights related to pricing, product availability, supply, and sourcing.
• Review and approve product costings and submit finalized information to Accounts.
• Develop and communicate supplier improvement plans in collaboration with Walmart buyers and the Commercial team.

Experience, Knowledge & Skills

• Experience in purchasing, procurement, buying, or supply chain, preferably within a fast-paced fresh food or protein environment.
• Knowledge of meat/protein products is preferred but not required.
• Experience working with suppliers, customers, and cross-functional teams.
• Strong communication and relationship-management skills.
• Ability to work effectively in a multifunctional, fast-paced environment.
• Strong organizational and time-management skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to identify supply challenges and develop practical solutions.

Interested candidates are invited to send their resumes to sfernandez@fuzehr.com