Purchasing Specialist

About Purple Carrot

Purple Carrot started with just a seed of an idea in 2014. Our vision is a world where plant-based eating is at the core of living well. Every day, on this mission, we’re breaking boundaries with plant-based eating. We value learning from customers, an ownership mindset, integrity, winning together, and being bold. We need your expertise on our team to make things happen!

Purple Carrot’s irresistible, globally-inspired meal-kit recipes and prepared meals using fresh ingredients. We are a team of collaborative individuals who drive for results, strive for doing better, make good choices quickly, and embrace a growth mindset to win or learn. Here’s what you’re up for!

Description

We are looking for a Purchasing Specialist to join our mission-driven team. As an integral part of the Operations department, you will join forces with the Associate Manager, Procurement (to whom you will also report) in our continued effort to inspire people to eat more plants! 

This position will play an important role in purchasing a wide range of SKUs to fulfill our product lines - from packaging to ingredients used in the creation of our weekly menus. This candidate will be creating purchase orders to communicate with suppliers and be solely responsible for ensuring product arrives at our 3rd Party production facilities each week. 

As the Purchasing Specialist, you will be focused on Purple Carrot’s processes, products, and working in our systems.  This is a cross-functional role, working closely across multiple departments - such as fulfillment, sourcing, accounts payable, as well as 3rd parties. This role requires strong communication and close attention to data and details.

We greatly thank all applicants, however only those under serious consideration will be contacted.

Location

• Candidates must live in the Chicago area to enable onsite work at one of our partner sites (in a hybrid capacity in conjunction with working from home).

On the Plate

• Manage purchasing responsibilities through Purple Carrot’s system, including sales, purchase orders, projections, and reporting.
• Generate purchase orders, ensuring on time delivery and order accuracy (quantity, specs, quality).
• Responsible for purchasing a variety of items, including packaging (both external and internal), perishable and shelf stable ingredients.
• Follow ingredient and packaging orders from purchase order creation through delivery and portioning - communicate with on-site team about delays and shortages each week.
• Update sourcing team on supplier performance relating to quality in products, delivery, and accuracy. Make recommendations when new sources are needed.
• Verify costs of raw and processed materials and ensure that actual costs meet projections.
• Closely monitor and respond to inventory levels, changing order volumes, quality or delivery issues, and recovery requirements in order to efficiently plan and manage purchasing.
• Respond quickly to supply disruptions, including order changes and delivery shortages, to develop alternative supply sources and/or communicate order adjustments.
• Work with accounts payable, fulfillment, and outside vendors to ensure on time and accurate invoicing based on purchase orders and receiving.

Main Ingredients for the Role

• 2 - 4 years buying, forecasting, procurement, and/or supply chain management experience.
• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience.
• Extensive experience calculating cost of products and quantity conversions in order to make accurate purchasing decisions
• Experienced and comfortable in Excel and/or Google Docs, should be able to create simple spreadsheets and work within more complex tools. Knowledge or familiarity with pivot tables, filters, and conditional formatting a plus (must be comfortable working without formal systems).
• Fishbowl or similar ERP/system experience is a plus.
• Prior experience buying for a production kitchen and particularly in the fresh prepared space a plus.
• Ability to meet KPIs and come in at or below the budgeted COGS numbers

Extra Special Sauce

• Food experience is preferred but not mandatory - you just need to want to learn about vegetables and ingredients you’ve never seen!
• Incredibly detail-oriented: you like to focus on the details
• Able to multitask and have strong time management skills. Keep self on-track to ensure you’re hitting important timelines.
• Stellar written, verbal, and social communication skills - both internally and externally.
• Proactive problem-solver, able to make decisions quickly and think on your feet and stay calm under pressure.
• Ability to work <5 times a year on a weekend in case of a work emergency

Garnish

We love our staff, and show it with benefits (professional development, medical, dental, vision, FSA, and life insurance), matching retirement plan, unlimited paid time off, credit toward free Purple Carrot boxes, and the opportunity to work in collaboration with co-workers who are passionate about food!

Final Touches

Purple Carrot’s top priority is protecting the health and wellbeing of our team and candidates. Due to COVID, the majority of our interviews and assessments occur virtually. If there is a need to interview onsite, we have extensive precautions in place, following the CDC, WHO, and state guidelines.

We are committed to a safe and inclusive work environment, free of discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, genetics, national origin, ancestry, age, medical condition, mental or physical disability, handicap, veteran status, or marital status.