Purchasing Agent

Foremost Farms USA is a world-class supplier of cheese, dairy products and ingredients to national and international markets. We offer innovative solutions, technical services and customized products, ingredients and packaging for our foodservice, food processing, distributor and pharmaceutical customers.

This position is responsible for ensuring the procurement of assigned production materials and services that meet or exceed established quality standards at the greatest value and utility, in accordance with company policies and procedures.

* Participating in the development and implementation of corporate purchasing policies and procedures, and monitoring compliance. * Maintaining partnerships with Suppliers and plant personnel and serving as the primary contact regarding purchasing programs including resolution of delivery and quality issues. * Leading the team-based RFP process taking the lead role in Supplier research and selection. * Negotiating price, quantity, delivery lead-time, supply arrangements, and terms and conditions on materials and services, ensuring the highest value. * Creating agreements for purchases of goods and services. * Evaluating Suppliers performance based on quality, delivery, continuous improvement and pricing, including maintaining performance review schedules. * Maintaining purchasing records in all appropriate systems. * Issuing Purchase Orders, blanket orders, or other transactional information to Suppliers. * Working with Accounts Payable and Cost Accounting to resolve invoicing and standard costing issues. * Developing and preparing report summaries regarding costs, purchases, inventory, etc., for distribution to the appropriate personnel. * Regular and punctual attendance and physical presence in the workplace. * Timely and accurate completion of duties. * Occasional travel for work, up to 33% of the time.

**Required Competencies:** * **Computer Skills:** Ability to operate all information technology related business systems, programs and applications in a manner that achieves efficiency, accuracy, and relevancy of information processing and reporting as it applies to this position. Must be proficient in the use of Microsoft Outlook, including the use of e-mail, calendar, task, and contact features, in addition to Word and Excel. Proficient in the use of Microsoft Word or similar work processing software. Must have working knowledge of Oracle systems or related system. * **Language Skills:** Ability to read and interpret documents such as dictated letters or memoranda, invoices, company policies and various documentation, paying particular attention to grammar. Ability to process routine reports and correspondences. Ability to communicate effectively with employees. * **Mathematical Skills:** Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals. Ability to compute rate, ratio, and percent. * **Reasoning Ability:** Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form. Ability to deal with problems involving several concrete variables in standardized situations. * **Other Skills & Abilities:** Requires the ability to operate a variety of standard business machines. The ability to drive a motor vehicle, and maintaining a valid driver's license. Developing technical competency and remain current on trends and issues in assigned commodity industries. Must be able to understand and appropriately apply contract language and determine implications of essential terms. Must have a basic understanding of the Uniform Commercial Code. **Physical Demands/Work Environment:** * **Physical Demands** - Employee is continuously (more than 67 to 100%% of time) required to: use hands to finger, handle, or touch objects, tools, or controls, sit; to verbally communicate; and to hear. The employee is occasionally (up to 33% of the time) required to walk and stand. The employee must occasionally (up to 33% of the time) lift and/or move up to 10 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and the ability to adjust focus. * **Work Environment** - The employee is occasionally exposed to risk of electrical shock, wet and/or humid conditions, fumes or airborne particles. The noise level is usually moderate. * **Protective Equipment** - This position may need personal protective equipment that is appropriate for the job being performed, such as hearing protection, food safety clothing and other. **Education & Experience:** This position requires an Associate Degree in field of study related to purchasing and three to five years of job-related experience. The preferred education is a Bachelor Degree in a field of study related to purchasing, knowledge related to the job and one to two years of job-related experience.