Senior Buyer - Raw Materials and Meat at Custom Pet Food Leader

Our Senior Buyer is a member of the Supply Chain team and owns the strategic sourcing and procurement of all production raw materials and ingredients, ensuring uninterrupted supply, competitive costs and strong supplier partnership in a volatile commodity market. The Senior Buyer handles the coordination of raw materials including research and analysis, assessment, negotiation, and administration of contracts and purchase orders in conjunction with internal teams and external vendors.

Responsibilities also include forecasting demand by sku, identifying potential suppliers, managing working capital including pricing, inventory and payment terms, and ensuring supplier quality, service levels, and efficiencies.

• Develop and execute strategic sourcing strategies for various proteins, grains, fats, oils, functional ingredients, and other raw materials supporting Muenster Pet's Freeze-Dried and Milling operations.
• Manage procurement of all protein categories—including poultry, beef, pork, fish, lamb, venison, and specialty proteins—ensuring uninterrupted supply across multiple manufacturing locations.
• Partner cross-functionally with Operations, Supply Chain, Production Planning, Quality, R&D, Engineering, Sales, and Finance to align procurement strategies with production requirements, inventory objectives, and long-term business growth.
• Monitor domestic and global commodity markets, livestock and agricultural trends, transportation conditions, and market intelligence to proactively manage purchasing decisions, supplier risk, and cost volatility.
• Lead supplier selection, qualification, and development initiatives to establish a diversified, high-performing supplier network that supports quality, food safety, service, and business continuity.
• Negotiate supply agreements, contracts, pricing mechanisms, payment terms, freight arrangements, and commercial terms to optimize total cost of ownership while mitigating supply risk.
• Build and maintain strategic supplier partnerships through regular business reviews, performance scorecards, and continuous improvement initiatives focused on quality, service, innovation, and cost competitiveness.
• Analyze market trends, spend data, supplier performance, and purchasing metrics to identify cost savings, operational efficiencies, and sourcing opportunities.
• Develop contingency sourcing strategies and risk mitigation plans to minimize the impact of supply disruptions, commodity fluctuations, and changing market conditions.
• Collaborate with Product Development and Commercial teams to source ingredients and packaging for new product launches, customer opportunities, and strategic growth initiatives.
• Support annual budgeting, forecasting, demand planning, and inventory management processes by providing commodity outlooks, pricing forecasts, and procurement recommendations.
• Ensure purchase orders, contracts, pricing, delivery schedules, and supplier documentation are accurate, compliant, and aligned with company policies and food safety standards.
• Evaluate supplier performance using key performance indicators, including quality, on-time delivery, responsiveness, pricing, service levels, and regulatory compliance.
• Partner with Logistics and Operations to optimize inbound transportation, inventory levels, and supplier performance while supporting production schedules.
• Identify and implement continuous improvement initiatives that enhance procurement processes, strengthen supplier relationships, and improve operational efficiency.
• Provide category expertise and market insight to leadership while mentoring procurement team members and promoting best practices across the procurement function.
• Perform other procurement and strategic sourcing responsibilities as assigned in support of organizational objectives.

• 5+ years of progressive procurement, strategic sourcing, or commodity purchasing experience within food manufacturing, pet food, agriculture, meat processing, protein manufacturing, rendering, or a related manufacturing industry.
• 5+ years’ experience in CPG supply chain, food production preferred
• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management,…