Strategic Buyer

Natur Vet has been an industry leader in the development and manufacturing of natural pet supplements and other essential solutions for over 30 years. Our competitive advantage lies with our people, and we are committed to providing a safe and inclusive workplace, opportunities for advancement, and a healthy work-life balance.

Located in Temecula, California, Natur Vet is one of the largest pet supplement manufacturers in the United States. Our operations span four facilities within a two-mile radius, including two manufacturing facilities where we produce Soft Chews, Powders, Tablets, and Liquids for our trusted Natur Vet brand and as private-label products for several high-profile companies.

We are seeking a detail-oriented, proactive Strategic Buyer to support our manufacturing operations through effective sourcing, purchasing, and supplier relationship management. In this role, you will manage assigned purchasing categories from supplier selection and negotiations through purchase order execution, delivery coordination, and issue resolution to ensure materials are available when needed, meet quality requirements, and support business objectives.

The Strategic Buyer balances strategic sourcing and supplier development with day-to-day purchasing execution. You will partner closely with Production, Operations, Planning, Quality, R&D, Finance, and other internal teams to maintain supply continuity, manage costs, improve purchasing efficiency, and address changing business needs.

Depending on assigned categories and business priorities, responsibilities may include packaging, labels, ingredients, raw materials, maintenance, repair, and operations (MRO) supplies, and other production-related materials. This role also supports supplier qualification, onboarding, quality documentation, and continuous improvement initiatives that strengthen supplier performance and purchasing processes.

• Purchasing & Supply Management:
  Manage the end-to-end purchasing process for assigned categories, including sourcing, purchase order creation and maintenance, order tracking, delivery coordination, and resolution of purchasing issues.
• Strategic Sourcing & Negotiations:
  Identify and evaluate suppliers, obtain competitive quotes, negotiate pricing and purchasing terms, research market trends, and identify cost-saving and sourcing opportunities.
• Supplier Relationship Management:
  Develop and maintain strong supplier relationships, monitor supplier performance, address service or delivery concerns, and support ongoing supplier evaluations and improvements.
• Material Availability & Inventory Support:
  Partner with internal teams to anticipate material requirements, monitor inventory and purchasing needs, and proactively address potential shortages, delays, or excess inventory.
• Supplier Qualification & Onboarding:
  Source and qualify new suppliers and coordinate onboarding documentation and internal approvals to ensure accurate and complete setup within the ERP system.
• Sample & Approval Coordination:
  Manage sample and First Article Inspection (FAI) processes, including sample requests, supplier follow-up, testing, evaluation, status tracking, and approval documentation.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration:
  
  Work closely with Production, Operations, Planning, Quality, R&D, Finance, and other departments to align purchasing activities with production schedules, specifications, cost objectives, and business needs.
• Pricing & Invoice Resolution:
  Investigate pricing discrepancies and coordinate with suppliers, Finance, and internal stakeholders to support accurate invoicing and timely invoice approvals.
• Systems, Documentation & Compliance:
  Maintain accurate supplier, pricing, purchase order, and product information; support audits and supplier documentation requirements; and follow company policies, quality standards, applicable regulatory requirements, and food safety and GMP requirements.
• Team Support & Flexibility:
  Provide backup purchasing coverage across categories as needed, support assigned MRO purchasing activities, maintain standard operating procedures, and participate in cross-training and knowledge sharing.

• High school diploma or GED required; bachelor's degree in business, supply chain management, or a related field preferred.
• At least 3 years of experience in purchasing, procurement, sourcing, or materials management.
• Experience in manufacturing, food and…