Buyer, Direct Materials

Join to apply for the Buyer, Direct Materials role at Florida Crystals

Florida Crystals is a leading domestic sugar producer and North America’s first fully integrated cane sugar company, guiding our sugar from farm to table. We are America’s first and only producer of certified organic sugar, grown and harvested in the United States. Our renewable energy facility is the largest of its kind in North America and provides clean energy that powers our sugar operations, which helps us reduce our use of fossil fuels.

Florida Crystals also sustainably farms rice, sweet corn and other vegetables in rotation with our sugarcane. Our rice mill is the only rice mill in Florida.

Under the general guidance of the Sr Strategic Sourcing Buyer or Manager, the Direct Materials Buyer is responsible for supporting the strategic sourcing and subject matter expert for assigned categories for direct materials or packaging materials, ingredients, and/or process chemicals and helping identify new sources of supply that can be leveraged and optimized by the business. The Buyer makes recommendations and supports sound business decisions with direction from the Sr Strategic Sourcing Buyer, has an understanding of market trends, market analysis, and supplier negotiations process.

The Buyer must have a demonstrated ability to complete analysis of assigned categories by producing relevant metrics and generating reports as well as the ability to make business decisions and recommendations. The Buyer will work in a collaborative team environment and is responsible for maintaining positive business relationships with both internal and external customers. The Buyer will support the day‑to‑day transaction and activities of the assigned categories.

• Responsible for processing a high volume of requisitions from multiple sites under assigned categories
• Responsible for PO confirmations, coordinating deliveries, managing past‑due POs
• Prepares and coordinates agreements for assigned commodities and/or services
• Utilizes the company ERP system to run complex reports and perform analytics
• Releases orders in a timely fashion while closely adhering to established company guidelines
• Independently negotiates contracts, price, and supplier agreements
• Evaluates, qualifies, and selects suppliers based on quality, service, cost and capability
• Ensures all agreements, purchases, and initiatives comply with established department policies and procedures
• Stays abreast of current marketplace trends in price, suppliers, and/or other conditions affecting business in assigned categories
• Maintains confidentiality of proprietary business information at all times
• Performs other duties as assigned
• Manage and negotiate annual pricing agreements and contractual needs, specifications, payment terms, product delivery with support from Sr Strategic Sourcing Buyer
• Participate in leverage cost and technology advances and supplier responsiveness
• Ability to successfully negotiate price, terms, delivery, and volume levels with suppliers
• Contribute to the development and presentation of market‑competitive category management strategies covering the assigned sub‑categories and commodity groups
• Contribute to the Procurement team’s performance against departmental and internal customer KPIs and SLAs
• Efficient execution of all purchasing standard operating procedures to secure materials and services to meet the needs of the business
• Building and maintaining collaborative relationships between the Procurement team and its internal customers, that provide for appropriate levels of service and support being maintained and for priorities being addressed
• Development and support of subject‑matter expertise for the assigned commodities and sub‑categories, employing analysis of supply markets & trends data
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to communicate and collaborate effectively with internal and external members of the Supply Chain as well as presenting information in a clear and concise manner to all audience levels up to C‑suite
• Completes special projects as assigned

• Bachelor’s Degree…