Job Description
A nationally recognized wholesale and retail organization - serving restaurants, hospitality groups, and specialty grocers - is expanding its beverage division. They are seeking a commercially minded Senior Beverage Buyer to shape category strategy, strengthen supplier partnerships, and keep fast-moving inventory flowing smoothly. This high-impact role will own end-to-end procurement for beer, wine, spirits, and non-alcoholic beverages, helping the company delight customers and outpace the market.
This Role Offers:
- Competitive base salary with performance bonus potential.
- Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans.
- Company-matched 401(k).
- Hybrid flexibility - work from home once a week after training.
- Career-long learning resources and clear paths for advancement.
Focus:
- Build and execute sourcing strategies that balance cost, quality, and supply continuity for all beverage categories.
- Cultivate long-term partnerships with national and regional beverage suppliers, negotiating pricing, volume incentives, and marketing programs.
- Analyze demand signals with Excel, BI dashboards, and POS data to forecast accurately and maintain optimal service levels.
- Lead cross-functional planning for seasonal promotions, new item launches, and limited-time offers, ensuring flawless execution and post-event analysis.
- Monitor key metrics - gross margin, turns, aging inventory, on-time fill rates—and drive corrective action when targets are missed.
- Champion risk-mitigation plans to address market volatility, regulatory shifts, and logistics disruptions.
- Mentor junior buyers and analysts, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and data-driven decision making.
- Partner with finance and AP teams to reconcile invoices and resolve variances quickly.
- Align all purchasing activity with company policies and relevant federal, state, and local beverage regulations.
Skill Set:
- Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Business, Finance, or a related field.
- 7 plus years of progressive buying, category management, or procurement experience within a high-volume retail, wholesale, or foodservice environment.
- Demonstrated success negotiating beverage or perishable categories.
- Advanced Excel skills (pivot tables, XLOOKUP, Power Query) and familiarity with ERP or purchasing platforms.
- Skilled communicator who influences vendors and cross-functional peers.
- Proven ability to juggle multiple priorities in a deadline-driven setting.
About Blue Signal:
Blue Signal is an award-winning, executive search firm specializing in food & agriculture recruitment. Our food & agriculture recruiting team unites professionals in agribusiness, food processing, and agricultural technology with innovative companies. Learn more at bit.ly/40LrcFx
Job Tags
Seasonal work, Local area, Work from home, Shift work, 1 day per week,