We are currently hiring a full-time Procurement Manager for one of our clients & Canada’s largest flower importers, located near the Eglinton Avenue and Dixie Road area in Mississauga.
This person will strive to guarantee supply of our client’s flower product at the highest possible quality and the lowest possible price while maintaining positive relationships with the flower suppliers. The Procurement Manager is the main representative of our client outside Canada and must maintain and build the company’s excellent reputation.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
Build client’s reputation with outside suppliers and liaise with the procurement dept.
Must work closely and collaboratively with client’s sales and design department
Satisfy the customer’s product requirements as established by the Sales and Marketing department.
Be a step ahead of the needs of the market in terms of new product, and ensure client remains at the forefront of product innovation while remaining profitable.
Adapt purchases to the needs/requirements of the market, at competitive prices for the company.
Farm and broker relationship management
Claim management
Payment management
Build trust with paper-less agreements
Follow and adapt to flower sourcing, trends
Continuously search the market for new purchasing opportunities and origins
Visit trade shows
Regularly scan for new developments in the floral industry and dry supplies
Product purchasing
Anticipate product needs and customer wants
Consolidate product orders from regions
Consolidate local purchases
Coordinate price negotiations
Price of roses in Ecuador
Product management
Customer preferences and customer prohibited product
Dry supply purchasing
Source locally and internationally
Product quality management
Ensuring purchase of the best quality for price
Expert on all aspects of maintaining product quality from seed to customer and transfer product knowledge
Communicate with other company departments about purchasing opportunities or obstacles.
Optimize the use of technology in purchasing
Define and communicate rules for supplier bids
Participate in the evaluation and qualification of suppliers
Monitor quality of purchased goods
Assist in solving supplier problems.
Collect and analyze historical and market information to assess purchasing decision and recommend improvements
Lead and manage purchasing team performance
Forecast upcoming supply and demand
EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE REQUIREMENTS:
Education
Minimum of college diploma or undergraduate degree in relevant field
Specialized knowledge
Detailed knowledge of flowers, varieties, design, and quality.
Ability to perform product and quality testing.
Knowledge of flower business internationally
Knowledge of certain flower markets in Colombia, Costa Rica, California, etc
Knowledge of competitor analysis process
Knowledge regarding flower seasonality and trends
Knowledge of customs and technical product requirements – identify types of goods that are prohibited or restricted and the rationale.
Key skills
Relationship management and people skills
Integrity and ethics in relationships and purchases
Floral design knowledge; bouquet design
Need to speak and write Spanish and English fluently
Need developed negotiation and problem-solving skills
Ability to negotiate prices and manage high impact purchases
Personal traits
Natural at building and maintaining relationships
Instill trust and confidence
High integrity and honesty
Empathy
Respect for suppliers
Have a good reputation within the flower industry
Professional certifications
Courses in negotiation, flower trends, flower design, and courses on quality control of perishable goods
Previous experience
Proven experience working as a flower purchaser from international and local farms.
Physical requirements
No allergies to flowers
WORKING CONDITIONS: Availability to travel as required (approx. 20-30 days per year) to places where possible negotiations could occur, and where vaccinations might be required.Available to work after hours, weekends and holidays as required.NOTE: the demands on this position is significantly higher January – June every year.
ANTICIPATED START: As soon as possible
WAGE/SALARY: $80,000 annually, starting salary
HOW TO APPLY: Please apply to our office Mon-Fri from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm @ 325 Welland Avenue, Unit 130, St. Catharines or call (905) 397-8890 for more details or to schedule an interview and registration session in your region