Purchasing Manager

Purchasing Manager

Are you passionate about clean, sustainable eating? Enthusiastic about working in a people first culture, committed to living a good life and eating good food while being good people? Awesome! Keep reading…

Who we are -

Lancaster Farm Fresh Cooperative (LFFC) is a nonprofit organic farmers’ cooperative of over 120+ farmers in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. We focus on creating healthy, high-quality foods from our highly maintained and enriched soils on our small-scale family farms. LFFC serves all of Eastern Pennsylvania, New York City, and most of the tri-state area by connecting the farmer and customer to deliver the best local organic produce, value-added products, and humanely raised and pastured animal products to retail establishments, co-ops, restaurants, and institutions.

The perks of working here -

• Competitive medical, dental, and vision coverage
• 401k with a 4% match
• Paid time off and paid sick days
• Free summer CSA (community supported agriculture) share
• Access to employee store with discounted organic food and drink and awesome LFFC-branded swag
• Being part of something that will make you feel good at the end of the day

Position Summary-

The Purchasing Manager directs and oversees all local, regional, and national food procurement programs. This role is responsible for establishing purchasing policies, inventory procedures, and operational guidelines across the organization. This role builds and maintains strong relationships with a large network of local farms, develops supplier contracts, and collaborates closely with Wholesale, CSA, Warehousing, and Transportation teams. This is an exempt position, requiring 45+ hours per week. This position reports directly to the Business Development Manager.

Who you are -

• 3-5+ years of experience in a procurement, supply chain, or purchasing management role.
• Bachelor’s degree in supply chain management, logistics, business administration, or a related field is preferred (equivalent experience considered).

• Proven ability to manage product categories while balancing quality, service, risk, and cost.
• Ability to run a successful procurement program in strict adherence to LFFC standards and guidelines.

• Enthusiasm for and commitment to working with farmers in the local organic food movement.
• Ability to build trusted partnerships with farmers, suppliers, customers, and internal colleagues.
• Ability to monitor budgets, profitability, and margins.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills.

• Outstanding time management, organizational efficiency, and follow-up skills.
• High proficiency with Microsoft Office suite.
• Ability to work varied hours throughout the week and occasional weekends to accommodate changing department and seasonal needs.

Qualifications

What you’ll be doing -

• Direct and mentor a purchasing team of 7+ personnel, foster a collaborative, trusted, and high-performing environment.
• Oversee the purchasing budget through thoughtful spend analysis and cost management.
• Maintain inventory control and manage procurement data to support the buying and coordination needs of Wholesale, CSA, and other departments.

• Collaborate directly with the Executive Director and management teams to purchase local and regional farm products from both member and non-member farmers.
• Lead crop planning and product forecasting initiatives in partnership with local farms to ensure consistent, sustainable supply.
• Ensure all farms and vendors strictly comply with company guidelines regarding growing practices, animal husbandry, and food safety standards.

• Monitor regional growing conditions, weather impacts, emerging market trends, and crop availability to secure high-quality, sustainable produce and goods while successfully navigating seasonal supply fluctuations.
• Research, evaluate, and negotiate with vendors based on price, quality, and market trends to achieve optimal terms and product performance.
• Cultivate long-lasting, trust-based partnerships across all internal and external networks, with a dedicated emphasis on strengthening and supporting relationships with coop farms.

• Maintain, review, and report on key procurement records-including purchase history, product costs, planning targets, and inventory levels-to minimize product waste and optimize daily operations.
• Minimal regional travel required, a partial day trip about 4 times a year.

This job description is intended to describe the general requirements for the performance of this job. It is not a complete statement of duties, responsibilities, or requirements. Other duties, not listed here, may be assigned as necessary to ensure the proper operation of the team.

Essential Functions / Tasks:

Requirements:

Physical:

Vision

Ability to read data and the computer screen.

Hearing

Hearing required to hear customers and co-workers make requests.

Sense of Smell

Ability to smell is not relevant.

Gripping

Infrequently.

Lifting

Infrequently.

Stooping

Infrequently.

Squatting

Infrequently.

Push/Pull

Infrequently.

Kneeling

Infrequently.

Climbing

Infrequently.

Bending

Infrequently.

Reaching

Infrequently.

Equipment Operation

Infrequently.

Carry Objects

Infrequently.

Sitting

Prolonged sitting.

Walking

Occasional walking.

Standing

Infrequently.

Work environment

Office environment.

Climate

Temperature controlled.

Mental & Psychological Demands:

Comprehension

Understands and retains directions.

Reading/Writing

Excellent reading/ writing skills.

Speaking

Communicate effectively with co-workers and customers.

Decision Making

Use advanced problem-solving techniques.

Attention to Task/Detail:

Critical Thinking Skills

Organize tasks and set priorities.

Multi-Tasking

Perform and /or direct multiple tasks simultaneously.

Interaction with Others:

Customer Service

Ability to interact with the public in a positive and friendly manner.

Co-workers

Ability to interact with co-workers in a positive and friendly manner.

Lancaster Farm Fresh Co-op is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, ethnicity, disability, religion, national origin, gender, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, sexual orientation, age, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training. Candidates from ALL walks of life are encouraged to apply.