Senior Buyer (Food Manufacturing / Protein)
Location: Chicago, IL (On-site)
Salary: $80,000 - $85,000 per year + discretionary bonus
Benefits: Medical, Dental, Vision, 401k w/ 25% match, PTO, Life, Free parking
Job Type: Full-Time
Typical Hours: Monday – Friday, 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM CT (On-site)
Travel: None
Start Date: ASAP
Sponsorship: Not available
Relocation assistance: Not available

Senior Buyer (Food Manufacturing / Protein) Description

Our client in the food manufacturing industry is seeking a Senior Buyer to join their team in Chicago, IL. In this role you will own purchasing for raw materials, ingredients, and packaging in a fast-paced, audit-heavy environment. You’ll manage spend and availability by balancing inventory levels, lead times, MOQs, and safety stock; ensuring production never waits on materials while avoiding costly overbuys. This role partners closely with the Purchasing Manager, warehouse/receiving, quality, and accounting to keep supplier documentation fully “audit ready”, purchase orders accurate, and issues resolved quickly. Ideal candidates bring proven food manufacturing purchasing experience, strong negotiation skills, and a detail-first mindset. This is an exciting opportunity to join a well-established and growing company that prides itself on collaboration, culture, and career development. 

Senior Buyer (Food Manufacturing / Protein) Responsibilities

•    Purchase raw materials, ingredients, and packaging to support production needs
•    Balance inventory to prevent overbuying, shortages, and production delays
•    Partner with warehouse on storage capacity, timing, and receiving constraints
•    Negotiate pricing, terms, and service levels with suppliers
•    Source competitive bids and award purchases based on cost, quality, and risk
•    Vet and onboard suppliers through a structured qualification process
•    Maintain vendor files and track expirations to keep audits “ready”
•    Ensure supplier compliance with food safety and certification requirements
•    Create and manage POs, approvals, and correct account coding in ERP
•    Coordinate with Quality, Receiving, and AP to resolve issues and pay on time

Senior Buyer (Food Manufacturing / Protein) Qualifications

•    4+ years of progressive purchasing experience required
•    Food Manufacturing experience required
•    People leadership experience required
•    Knowledge of food safety compliance and supplier documentation required
•    Experience supporting audit environments (FSMA/GFSI-style) required