Strategic Procurement Lead, Ingredients & Packaging

Strategic Procurement Lead, Ingredients & Packaging

Location: Chicago, IL 60624
Schedule: Mon–Fri, 8-hour
Compensation: $75,000 – $80,000
Industry: Food manufacturer

A day in the life

You start your morning reviewing production schedules and forecasts, translating them into material requirements. A quick scan of open POs highlights a couple of deliveries to expedite—so you call suppliers, align expectations, and keep Receiving in the loop. By midday, you’re negotiating ingredients and packaging costs, leveraging market trends to secure value while maintaining service and quality. In the afternoon, you update BOMs following a price change, verify account approvals before releasing new purchase orders, and make sure ASC/MSC/OU certifications and audit-ready documentation are current. You close the day partnering with Quality, AP, and Operations to keep inventory, safety, and compliance on track.

Impact you’ll make

• Lead supplier negotiations to achieve competitive pricing, dependable service, and ethical standards.
• Maintain complete supplier files; monitor expirations and keep records audit-ready.
• Ensure adherence to ASC/MSC/OU certification requirements; support FSMA and BRCGS initiatives.
• Source and qualify new vendors through the Vendor Qualification Program.
• Solicit competitive bids, negotiate contracts, and track market dynamics.
• Update BOMs with approved price changes and communicate impacts to leadership.
• Verify approvals and account coding prior to issuing purchase orders.
• Collaborate with Quality, Receiving, and Accounts Payable to streamline procurement and payment.
• Monitor PO delivery performance, resolve delays, and uphold safety and environmental regulations.
• Interpret material needs from production schedules and forecasts to prevent shortages.

What you bring

• Bachelor’s degree in Business or a related discipline.
• 5–10 years of progressive purchasing experience; background in food manufacturing preferred.
• Supervisory experience leading procurement or buying activities.
• Proven negotiation and sound decision-making skills.
• Proficiency with MS Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Experience with Microsoft Dynamics GP or comparable ERP/business software.
• Exceptional organization and communication abilities.

Work with us

Join a food manufacturer where procurement excellence drives product quality, cost control, and compliance. Your expertise strengthens our supply base and our commitment to food safety.

How to apply

• Contact: Mike Coleman
• If you would like to find out more, simply click apply

Commutable from

Oak Park, Forest Park, Cicero, Berwyn, Maywood, Elmwood Park, La Grange, Westchester, Brookfield, Skokie, Evanston, Lincolnwood, Oak Lawn, Bridgeview, and Burbank

Related titles

Senior Buyer, Procurement Lead, Purchasing Manager, Procurement Specialist, Lead Buyer, Procurement Manager, Category Manager, Sourcing Manager, Supply Chain Buyer

Eligibility

All applicants must live in the USA and be eligible to work and live in the USA. Please note, our client is unable to offer Sponsorship or Visa support for this role.

Due to the sheer volume of applications, we will only contact successful applications. Therefore, if you have not heard from us within 10 working days, please deem your application as unsuccessful.

Axion Recruitment is working as a recruitment agency in relation to this vacancy.

You should be proficient in

• Food and Beverage Manufacturing
• Sourcing and Procurement Experience