I understand that the employer follows an “employment at will” policy, in that I or the employer may terminate my employment at any time, or for any reason consistent with applicable state or federal law; this “employment at will” policy cannot be changed verbally or in writing, unless the change is specifically authorized in writing by the president of Country Dairy. I understand that this application is not a contract of employment. I understand that federal law prohibits the employment of unauthorized aliens; all persons hired must submit satisfactory proof of employment authorization and identity; failure to submit such proof will result in denial of employment.

I understand that Country Dairy will thoroughly investigate my work and personal history and verify all data given on this application, on related papers, and in interviews. I authorize all individuals, schools, and firms named therein, except my current employer if so noted, to provide any information requested about me, and I release them from all liability for damage in providing this information. Further, should I secure employment with Country Dairy and leave that employment at a later date, I authorize Country Dairy to provide any information requested about me, and I release them from all liability for damage in providing this information.

I understand that Country Dairy does utilize pre-employment physicals after an offer of employment has been made.

I understand that any misrepresentation, including omissions, made on this application can result in refusal to hire or discharge at any time.  I understand that if the application is not completely filled out, I may not be considered for employment.

Build Something New at Country Dairy
Help Us Build the Purchasing System for Our Next Stage of Growth

Country Dairy is growing—and we're looking for someone who wants to help us build
something that doesn't currently exist.
We are a family-owned dairy company with a unique operation that includes our farm, dairy processing, packaging, distribution, retail, and more. Today, purchasing is primarily handled by individual managers within their departments.

That has worked as we've grown to where we are today. But we're not planning to stay there.

We are looking for a Procurement & Supply Chain Specialist who can help us develop a company-wide purchasing strategy and the systems we need to grow.
This is a brand-new position, and that's important. We aren't looking for someone to step into a perfectly established procurement department and maintain the status quo.
We need someone who can build it.

This employee will also need to align with the values of Country Dairy where we strive for Integrity, Excellence, Gratefulness, Stewardship, Community, and Innovation.  We strive to be honest and respectful in all of our dealings, care for our employees, our resources, and our community, and do so with gratefulness for all we've been given.

Procurement & Supply Chain Specialist

Country Dairy | Full-Time | Reports to Chief Executive Officer

About the Position

Country Dairy is a growing, family-owned dairy company that controls the process from our farm and cows through processing, packaging, distribution, and retail. As we continue to grow, we are looking for a Procurement & Supply Chain Specialist to help us build a stronger, smarter, and more efficient purchasing system across the company.

This is a new position at Country Dairy and will have the opportunity to build the procurement function from the ground up.

Today, purchasing is largely handled by individual managers within their departments. This position will bring those purchasing activities together and create a more coordinated company-wide approach.

The person in this role will be both strategic and hands-on. We are looking for someone who can spend one day researching suppliers and negotiating pricing, another day working with a manager to determine what we actually need, and another day developing a system to improve how we purchase and manage inventory.

The goal is not simply to buy things at a lower price. The goal is to develop a company-wide procurement strategy that improves cost, quality, availability, inventory, supplier relationships, and efficiency while giving our managers more time to focus on their own departments.

This position will work across the farm, processing plant, maintenance, transportation, retail, food service, administration, and other areas of the company.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Procurement & Purchasing

• Develop and implement a company-wide procurement strategy that supports Country Dairy's continued growth.
• Review current purchasing practices across departments and identify opportunities to improve cost, efficiency, consistency, and accountability.
• Research products, materials, equipment, services, and suppliers to identify the best combination of price, quality, reliability, and service.
• Obtain and compare quotes and proposals from multiple suppliers.
• Negotiate pricing, terms, freight, payment terms, volume discounts, contracts, and other purchasing agreements.
• Identify opportunities to combine purchases across departments and take advantage of increased purchasing volume.
• Establish purchasing standards and preferred suppliers where appropriate.
• Develop a process for larger purchases and competitive bidding.
• Work with department managers to understand their needs while challenging existing purchasing practices when better options may exist.
• Monitor market conditions, pricing trends, and new products or suppliers that may benefit the company.
• Look for opportunities to reduce the total cost of ownership, not simply the purchase price.

Supplier Management

• Develop strong working relationships with key suppliers and strategic partners.
• Evaluate existing suppliers based on price, quality, delivery, service, responsiveness, and reliability.
• Identify opportunities to consolidate the supplier base where appropriate.
• Research and qualify new suppliers when better options are available.
• Establish supplier performance expectations and track results.
• Lead supplier negotiations and periodic business reviews.
• Help resolve supplier issues involving pricing, quality, delivery, shortages, or service.
• Maintain an organized and current supplier database, including pricing and purchasing information.

Inventory Management

• Develop and improve systems for managing company inventory.
• Establish appropriate inventory levels and reorder points for commonly purchased items.
• Help reduce excess, obsolete, duplicate, and slow-moving inventory.
• Coordinate and participate in physical inventories and cycle counts.
• Monitor inventory accuracy and investigate significant variances.
• Work with department managers to understand usage patterns and future needs.
• Identify opportunities to improve inventory turns while maintaining adequate supplies.
• Develop systems that make it easier to know what we have, what we need, when we need it, and how much we should buy.

Process & Systems Development

• Evaluate the company's current purchasing processes and recommend improvements.
• Develop standardized purchasing procedures that can be used across departments.
• Help establish purchasing policies, approval processes, purchasing limits, and documentation requirements.
• Research and recommend technology, software, reporting tools, or other systems that can improve procurement and inventory management.
• Develop purchasing reports and key performance indicators to help management understand spending and savings.
• Create systems that can scale as Country Dairy grows from approximately $25 million to $50 million and beyond.
• Look for ways to reduce manual work, duplicate purchasing, unnecessary purchases, and inconsistent processes.
• Help establish a centralized view of company spending by supplier, category, department, and product.

Cross-Department Collaboration

• Work closely with department managers to understand their purchasing needs and priorities.
• Become familiar with the products, materials, parts, ingredients, supplies, and services used throughout the company.
• Identify opportunities where departments can work together rather than purchasing independently.
• Help managers spend less time searching for products, comparing prices, placing orders, and managing suppliers.
• Provide purchasing expertise while respecting the knowledge and operational needs of each department.
• Communicate clearly with management regarding purchasing opportunities, risks, recommendations, and savings.

Hands-On Purchasing

• Place purchase orders and manage day-to-day purchasing activities as needed.
• Confirm pricing, quantities, availability, and delivery dates.
• Follow up with suppliers to ensure orders arrive when needed.
• Monitor backorders, shortages, substitutions, and delivery problems.
• Maintain accurate purchasing records.
• Assist with receiving, invoice discrepancies, and purchasing-related issues.
• Step into day-to-day purchasing activities when needed rather than simply directing others to do the work.

What Success Looks Like

The successful person in this position will help Country Dairy move from a collection of individual purchasing activities to a coordinated company-wide procurement system.

Within the first year, we would expect this person to:
• Develop a clear understanding of what Country Dairy purchases, from whom, and at what cost.
• Identify significant opportunities for cost savings and purchasing efficiencies.
• Develop a strategy for consolidating and rationalizing the supplier base.
• Identify opportunities to combine purchases across departments.
• Establish better purchasing and inventory processes.
• Improve visibility into company-wide spending.
• Establish meaningful procurement and inventory metrics.
• Reduce unnecessary or duplicate purchasing.
• Improve inventory accuracy and management.
• Develop stronger relationships with key suppliers.
• Give department managers back meaningful time by taking ownership of purchasing activities.
• Build a procurement system that can grow with the company.

Qualifications

Required

• Experience in purchasing, procurement, supply chain, inventory management, operations, or a related field.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Ability to research products and suppliers and make sound purchasing decisions.
• Experience comparing pricing, negotiating, and working with vendors.
• Strong computer skills, particularly Microsoft Excel and other business software.
• Ability to work independently and take ownership of projects.
• Strong communication skills and the ability to work effectively with people throughout an organization.
• Ability to balance strategic thinking with hands-on work.

Preferred

• Experience in manufacturing, food processing, agriculture, dairy, distribution, or a similar environment.
• Experience with an ERP, purchasing, inventory, or accounting system.
• Experience developing purchasing or inventory processes.
• Experience with supplier consolidation or strategic sourcing.
• Experience conducting RFPs, RFQs, or competitive bidding.
• Experience analyzing company-wide purchasing data.
• Experience with inventory management, cycle counting, or warehouse operations.
• Bachelor's degree in business, supply chain, operations, procurement, or a related field is preferred, but relevant experience and demonstrated ability are more important than a degree.

The Person We Are Looking For

We are looking for someone who is curious, practical, analytical, and willing to dig in.

This is not a position for someone who simply wants to process purchase orders.

The right person will ask questions such as:
• Why are we buying this from this supplier?
• Are all of our departments buying the same or similar items from different vendors?
• Can we negotiate a better price?
• Can we buy in greater volume?
• Are we carrying too much inventory?
• Are we carrying the wrong inventory?
• Can we eliminate a supplier?
• Is there a better product?
• Is there a better way to purchase this?
• What will this process look like when we are twice our current size?

The successful candidate will be comfortable working with a department manager one minute and analyzing purchasing data the next. They will be able to build relationships, ask tough questions, negotiate with suppliers, solve problems, and then roll up their sleeves and get the work done.

This person must be comfortable creating something that does not currently exist. Because this is a new position, there will not always be a playbook. We are looking for someone who can identify opportunities, develop solutions, gain support, and put those solutions into practice.

Key Performance Measures

• Purchasing cost savings and cost avoidance
• Supplier consolidation
• Percentage of spend under negotiated agreements
• Purchasing volume discounts and improved terms
• Inventory accuracy
• Inventory turns
• Reduction in excess and obsolete inventory
• Supplier performance
• On-time delivery
• Reduction in purchasing duplication
• Improvement in purchasing processes
• Department manager time saved
• Development and implementation of new procurement systems and processes

Why This Position Matters

Country Dairy is growing, and the way we purchase and manage materials needs to grow with us.

This position will play an important role in helping the company build the purchasing and inventory systems needed for the next stage of growth. The person in this role will have the opportunity to make a measurable impact on the company's profitability, efficiency, and ability to scale.

This is an opportunity to build the procurement function for a growing, vertically integrated Michigan dairy company—not simply to manage purchasing.