Company description

Culinary Collective is an import and distribution company that fosters small-scale production of flavorful, wholesome, heritage food by making a direct and inspiring connection between the producers of these foods and the North American food connoisseur. The Collective offers a shared logistic system for small gourmet food producers who aim to preserve traditional food systems and encourage environmental responsibility.

Culinary Collective works with over 30 vendors in Spain and Peru and is now known as a premier importer of gourmet, cultural foods.

The Company’s founders believe that it’s important to live responsibly to improve the health of our environment and our communities and works solely with small producers that are rooted in and integral to the health of their communities, using strict sourcing criteria to ensure that products are all natural and fairly sourced.

Job description

Our employees all say they love working with the team; this is a great group of people and an awesome opportunity in the food industry. Specific job details are below: don't be scared off, we provide a lot of training. A high energy, detail oriented and motivated person is what we are truly after.

This position is full time in the Culinary Collective office and warehouse in Lynnwood, WA; a suburb of Seattle. Fluency or near fluency in spoken and written Spanish; proficiency with Excel for analytics and data transformation required; proficiency in Accounting Software Systems, Customer Relationship Management database systems, import, customs and FDA requirements and processes preferred.

Import Logistics

Plan and coordinate the international shipment of goods from Spain and Peru into the U.S. via ocean and air.

• Ordering – enter orders into accounting software system and send orders to vendors and obtain confirmations.
• Container coordination –work with Freight Forwarder to ensure containers leave on time and full, and that all import regulations are met. Liaise with vendors and Freight Forwarder to manage the flow of goods from vendor to port. Keep track of time of year to ensure sensitive product is being transported appropriately (this could include requesting thermal blankets, coordinating refrigerated containers, restricting Panama Canal shipments)
• Clearance – arrange for customs and FDA clearance via customs broker, managing all necessary import documentation, and work with FDA on inspections and product hold issues.
• Transportation – work with Customs Broker, trucking companies, and Culinary Collective warehouses to ensure efficient delivery of all incoming shipments.
• Provide accounting and sales support as needed.
• Streamline Systems - be a proactive agent in streamlining import logistics
• Minimizing Costs – In all import activities, consistently looking for ways to minimize costs such as ensuring containers are full, checking shipping rates regularly, and shipping at appropriate times of year.
• Keep Office Manual and online office communication tools (Office 365, CRM) updated to all procedural changes and vendor information
• Sense of urgency – the Import Logistics position requires fast and efficient responses and a sense of urgency when handling both container coordination and dealing with custom clearance and transportation.

Quality Control

• Shipment Check-in: check in shipments and record essential tracking, inventory and QA details; Open and sample incoming product and flag any potential food safety or quality issues; Record and track expiration dates, lot numbers.
• Ensure product labels are correct as specified, meeting FDA requirements; Perform periodic labeling and quality audits.
• Work directly with vendors to resolve any product labeling or safety issues and to provide information to sales team and customers as needed.
• Ensure CC systems are up to date on all vendor and product information such as ingredients, documents on file, etc. (product database, CRM, and sales sheets). With Ensure that we have an easily accessible up-to-date digital copy of each product label, front and back.

Legal Compliance

• Keep abreast of and report on changes in import laws and other regulations that affect the international flow of goods. Ensure compliance with U.S. and foreign government laws and regulations.
• Work with food safety director to procure, review, file and perform annual audits on all necessary food safety documentation from new and existing vendors according to FSMA/FSVP requirements.
• Ensure that all vendors have current FDA numbers on file; apply for new FDA numbers for new or existing vendors as needed.

Vendor Liaison

• Field questions for vendors from Culinary Collective team members, customers and consumers, obtain answers and follow up.
• Work with suppliers to negotiate samples, deductions, and credits.
• Send payment confirmations to vendors and field all inquiries from vendors about payments and terms.

New Vendors & Product Development –

• Onboarding new vendors by ensuring they fully understand our principles and processes.
• Obtaining all necessary documentation from potential new vendors to ensure they meet our sourcing criteria AND all FSMA regulations, coordinating with Food Safety expert.
• Write up new vendors sourcing criteria report from our vendor questionnaire.
• Coordinate labeling logistics with manufacturers and/or printers, coordinating with Food Safety Expert.

Inventory Management Assistance

• Track customers’ special orders from initial order through import and ensure proper pass-off to logistics and warehouse manager upon arrival; Ensure all product that arrives that is NOT normally inventoried product finds its home, including samples.
• Create Inventory Reports on a bi-weekly basis for management.
• Assess inventory movement once a month (from inventory report) for each item both East Coast and West Coast; to be used for additional detailed analysis.

Other Items

• Manage the CRM system as needed – updating fields, designing reports, training other team members for efficient and effective use, etc.
• Accounting support
• Sales support

Compensation

this position is: salaried, $50,000 to $100,000

Application instructions

Deadline

no deadline