Company description

The Produce Box is a mission-driven local food company working to build a more sustainable and connected food system in North Carolina. We bridge the gap between North Carolina food producers and home consumers through our ecommerce site and farm-to-door home delivery, as well as curating and delivering packed produce boxes for nonprofit and corporate clients. Through grant-funded partnerships, we deliver over 15,000 pounds of fresh produce each month to food-insecure families via these curated produce boxes packed with care.

At our core, we believe in preserving North Carolina farmland, supporting small-scale producers, educating consumers on where their food comes from, increasing access to fresh, local food, and making it easier for people to eat well and spend their money locally.

Job description

We are looking for a Produce Purchasing professional who is excited to take ownership of sourcing, box building, vendor relationships, and quality control to ensure the best seasonal selections for customers and clients.

The right candidate will be responsible for curating seasonal produce boxes, optimizing purchasing strategies, and ensuring operational efficiency in inventory management. The ideal candidate is someone who is data-driven, highly organized, and passionate about local food systems. This person will act as a subject matter expert for the Produce category, providing thought leadership to The Produce Box.

Key Responsibilities
Produce Purchasing & Vendor Partnerships
-Manage all aspects of produce procurement, ensuring high-quality, cost-effective sourcing for both direct-to-consumer sales and nonprofit/corporate partnerships.
-Build and maintain relationships with local and regional farmers, wholesalers, and distributors in line with our sourcing standards. Develop new partnerships that ensure supply chain reliability and strengthen our investment in local, small-scale, sustainable farms.
-Track seasonal availability, sales data, and market trends to make informed purchasing decisions.
-Submit Purchase Orders in a timely fashion and in accordance with established vendor deadlines.

Curated Box Development & Pricing Strategy
-Work collaboratively to develop seasonal curated produce boxes that meet budgetary and quality standards for our different programs.
-Analyze sales data, pricing trends, and deselection rates to optimize product selection and pricing structures for our ecommerce produce offerings
-Research market pricing rates and negotiate pricing with vendors as needed. Monitor competitors’ (retail) pricing weekly to ensure our offerings are in line with the market.
-Add products to the online marketplace and actively manage listings under the Produce category with careful attention to descriptions, tags, and photos

Inventory, Quality Control & Receiving Oversight
-Oversee and manage the Receiving process -- accepting daily deliveries, communicating quality standards for each product, and coaching warehouse personnel on the ideal storage & packing methods to promote freshness.
-Check produce into inventory and ensure proper reconciliation, addressing shortages or quality concerns with vendors.
-Communicate shortages, substitutions and other produce-related notes with the Member Solutions team for customer communications.
-Manage invoice reconciliation, verifying pricing against vendor agreements, and maintain accurate financial records.
-Determine assembly line station assignments for produce based on fragility rating and quality packing.
-Coordinate with the warehouse team to execute surplus inventory allocation and ensure proper tagging and distribution. --Optimize donation distribution channels.

Data-Driven Decision Making & Sales
-Analyze pricing and sales data to improve produce category profitability.
-Identify and implement process improvements to streamline purchasing and inventory management.
-Collaborate with the Artisan grocery team to offer enticing product bundles
-Present thematic/seasonal feature and sale ideas to Marketing to drive sales of a specific product, vendor, or category

Qualifications
-Must be based in the Triangle area and able to be onsite in Raleigh
-Ability to lift up to 50lbs
-Bachelor’s degree in business, retail, supply chain management, or related field or commensurate experience
-2+ years experience in produce procurement, food distribution, farming and food hub management, or product category management
-Knowledge of local and regional produce varieties, growing practices, case sizes, quality standards and seasonality is a plus
-Strong negotiation and communication skills and ability to manage vendor relationships.
-Proficiency in data analysis, forecasting, and margin management using Google Sheets or Excel
-Experience with inventory management and PO systems a plus
-Strong organizational skills and ability to work in a fast-paced environment.
-Ability to balance multiple priorities and make strategic decisions that align with business goals.
-Positive, innovative, and collaborative team player who is open to feedback and continuous learning

Salary & Benefits
This is a regular, full-time (40 hours/week) salary, non exempt position. Team members receive a weekly box credit for use in our online store. Employer subsidized health insurance available after 90 days of employment. Employer 401k matching available after 6 months of employment. This position reports directly to management.

Salary Range $60,000-65,000 based on experience.

If this sounds like a job position that excites you, submit your cover letter & resume. The position will start as soon as we find the right fit.

Compensation

this position is: salaried, $50,000 - $75,000

Application instructions

Deadline

no deadline