Overview

Good people, working with good people, for our common good.

Sound good?

KeHE-a natural, organic, specialty and fresh food distributor-is all about "good" and is growing, so there's never been a more exciting time to join our team. If you're enthusiastic about working in an environment with a people-first culture and an organization committed to good living, good food and good service, we'd love to talk to you!

Primary Responsibilities

The Director, Supply Chain – Fresh is a key role supporting our strategic vision to be the preferred supply chain partner in the specialty, natural & organic, and fresh marketplace in North America. Reporting to the Exec. Director, Supply Chain Fresh, the Director, Supply Chain Fresh will lead a team of demand planning and purchasing professionals that have responsibility for overall customer fill rate and operational success in KeHE’s fresh business. This position provides the leadership necessary to achieve key objectives: managing inventory levels and turns, achieving/improving targeted customer service levels, mitigating inventory obsolescence/spoils, and partnering with vendors to improve inbound service level metrics and reduce end-to-end supply chain costs. The Director, Supply Chain - Fresh will work cross-functionally with peers in account management, vendor management, transportation, warehouse operations, inbound freight shippers, and vendors.

Essential Functions

• Managing and mentoring a dynamic team of purchasing professionals.
• Develop and maintain a high-performance culture in the function, resulting in continued success meeting functional KPIs and improved levels of customer service to interior and exterior customers.
• Establishing and maintaining measurable performance metrics for all levels of procurement activities to include but not limited to supplier performance, supplier quality, internal order placement performance, buyer activity levels, financial (AP) performance, and inventory shortage elimination.
• Implement smooth and efficient business processes that support and integrate with the customer
• Report to management the measurable status of progress and corrective actions as it pertains to supplier performance.
• Ensure performance improvement and recovery plans are developed, issued, tracked and reported on as required for supply base management and improvement.
• Negotiate and execute purchase orders as needed to support the critical business needs.
• Manage product flow to ensure inventory is maintained to the optimum level to support on-time customer deliveries while keeping inventory holdings at the appropriate levels.
• Partner with counterparts in other functional areas such as Sales, Transportation, and Warehouse personnel to ensure alignment of activities and objectives.
• Identify vendor opportunities and challenges and partner with the Vendor Management team to ensure appropriate resolution.

Minimum Requirements, Qualifications, Additional Skills, Aptitude

• Strong working knowledge of inventory planning, forecasting techniques as well as operational systems and warehouse management.
• Prior experience with food and/or code sensitive product environment preferred.
• Ability to prioritize workload to have the most significant impact on customer satisfaction and performance to KPI’s
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, in addition to effective decision-making skills and excellent attention to detail.
• Strong planning and organizational skills, as well as a demonstrated ability to manage multiple tasks and priorities simultaneously in a fast-paced work environment.
• Outstanding communication (both verbal and written) and relationship management skills with people at all organizational levels
• Ability to understand and communicate complex issues across all levels of the organization
• Demonstrated initiative and the ability to work independently and be self-directed in completing tasks.
• Prior experience using advance planning or purchasing systems such as JDA Demand, E3, SAP/AP, Manhattan, etc. preferred
• Proficiency in using Excel, COGNOS, Access and other similar tools.