New

Buyer

Vaco
$79000 - $85000 / Year
401(k), retirement plan
United States, Illinois, Chicago
Sep 02, 2026
Vaco is hiring a Buyer Location: Chicago, IL Compensation: $79-$85k/annually Reporting to: Purchasing Manager The ideal candidate will bring strong purchasing, supplier negotiation, forecasting, and inventory management experience within the food industry. Experience purchasing proteins, particularly fish/seafood, pork, chicken, or beef, is strongly preferred. Key Responsibilities Purchase raw materials, ingredients, packaging, and other production-related supplies. Negotiate with suppliers to obtain competitive pricing, favorable terms, quality products, and reliable service. Seek competitive bids for purchases, analyze proposals, and make purchasing recommendations and awards. Negotiate supplier contracts when appropriate and monitor market costs throughout contract terms. Interpret production schedules and forecasts to determine material and purchasing needs. Monitor purchase order delivery timelines and investigate late or delinquent shipments. Maintain accurate and current supplier records, including required documentation and expiration dates. Communicate company requirements to suppliers regarding product specifications, lot limitations, and receiving appointments. Research and develop new sources of supply when existing suppliers cannot meet company standards. Vet prospective suppliers through the company's vendor qualification process. Maintain compliance with ASC, MSC, OU, FSMA, BRCGS, and other applicable food safety requirements. Support the development and implementation of Food Safety Fundamentals and the company's Food Safety Plan. Maintain supplier and purchasing documentation in an audit-ready state. Update Bills of Materials (BOMs) when unavoidable pricing changes occur and communicate changes to the Corporate Controller. Verify appropriate approvals and account information for purchase orders. Work closely with Quality and Receiving to ensure appropriate materials are received. Partner with Accounts Payable to help ensure supplier payments are processed accurately and on time. Follow company safety, environmental, corporate, and regulatory requirements. Take appropriate action when necessary to protect the integrity of the BRCGS system. Qualifications Bachelor's degree or higher in Business or a related field. 5-10 years of progressive purchasing/buying experience. Experience purchasing protein products such as fish/seafood, pork, chicken, or beef strongly preferred. Seafood purchasing experience is a major plus. Strong supplier negotiation and vendor management experience. Demonstrated ability to forecast material needs based on production schedules and demand. Previous experience supervising staff. Experience with electronic business/ERP software. Experience with Microsoft Dynamics GP or similar business software preferred. Proficiency with Microsoft Office, including Excel, Word, and PowerPoint. Knowledge of food safety initiatives and requirements is a plus. Key Skills Strong negotiation skills Purchasing and procurement expertise Forecasting and inventory planning Supplier relationship management Sound decision-making and analytical skills Excellent organization and attention to detail Ability to communicate professionally with employees, leadership, vendors, and other external partners Determining compensation for this role (and others) at Vaco/Highspring depends upon a wide array of factors including but not limited to the individual's skill sets, experience and training, licensure and certifications, office location and other geographic considerations, as well as other business and organizational needs. With that said, as required by local law in geographies that require salary range disclosure, Vaco/Highspring notes the salary range for the role is noted in this job posting. The individual may also be eligible for discretionary bonuses, and can participate in medical, dental, and vision benefits as well as the company's 401(k) retirement plan. Additional disclaimer: Unless otherwise noted in the job description, the position Vaco/Highspring is filing for is occupied. Please note, however, that Vaco/Highspring is regularly asked to provide talent to other organizations. By submitting to this position, you are agreeing to be included in our talent pool for future hiring for similarly qualified positions. Submissions to this position are subject to the use of AI to perform preliminary candidate screenings, focused on ensuring minimum job requirements noted in the position are satisfied. Further assessment of candidates beyond this initial phase within Vaco/Highspring will be otherwise assessed by recruiters and hiring managers. Vaco/Highspring does not have knowledge of the tools used by its clients in making final hiring decisions and cannot opine on their use of AI products. EEO Notice Vaco by Highspring is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race (including but not limited to traits historically associated with race such as hair texture and hair style), color, sex (includes pregnancy or related conditions), religion or creed, national origin, citizenship, age, disability, status as a veteran, union membership, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, political affiliation, or any other protected characteristics as required by federal, state or local law. Vaco by Highspring and its parents, affiliates, and subsidiaries are committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, Vaco by Highspring and its parents, affiliates, and subsidiaries will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and/or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact HR@vaco.com. Vaco by Highspring also wants all applicants to know their rights that workplace discrimination is illegal. Representation Notice By submitting to this position, you agree that you will be giving Vaco by Highspring the exclusive right to present your as a candidate for the foregoing employment opportunity. You further agree that you have represented information about yourself accurately and have not affirmatively misrepresented your qualifications. You also agree to maintain as confidential, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any information you learn from Vaco by Highspring about the position and you will limit disclosure of information about the position only to the extent necessary to perform any obligations in furtherance of your application. In exchange, Vaco by Highspring agrees to exercise reasonable efforts to represent you through all solicitation, job screening and resume dispersal. For residents of Ontario, Canada: Based on Highspring's discussions with its Client, Highspring's understanding is that this position for employment is a current vacancy (either through Highspring as a contractor or with the client directly). Privacy Notice Vaco by Highspring and its parents, affiliates, and subsidiaries ("we," "our," or "Vaco by Highspring") respects your privacy and are committed to providing transparent notice of our policies. California residents may access Vaco by Highspring HR Notice at Collection for California Applicants and Employees here. Virginia residents may access our state specific policies here. Residents of all other states may access our policies here. Canadian residents may access our policies in English here and in French here. Residents of countries governed by GDPR may access our policies here. Additionally, submissions to this position are subject to the use of AI to perform preliminary candidate screenings, focused on ensuring minimum job requirements noted in the position are satisfied. More details about Vaco by Highspring's use of AI can be found here (https://www.highspring.com/ai-use-notices/). Further assessment of candidates beyond this initial phase will be conducted by recruiters and hiring managers. Vaco by Highspring does not know and cannot opine on if its client's use of AI products in hiring. Pay Transparency Notice Determining compensation for this role (and others) at Vaco by Highspring depends upon a wide array of factors including but not limited to: the individual's skill sets, experience and training; licensure and certification requirements; office location and other geographic considerations; other business and organizational needs. With that said, as required by local law, Vaco by Highspring believes that the following salary range referenced above reasonably estimates the base compensation for an individual hired into this position in geographies that require salary range disclosure. The individual may also be eligible for discretionary bonuses.