Senior Beverage Buyer
5 days ago
Queens
A nationally recognized wholesale and retail organization - serving restaurants, hospitality groups, and specialty grocers - is expanding its beverage division. They are seeking a commercially minded Senior Beverage Buyer to shape category strategy, strengthen supplier partnerships, and keep fast-moving inventory flowing smoothly. This high-impact role will own end-to-end procurement for beer, wine, spirits, and non-alcoholic beverages, helping the company delight customers and outpace the market. This Role Offers: • Competitive base salary with performance bonus potential., • Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans., • Company-matched 401(k)., • Hybrid flexibility - work from home once a week after training., • Career-long learning resources and clear paths for advancement. Focus: • Build and execute sourcing strategies that balance cost, quality, and supply continuity for all beverage categories., • Cultivate long-term partnerships with national and regional beverage suppliers, negotiating pricing, volume incentives, and marketing programs., • Analyze demand signals with Excel, BI dashboards, and POS data to forecast accurately and maintain optimal service levels., • Lead cross-functional planning for seasonal promotions, new item launches, and limited-time offers, ensuring flawless execution and post-event analysis., • Monitor key metrics - gross margin, turns, aging inventory, on-time fill rates—and drive corrective action when targets are missed., • Champion risk-mitigation plans to address market volatility, regulatory shifts, and logistics disruptions., • Mentor junior buyers and analysts, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and data-driven decision making., • Partner with finance and AP teams to reconcile invoices and resolve variances quickly., • Align all purchasing activity with company policies and relevant federal, state, and local beverage regulations. Skill Set: • Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Business, Finance, or a related field., • 7 plus years of progressive buying, category management, or procurement experience within a high-volume retail, wholesale, or foodservice environment., • Demonstrated success negotiating beverage or perishable categories., • Advanced Excel skills (pivot tables, XLOOKUP, Power Query) and familiarity with ERP or purchasing platforms., • Skilled communicator who influences vendors and cross-functional peers., • Proven ability to juggle multiple priorities in a deadline-driven setting. About Blue Signal: Blue Signal is an award-winning, executive search firm specializing in food & agriculture recruitment. Our food & agriculture recruiting team unites professionals in agribusiness, food processing, and agricultural technology with innovative companies. Learn more at bit.ly/40LrcFx