Buyer

At Food Lion, Associates are the most important assets to our organization. We want associates to have meaningful careers full of variety and challenges. Each associate contributes to the overall success of Food Lion, and in return, we strive to provide all associates with a fulfilling work experience and reward performance and commitment. We are committed to the professional development of our associates through on-the-job learning opportunities and training.

Position Summary

Responsible for negotiating cost and procuring items for specific grouping of categories. Provide guidance and direction to central sourcing teams regarding product attributes and specifications to ensure brand needs are met.

Principle Duties and Responsibilities

•     Negotiate costs with approved vendors
•    Develop strong business relationships with vendors to deliver quality needs at best cost
•    Meet established procurement goals, such as service levels, merchandise force outs, buyer adjust accounts, buyer/DC loss, turns, and inventory dollars
•    Develop accurate projected costs and item movement to pricing to support margin projections
•    Support promotional planning to drive sales
•    Analyze and create recommendations regarding item trends, seasonal updates, and product supply issues
•    Procure fresh commodities that meet defined food safety and quality expectations.
•    Based on respective area of responsibility negotiate costs with approved vendors.
•    Meet established procurement goals, such as service levels, merchandise force outs, buyer adjust accounts, buyer/DC loss, turns, and inventory dollars.
•    Partners with the Demand Planning Analyst sharing their extensive product knowledge to enable appropriate demand management system enhancements. 
•    Develop strong business relationships with vendors to deliver quality needs at best cost.
•    Provide accurate projected costs and item movement to pricing to support margin projections.
•    Be an expert on specifications and sourcing for all products within portfolio.
•    Support Category Manager in developing promotional plans that drive banner sales.
•    Support promotional planning by recommending items that meet banner promotion strategies.
•    Maintain solid communication with business partners (Merchandising, Pricing, Item Lifecycle, and Replenishment) to support Banner needs.
•    Communicate item trends, seasonal updates, and product supply issues to appropriate business partners in a proactive, timely manner.    
•    Resolve any Accounts Payable issues using invoice matching system.
•    Resolve vendor accuracy and other issues/exceptions.
•    Work with Buyer Assistant to ensure accurate item maintenance.
 

Basic Qualifications 

• Bachelor's Degree


• Microsoft Office


• 3 years or 2 or more years procurement experience in perishable food commodities


• Bachelor's Degree or equivalent combination of education and related work experience.

Preferred Qualifications

• Retail Experience


• Procurement experience


• Retail Experience


• Basic professional level of knowledge of company, business and industry practices


• General understanding of Pre-sell Application, Forward Buy system, Warehouse Management System (WMS), Computer Assisted Ordering (CAO), Logistics, and Banner Strategies.


• Solid understanding of Perishable Forecasting Tool (PFT), SEGA, INFOREM, Merchandising Sales Plan (MSP), Product Feedback, Control D, Item and Vendor Set Up.

Skills and Abilities

• Strong communication skills


• Strong negotiation Skills


• Strong analytical skills


• Ability to influence without authority


• Ability to work as part of a team


• Ability to think innovatively


• Excellent organizational, planning, influence, communication and presentation skills


• Self-motivated and persuasive in presenting and selling ideas and executing their implementation

Food Lion provides equal employment opportunities to all associates and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth and related conditions) national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, gender identity or gender expression or any other characteristic protected by law.

If you have a disability and require assistance in the application process, please contact our Recruiting Department at [email protected]