Purchasing Agent/Assistant - Japanese Bilingual

Job Title: Purchasing Agent/Assistant 

Industry: Japanese Food and Beverage Distributor

Location: Houston, TX

Work Hours: Mon-Fri, 9AM-6PM with a 1 hour lunch break

【Essential Job Functions】

• Manages purchasing of frozen, dry foods, and Non-food items, including sourcing, price
  negotiations, transportation logistics, and product development
• Analyzes and forecasts product sales volume and market demands, and creates purchase orders based on sales volume, demands, and inventory level
• Calculates product costs and prices to determine profit margin
• Ensures product quality by sampling and customer feedback; works with suppliers for quality assurance
• Frequently reviews inventory for discrepancies, large volume outbound orders, slow selling items, and expired items; works with the warehouse department for resolutions
• Develops and executes purchasing strategies to support the organization's business objectives
• Evaluates and assures the qualities of received items are consistent with the descriptions on purchase orders
• Attends Company events and functions outside of normal working hours
• Other duties as required
• Obligation to answer to all upper management as requested

【Physical Requirements】

• Able to sit and work in an office setting for the majority of the day
• Able to use the computer and type for extended periods
• Able to reach, bend, kneel, and lift up to 40 pounds occasionally
• Working Conditions
  o Noise Level: Normal to loud while in the office
  

【Other Requirements】

• Business level Japanese required
• Maintains a positive attitude
• Able to work independently and as a team
• Able to adapt to frequent changes in assignments and workload
• High School Diploma or equivalent required. Bachelors Degree in business preferred
• 2+ years of Food purchasing experience or training preferred
• Experience in logistics or import/export is also a plus and may qualify candidates for a Purchasing Assistant role

【Knowledge and Skills】

• Demonstrates strong organizational skills and attention to detail
• Possesses basic mathematical knowledge such as markups, discounts, counting inventory, weight and measurement conversions, combining, etc.
• Has strong customer service and problem-solving skills
• Has strong communications and interpersonal skills
• Demonstrates basic Microsoft Office proficiency
• Communications and interpersonal skills
• Knowledge of ERP systems
• Knowledge of Japanese foods/non-foods and kitchen supplies preferred

Compensation: $18-24/hour, depending on your experience and qualifications. +Benefit package, including health, vision, dental, and 401K with company matching.