Strategic Sourcing Lead at Tarter Gate Company, LLC – Dunnville, Kentucky

Job Summary

Tarter has been and will always be a leader in the Farm and Ranch space with one of, if not, the most extensive offering in the country supporting our Farmers and Ranchers. We are looking for a key person to help take us to the next level, as we venture into new and diverse markets with unlimited opportunity. Understanding how to find new suppliers and new products we are not currently sourcing along with improving our current buying process.

We are seeking a highly analytical and detail-oriented Sourcing individual to join our purchasing team. As a Strategic Sourcing Lead, you will be responsible for locating, vetting, and developing sources for all our products and help navigate new purchases when we roll-out new product lines. This person will have multiple years’ experience of high-level communication and negotiations within purchasing processes. They will have the opportunity to leverage knowledge and network to ensure Tarter stays at the forefront of the market.

Key Responsibilities

• Drive cost savings initiatives by negotiating contracts and pricing with suppliers while maintaining high-quality standards.
• Develop and implement sourcing strategies for raw materials, components, and packaging materials to support new programs and products.
• Identify and engage potential suppliers, fostering relationships to ensure alignment with company goals for quality, reliability, and cost-effectiveness.
• Collaborate closely with engineering, production, and inventory management teams to align procurement activities with production schedules and business needs.
• Research Potential Vendors- Interviews and confers with vendors to obtain product or service information, such as price, availability, and delivery schedule. Selects products for purchase by testing, observing, or examining items
• Negotiates Contract / Pricing- Estimates values according to knowledge of market price. Obtains vendor quotes and negotiates pricing.
• Project Management tracking and reporting from project initiation through handoff to materials releasing team.
• Identify complimentary products / items / manufacturing to our current methods and catalog.

Requirements and Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor's degree in business, logistics, supply chain management, or related field

Experience

• Minimum of 3-5 years of experience in purchasing for large manufacturing organizations.
• Proven track record of successful contract negotiations and supplier management
• Expert with commodity markets and trends
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• Proven influencer.

Skills

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team
• Proficient in Microsoft Office and enterprise resource planning (ERP) software - Epicor knowledge a plus
• Ability to multitask, prioritize, and manage time effectively
• Attention to detail and accuracy