Commodities Trainee in Mississauga, Ontario at Mother Parkers

We are one of the largest tea and coffee manufacturers in North America, with a mission to create a better beverage experience for our customers. As a leading customer solutions provider to some of North America’s largest retailers and foodservice chains, we use state-of-the-art technology and new product innovation to help our customers grow their business and deliver superior products to their clientele. Our team of coffee and tea experts are deeply passionate about what we do, proud of our 100+ years of business success, and excited about building a future with endless possibilities. Come join our team and work among the best, collaborate with high performers, and contribute to challenging work every day!

The Role:

The Commodities Trainee Program is a unique opportunity to gain in-depth knowledge of coffee and tea, which are at the heart of Mother Parkers’ business. You will learn Commodities supply chain and procurement, while also develop sensory skills to recognize different origin attributes, qualities and common faults found in coffee and/or tea. The program will progress to more involvement across key functions, including commodities inventory management, risk management/futures hedging, and sustainability execution. The Commodities trainee program starts you at the core of our very exciting business and offers deep insights and understanding that will promote your growth within the team or to other areas of focus within the business.

What you get to do:

• Participate in regular coffee and tea market updates and assist team to develop procurement strategy
• Support buyers on forward physical contract negotiation, execution, administration
• Assist in preparing supplier scorecards and business review materials
• Support Risk Management team on futures execution, ie risk hedging. Over time, understand what drives the futures market and its implications to the physical market. Assist in developing market presentations for internal and external customers.
• Develop relationships with global trade partners to facilitate market information exchange
• Support buyers with inventory management and associated negotiations with importers
• Participate in ideating and executing cost savings and growth initiatives
• Manage reconciliation and facilitate payment of miscellaneous invoices
• Manage commodities contract reconciliations, working with buyers and importers to solve for discrepancies
• Work with internal and external customers and suppliers to assure optimal commodity inventory levels in warehouse and plant, balancing short-term & mid-term demand with inventory turn requirements, inform buying team of traffic issues and/or delays and creatively problem solve for lowest cost solutions.
• Timely and accurate maintenance/updates of systems data, holding our suppliers accountable for quality of data
• Regular coffee and/or tea ‘cupping’ – tasting and grading the commodity to ensure quality and profile adhere to customer requirements and specifications
• Develop working knowledge of key coffee origins, harvest cycles, quality profiles, certifications, logistics flows and how they translate to the cupping table
• Understand the intricacies of each sustainability option to make informed buying decisions
• Ensure purchases comply with all sustainability requirements

What you bring to the role:

• Post-Secondary education in Business and at least 1 years' relevant work experience (Could be Co-Op experience) in a Supply Chain, Risk Management, or Procurement role
• Strong financial acumen
• Strong oral and written communication
• Team player
• Ability to operate independently, and take initiative with minimal supervision
• Proactive and efficient at solving problems
• Attention to detail and organization
• Experience operating in a fast paced & changing environment
• High proficiency with MS Office, in particular excel
• Coffee and/or Tea cupping experience, otherwise willing and able to learn the nuances of coffee cupping and grading
• Interest in commodities trading, procurement, agriculture, or global supply chains
• Eager, willing and capable to help where needed in a fast-paced customer focused environment
• A positive attitude and a desire to have fun!

What we offer you:

• Competitive Total Rewards package – health benefits coverage on day 1, employer matched retirement savings plans, optional Health or Wellness Spending Accounts.
• Employee discount program on our coffee and tea products.
• Annual Safety Shoes Program – your safety is our #1 priority.
• Tuition Assistance Program – we value continuous learning and self-development.
• The hiring range for this role is $65,000 - $70,000.

This posting is for an existing/new vacancy.

We use AI enabled tools to support parts of our selection process; however, every hiring decision is reviewed and finalized by our people.

While Mother Parkers welcomes all applications, we do not accept unsolicited resumes from employment agencies or search firms. Only those candidates who meet the minimum requirements will be contacted. Mother Parkers is committed to providing accommodation for persons with disabilities. Accommodation is available on request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the selection process.

By providing your information to us, you understand and agree to Mother Parkers Tea & Coffee’s privacy policy: https://www.mother-parkers.com/privacy-policy/