Buyer - Panama Banana

As we approach 100 years, Panama has built a solid reputation as one of the leading Distributors of Fine Produce. With detailed attention to customer service and adherence to high quality standards, our company has grown from a small family business into a full line distributor of produce for delivery throughout the U.S. We service customers through our distribution channels with the same focus: a passion for freshness, quality, and ease of doing business that is second to none. Today, Panama is housed in a state-of-the-art facility that offers ripening rooms, cold coolers, climate-control docks that maintain the cold chain throughout the entire process of unloading and reloading, produce packaging and repacking with plastic-free clipped bags, and logistics.

Essential Functions:

• Interact and communicate with customers to sell inventory and deliver exemplary category margin performance and growth
• Strive to improve inventory turns, reduce out of stock, control shrink and maintain FIFO inventory
• Monitor product quality to ensure customer satisfaction, by daily visual quality checks and monitoring daily inventory reports. Communicate quality issues with operations and quality control
• Manage incoming freight for timely arrivals to eliminate out of stock and to improve operational efficiencies
• Supply cost and market trends to the retail marketing staff for the development of books and daily selling opportunities
• Negotiate and report to marketing ad and market buster offerings and pricing available from shippers
• Supply market opportunities of deal product to marketing for development of incremental sales

Other Functions:

• Assist with daily and monthly physical inventory, as needed
• Complete other team member’s duties when unable to complete tasks
• Assist marketing and sales to market products and programs to specified accounts
• Perform special projects as directed

Competencies, Education, and Skills to be Successful:

• Innovative and creative thinking
• Listening skills
• Influencing
• Negotiation skills
• Complex problem-solving
• Related bachelor’s degree and at least 5 years successful experience as a Category Manager/Buyer in the produce industry or at least 7 years successful related experience in the produce industry
• Proficient skills in Produce Pro or similar software, Microsoft Office and common E Mail systems are required

Compensation:

• $120,000 - $150,000/Year

Benefits:

• Health & Welfare Benefits (Medical, Dental, Vision, Disability, and Voluntary Life)
• Paid Time Off
• Holidays
• 401(k) with Company Match
• Weekly Paid
• Career Advancement Opportunities

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin, disability, veteran status, or another legally protected status.