Packaging Buyer

| **Job Title:** Packaging Buyer/Procurement Manager | | **Reports To:** Director of Procurement | | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | **Department / Group:** Procurement | | **Position Type:** Full-Time | | | **Location:** *Preferred:* San Antonio, TX ( Glenview, IL and Remote Option Considered) | | **Exemption Status:** Exempt | | | | | **Travel Required:** Yes, 25% | | | **​** **About Us:** Finlays Solutions is a leading partner to the B2B beverage manufacturing industry, recognized for its deep expertise, strong industry relationships, and commitment to innovation. The company plays a central role in supporting beverage brands, flavor houses, private label partners, and manufacturers through high-quality products, technical capabilities, and collaborative problem-solving. With a strong presence in the ready-to-drink beverage market, Finlays Solutions focuses on identifying emerging opportunities, expanding into new market spaces, and delivering solutions that meet evolving customer and consumer needs. Finlays Solutions operates with a strong commitment to its mission, values, ethics, and long‑term goals, ensuring that every initiative reflects the company’s dedication to integrity, partnership, and sustainable success. **​** **Job Summary:** In this role, you’ll be responsible for procuring primary and secondary Packaging materials for our coffee and juice products. This role requires understanding of the supply base that comprises the Food and Beverage sector of the CPG industry. The ideal candidate is both analytically strong and operationally grounded. This person will create and execute strategies to optimize value, reduce costs, manage inventory, create and maintain pricing transparency, drive supplier innovation, ensure supply continuity, work cross-functionally with internal stakeholders, and maintain/develop strong supplier relationships. **​** **Essential Duties and Responsibilities:** Develop comprehensive category strategy inclusive of spend analytics, identifying buy patterns, current and/or new supply partners to support company objectives. Monitor market and pricing trends and related cost drivers to manage risks and ensure competitive costs advantage. Provide regular updates to leadership on market dynamics. Negotiate contract types (spot buys, annual and other coverage agreements) and terms with suppliers in compliance with food-grade specifications, regulatory requirements and Finlay Solution standards and policies. Issue purchase orders, resolve supplier issues, and verify contract terms (i.e. pricing, quantities, and delivery) are met. Monitor Inventory and collaborate with supply chain, production and warehouse teams to prevent shortages or overstock. Develop and maintain relationships with suppliers, ensuring supplier KPIs and competitive pricing are achieved. Collaborate with R&D, SRM and Quality on new product sourcing, supplier approvals and sustainability goals. Support audits and regulatory inspections by providing procurement and/or supplier documentation. Other duties as required. **Qualifications & Requirements:** Bachelor’s degree in supply chain, agricultural economics, finance, or business administration. Strong negotiation skills. Minimum 5 years of experience managing packaging material purchases on a multi-unit global scale in the Food and Beverage sector of the CPG industry. Understanding and use of commodity market data and trends to make informed purchasing decisions and cost-saving initiatives. Understanding of total cost of ownership principles, price transparency, and continuous improvement strategies to ensure competitive market-based pricing. Strong analytical skills, including cost benchmarking and developing data-driven recommendations. Experience with ERP systems; D365 is desirable. **Physical Demands** Willingness to work additional hours, and tailor schedule appropriately, to support team goals and meet deadlines Must possess adequate vision, hearing, and verbal communication skil…