Supplier Relationship Manager

Crofters is growing and we are seeking an energetic, reliable & flexible team player to join our Finance Team. Here’s your chance to join a highly skilled team of professionals at one of North America’s pioneering brands in the organic food movement Crofters Food Ltd, known in the grocery aisles as Crofters Organic Fruit Spreads, is the leading manufacturer of organic jams, jellies and fruit spreads in North America. Headquartered in picturesque Parry Sound, Ontario, about two hours north of Toronto, we manufacture a vast array of fruit-based spreads sold in stores across Canada, the United States, and select international markets. From the way we source our fruit, to the way we carefully manufacture our products using forward-thinking sustainable processing techniques, to our innovative, health-conscious formulations, every aspect of our operations receives the care and attention they deserve. A small but mighty team, with the support of a US based private equity firm, join us as we look to aggressively scale our business on our mission to become one of the leading organic food brands in North America.

Position Overview**:Supplier Relationship Manger**

As the **Supplier Relationship Manager **you are responsible for cultivating and maintaining strong relationships with growers, processors and/or brokers who supply Crofter’s with various ingredients, including fresh and IQF (Individually Quick Frozen) fruits, fruit purees, fruit concentrates, and sweeteners. This role ensures proactive communication with senior leadership regarding any factors that may impact volume, quality, and costs across the supply chain.

This position reports directly to the **Vice President of Supply Chain. ** The duties and responsibilities of the **Supplier Relationship Manager **will be as follows:
1) Build and nurture long-term partnerships with organic strawberry growers located in California and Mexico, encouraging their active participation in Crofter’s supply chain.

2) Conduct regular site visits to processing facilities to monitor the quality, volume, and overall status of organic fresh fruit supply within the U.S., Mexico, and international locations focused on organic fruits and sweeteners.

3) Foster relationships throughout the supply chain to gain a comprehensive understanding of cost and volume drivers that affect Crofter’s procurement programs.

4) Represent Crofter’s at industry events, including grower meetings, trade shows, and conferences, to enhance the company’s presence and connect with potential new partners.

5) Lead grower meetings to recruit additional partners and clearly present Crofter’s procurement programs and expectations.

6) Collaborate with breeders and large-scale grower operations to stay informed on variety development work, communicating critical updates to the VP of Supply Chain to support early product development and customer communications.

7) Assess risks and costs associated with procurement and supply chain activities, identifying opportunities to minimize each.

8) Explore and develop new procurement regions within the U.S. or Mexico for fresh organic strawberries.

9) Monitor and report on crop volume, variety, organic compliance, and quality issues to senior management through formal reports and regular informal updates.

**Requirements and Qualifications**:

- Bachelor’s degree in Agronomy, Agribusiness, Crop Science, or a related field.
- At least 10 years of experience working in organic fruit production or a similar field.
- Strong understanding of growing, picking, processing, and pest management processes.
- Willingness to travel extensively (up to 75%), both domestically and internationally, individually or as part of a team.
- Bilingual in English and Spanish.
- Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
- Strong knowledge of organic farming practices, particularly with organic strawberry production.

**Required Skills**:

- Proven ability to build and maintain productive relationships with growers, processors, industry leaders, and other stakeholders.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Competence in procurement cost analysis and scenario planning.
- Strong project management skills, with an ability to manage multiple priorities and projects concurrently.

**Job type**: Full-time, Permanent, Hybrid

**Benefits**: Basic Benefit Plan including Health and Medical, Vision Care, Dental, Wellness & Preventative Services. RSP and Bonus Program.

**Rate of Pay**: $125,000.00 Annual Salary

Pay: From $125,000.00 per year

**Benefits**:

- Dental care
- Paid time off
- RRSP match
- Vision care

Schedule:

- Monday to Friday

Work Location: In person