Sourcing Specialist

Key Responsibilities

Identify, evaluate, and onboard high-quality buyers (retail chains, cloud-kitchens, hotels, institutional caterers) for exotic vegetable supply.

Develop and implement sourcing/supply-chain strategies to meet demand sustainably balancing volume, freshness, quality, and cost.

Negotiate contracts, pricing, supply terms, payment terms with buyers and intermediaries (distributors, DCs, procurement heads).

Build and maintain long-term relationships with buyers, distributors, and supply-chain partners.

Forecast demand and supply requirements; plan daily/weekly harvest & supply schedule in coordination with farm operations.

Ensure compliance with food-safety standards, packaging norms (grading, shelf-life, hygiene), and regulatory requirements (GST, FSSAI, documentation).

Coordinate logistics: cold-chain storage or transport (if required), timely dispatch, delivery schedules, and quality control at dispatch & delivery points.

Monitor market trends, demand patterns (seasonality, buyer demand), competitor pricing adapt sourcing/supply strategies accordingly.

Maintain procurement/supply records, manage budgets, inventory (if using own storage), and supplier/buyer data.

Periodically audit supply performance: quality, wastage, delivery delays; implement corrective measures.

Provide regular reports to management: supply volume, revenue forecast, buyer performance, risk & contingencies.

Required Qualifications & Skills

• Bachelor's degree (Agriculture, Supply-chain / Logistics / Business Administration or equivalent) advantageous.
• 35 years (or more) experience in fresh-produce sourcing, procurement, supply-chain management, preferably with perishable goods (vegetables / fruits / similar).
• Strong negotiation & vendor/buyer-management skills.
• Good knowledge of agricultural produce, seasonality, freshness norms, storage/transport constraints (cold-chain, perishability).
• Detail-oriented, organized, able to manage multiple buyers, schedules, documentation.
• Excellent communication skills to liaise with buyers, farmers/farm staff, logistics partners.
• Analytical mindset: able to forecast demand, plan supply, monitor data (volumes, wastage, delivery times, costs).
• Ability to work under time-pressure, meet tight supply deadlines (especially for perishable items).