Wholesale Purchasing Manager

GrowNYC is a 54-year-old environmental nonprofit organization helping more than 3 million New Yorkers by providing essential services and taking action to make NYC a livable city, one where every person can enjoy a healthier, more sustainable life. GrowNYC Programs include:

• Our network of Greenmarkets, Farmstands, Fresh Food Box sites, and the work of GrowNYC Wholesale ensure that all New Yorkers have access to the freshest, healthiest local food.
• We build and support community and school gardens through volunteer days, technical assistance, training, grants and more.
• We provide 70,000 children each year with programs that provide meaningful interactions with the natural environment.

Wholesale Purchasing Manager - Full Time

Position Summary

The Purchasing Manager will oversee day-to-day purchasing operations and vendor management for GrowNYC Wholesale, New York City's only regional food hub. This role focuses on overseeing cost management processes, inventory control systems, and maintaining strong relationships with vendors and farm partners. The Purchasing Manager will be responsible for overseeing Cost of Goods Sold (COGS) management, implementing and maintaining PAR levels for inventory optimization, and spearheading the development of a comprehensive purchasing network to ensure year-round product availability despite New York's seasonal growing limitations. This includes coordinating with regional suppliers, food hubs, and partner distributors to maintain consistent product offerings throughout all seasons. The Purchasing Manager supervises the Procurement Specialist and reports to the Assistant Director of Wholesale.

Requirements

Wholesale Purchasing Manager Responsibilities (Include but are not limited to):

• Oversee all daily purchasing activities to maintain optimal inventory levels, minimize waste, and control COGS to meet budget targets and financial objectives
• Develop seasonal purchasing calendars and manage harvest-to-order programs to ensure year-round product availability and maximize freshness
• Build and maintain positive working relationships with vendors, farm partners, and regional food hubs to ensure year-round product availability and consistent supply during off-seasons
• Implement cost-saving initiatives while maintaining quality standards and food safety compliance
• Manage product recalls and quality control processes for all incoming products, coordinating with suppliers and internal teams as needed
• Supervise the Procurement Specialist, providing daily guidance and support

Qualifications

• 3-5 years of purchasing or procurement experience, preferably in food service or agricultural industry
• Strong financial acumen with demonstrated experience overseeing budgets and cost control
• Bachelor's degree in Business, Supply Chain Management, or related field
• Knowledge of local food systems and sustainable agriculture
• Fluency in Spanish

Schedule

The schedule for this role is Monday - Friday, with occasional weekends, scheduling can start as early as 6am depending on business needs. This position is full-time and year-round with an expected weekly workload of 35-40 hours per week with a 1 hour unpaid meal break each work day.

Compensation

This is an exempt full-time salaried position. It pays $70,000-$78,000 annually and includes full benefits (medical, dental, vision, life insurance, long-term disability, paid time off, Public Service Loan Forgiveness, and potential for parental leave for full-time regular employees who have been employed with GrowNYC for 175 days and FSA programs). This position is not union eligible/not a part of the bargaining unit.

Location

This is a hybrid role including a minimum of 3 days at GrowNYC’s Bronx Food Hub (Mandatory Thursdays).