WHO WE ARE?
At American Meadows (AMC), our purpose is “Doing Good Through Gardening.” Each day we get to make people happy and the earth better by providing gardeners with the products, knowledge and experience they need to succeed. We have a decade+ track record of growth and we are excited about our future. We are passionate about connecting gardeners with the products, knowledge, and inspiration to dig in and garden with confidence. We seek to be a trusted gardening partner for those new to gardening and those looking to expand their gardening prowess —those who are willing to combine new ideas and products with classic favorites. We work to do this by providing a top-quality assortment of products, a team that’s passionate about what we do and a “customer-first” approach to our ecommerce shopping experience. If this sounds intriguing, read on...
WHO YOU ARE & WHAT YOU’D DO?
Join our growing team and be part of the movement of Meadowscaping at American Meadows as our new Purchasing Coordinator, where you'll be at the heart of our industry-leading seed supply chain. In this dynamic role, you'll play a crucial part in managing the intricate balance of inventory for our diverse seed categories. Your typical day will include analyzing weekly stock levels, coordinating with vendors on inbound shipments, and ensuring our raw materials are replenished in line with seasonal forecasts. As you oversee our in-season management, you'll keep a keen eye on order updates, cancellations, and in-house adjustments, striving to maintain an impressive in-stock rate above 95%. Your attention to detail will shine as you review aged inventory to inform promotions and ensure that our inventory aligns with target weeks of supply and ending inventory goals.
Beyond the day-to-day, you will coordinate pre-season planning and purchasing while playing a critical role in sourcing new species and mixes. The cornerstone of your work will be building strong vendor relationships that lead to cost-effective procurement guided by sourcing the highest quality and purity non-GMO seed that the American Meadows brand was built on. This position is not just a job, but a launchpad for growth in a company that values innovation, sustainability, and the beauty of nature's diversity. Embrace the challenge and watch your career bloom at American Meadows.
If this role looks to be a good fit for the next steps of your career, show off your skills by thoroughly reviewing the accountability matrix, reply with your resume and complete Step 1 (listed below in the ‘How to Apply’ section) of the application process to our People & Culture team.
We look forward to hearing from you!
ACCOUNTABILITY MATRIX
In-Season Management
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Weekly Low Stock Analysis all Seed Categories using DM and sell through
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On Order updates: Cancellations, in-house adjustments
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Raw material replenishment based on seasonal forecasts and production requirements
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WOS supply analysis, buy recommendations, and replenishment
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In-bound transit
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Vendor Compliance: Backorders, in-house, mis-ships
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Aged Inventory reporting and analysis
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Purchase order entry and management
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Coordination with team to align in-stock against upcoming promotions and inventory targets
1
40%
- In Season in stock rates +95%
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Inventory aligns with target weeks of supply and EOP ending inventory goals by sub-category
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4 months of PKA/PKZ raw materials on-hand for production and AZN chase business
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Vendor compliance for inbound freight via Ascent
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Vendors are aware of expectations regarding in-house and backorder disciplines.
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Aged inventory reviewed in weekly supply chain to inform promotions and markdowns
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Update and accuracy of Acumatica purchase order entry, in-house dates, and backorders
Pre-Season and Sourcing?
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Request For Quotation (RFQ) and vendor negotiations for pre-season orders
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Cost and margin assessments by supplier aligned with Seed Team Category targets
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Sourcing suppliers and bids for new mixes and species
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New supplier vetting and set up
2
35%
- Supply base leveraged based on cost and reliability to award future orders
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Vendor cost negotiations meet or exceed category margin targets
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Utilizing supply base to source new mixes, species, and early to market launches
Seed Operations?
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Formula documentation
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Germ rate testing
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Seed tag and lot management; Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS)
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Inventory Management for in house mixes and formula changes
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Receiving and Order auditing
3
25%
- Standard Operation Procedures (SOP) in place to track formula changes, and trigger production and site for action
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Germ testing and stored documentation based on reviews and aged concern
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Manage all records of seed on-hand based on lot number capturing purity, germ, MSDS, etc.
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In-house mix ingredients regular cycle counts
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
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High school diploma/GED required. Bachelor's degree in business administration, logistics or similar detail-oriented field preferred.
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2+ years of experience as a purchasing specialist or in a similar role.
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Good working knowledge of purchasing strategies.
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Excellent communication, interpersonal, and negotiation skills.
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Strong analytical thinking and problem-solving skills.
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Team player with strong organizational skills.
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Proficiency in Microsoft Office and particularly Excel.
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Experience with Acumatica preferred.
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We’re gardeners – you should be too… or at least possess a thirst to learn!
OUR CULTURE
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We don’t just accept difference – we celebrate it, we support it, and we thrive on it for the benefit of our employees, our customers, and our community.? We are introverts, extroverts, and everything in between.
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We have (at least) one week dedicated each year to dressing up in costumes.
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Meetings are banned until after lunch each day.
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You’ll keep a pair gardening shoes and slippers in your office locker (when working in-office).
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Dogs, yoga, bagpipe parades and taco trucks all make appearances during our Build Weeks.
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We embrace memes.
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Don’t Stop Believin’ is our national anthem.
THE PERKS
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The usual, but very important, things like health, vision, dental (which the company contributes to), as well as a matching retirement plan and company paid Life Insurance and Disability.
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Additional optional benefits include a Health Savings Account (HSA), an Employee Assistance Program through InvestEAP, and access to discounted college courses and certificate programs through Champlain College’s TruED program.
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Time to rejuvenate your mind and spend time with friends and family is very important.
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We’re life-long learners and want you to be inspired to grow, whether it’s through Master Gardener, an Excel class, or want to be more informed in ways to support our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion efforts.
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We share in our financial success, and you’ll receive an incentive payout when we achieve our financial and project goals.
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The best way for you to connect with our products is by digging in the dirt and gardening with our products. We offer at-cost product discounts and at the end of each season, with any remaining unsold products, we give them out to our employees and the community to fuel more gardening passion!
HOW TO APPLY?
If this work sounds invigorating and you’re excited to learn more, please complete Step 1:
Share your assessment of AMI's most formidable seed competitors and your perception of what our unique market position is.
Don’t go overboard – This is a simple writing exercise and a chance to get a sense for how you go about your craft.? Also include a resume, but please focus on the first aspect as it’s the key to proving that you’re the right fit.
American Meadows is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE). Qualified applicants are considered for employment without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, disability, or veteran status. If you need assistance or an accommodation during the application process because of a disability, it is available upon request. The company is pleased to provide such assistance, and no applicant will be penalized as a result of such a request.