Purchase Specialist

olaben

Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam

3-5 Years

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Posted 19 hours ago
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Job Description

About The Job

Purchasing Specialist

Reports to: CEO

Department: Operations

Location: Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Employment: Full-time

Role Purpose

Own and elevate the purchasing function at Olaben across all categories outside of activewear, with primary focus on improving nutrition product margin, supplier quality, and food production documentation. Build the supplier base, commercial terms, and operational systems that allow Olaben's nutrition line to scale profitably and compliantly, while ensuring packaging, office, and ad hoc procurement runs smoothly and cost-effectively. The Purchasing Lead is expected to move the function from transactional order placement to a structured, data-driven, margin-conscious operation.

Responsibilities

Nutrition Sourcing & Margin Management

Source and qualified suppliers for ingredients, finished goods, and co-manufacturers; maintain ≥2 qualified backup suppliers per critical SKU to eliminate single-source risk.
Build landed cost models per SKU incorporating FOB/CIF pricing, freight, duties, and Incoterm selection; flag margin erosion >2% with corrective action plan.
Negotiate commercial terms covering price brackets, MOQs, lead times, and payment terms (NET30/60, LC, TT); run formal annual renegotiations on top 10 spend lines.
Run structured 3-bid RFQ processes for any new SKU, ingredient, or material above defined threshold; document quote comparisons and award rationale.
Track raw material price movements (whey, collagen, vitamins) and FX exposure on imported items; pre-empt cost increases via forward buying or contract pricing.

Food Production Documentation & Compliance

Maintain centralised document archive of COAs, technical/spec sheets, allergen declarations, nutritional profiles, and stability data for every nutrition SKU.
Verify supplier compliance documentation (HACCP, GMP, ISO 22000, FSSC 22000, halal/kosher where applicable, food safety licenses); track expiry and refresh proactively.
Coordinate with co-manufacturers on batch records, production reports, and QC documentation; ensure traceability from raw material lot to finished goods batch.
Support regulatory submissions for new product registration in Vietnam (self-declaration of food safety, MoH filings) and export markets; own document collation workflow.
Maintain non-conformance log for supplier quality issues (out-of-spec deliveries, COA discrepancies, packaging defects); drive CAPA closure with suppliers.

Packaging, Office & Ad Hoc Procurement

Manage end-to-end PO lifecycle for packaging, office supplies, and ad hoc business purchases; ensure 3-way match (PO → GRN → invoice) before payment release.
Source and qualify packaging suppliers with attention to label regulatory compliance, food-contact certification, MOQ flexibility, and lead time reliability.
Consolidate recurring spend into preferred-supplier agreements where possible to reduce admin overhead and unlock volume pricing.
Reconcile supplier invoices and resolve pricing/quantity discrepancies; manage supplier payment scheduling in coordination with Finance.
Track delivery performance (OTIF) across all categories; escalate chronic underperformers for replacement or formal performance review.

Process, Systems & Reporting

Own the supplier master file (contacts, payment terms, lead times, MOQs, certifications, performance scorecards, price history) as a single source of truth.
Document SOPs for top 10 recurring procurement workflows (onboarding, RFQ, PO, GRN, COA filing, non-conformance) within the first 6 months.
Maintain ERP/inventory data hygiene (item costs, supplier links, lead times, reorder parameters) to enable reliable downstream planning.
Deliver monthly procurement report covering spend by category, documented savings, supplier scorecard, open POs, exceptions, and risks.
Drive continuous process improvement by proposing at least one quantified initiative per quarter to reduce cycle time, paperwork, or cost.

Requirements

3–5 years of purchasing or procurement experience, with ≥2 years in F&B, supplements, FMCG, or pharma-adjacent industries.
Demonstrable margin-improvement or cost-saving track record with quantified outcomes (e.g., reduced ingredient cost by X% across Y SKUs).
Working knowledge of food safety frameworks (HACCP, GMP, ISO 22000) and Vietnamese food regulation; familiarity with COAs and spec sheet review.
Advanced Excel: landed cost modelling, supplier comparison matrices, pivot-based spend analysis; ERP/inventory system fluency.
Negotiation fluency in Vietnamese; working English (written email, supplier calls, document review).
Demonstrably organised — must show evidence of building or maintaining structured documentation systems in past roles.

The Benefits