What are the responsibilities and job description for the Purchasing & Sourcing Specialist position at Alfaparf Milano?
About the Role
We are expanding our U.S. manufacturing operations in Rhode Island as part of Alfaparf Group, an international leader in the beauty and professional personal care industry headquartered in Italy.
We are seeking a motivated Purchasing & Sourcing Specialist to support purchasing and supplier sourcing activities for the plant, including raw materials, packaging, equipment, maintenance, and facility-related services. The role will work closely with our Global Purchasing team in Italy to identify and qualify suppliers and support our expanding U.S. production.
This is a hands-on role in a growing operation where initiative, adaptability, negotiation skills, and supplier management are essential.
Key Responsibilities
- Source, evaluate, and develop suppliers for raw materials, packaging, equipment, services, and other plant requirements.
- Request and evaluate quotations, compare pricing and commercial terms, and support supplier selection.
- Negotiate pricing, payment terms, lead times, minimum order quantities, and delivery conditions.
- Create and manage purchase orders and follow up with suppliers to ensure timely delivery.
- Develop alternative suppliers to improve cost, lead times, and supply continuity.
- Support purchasing and vendor sourcing for plant projects, including maintenance, construction, loading docks, warehouse racks, landscaping, and new equipment.
- Work closely with the Global Purchasing team in Italy on supplier sourcing and qualification for Haircare production.
- Coordinate with Production Planning, Quality, Warehouse, Maintenance, Finance, and Operations.
- Monitor supplier performance and resolve pricing, delivery, quality, or service issues.
- Maintain accurate supplier, pricing, purchasing, and contract documentation.
- Identify cost-saving and purchasing optimization opportunities.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Business Administration, Operations, Procurement, or a related field preferred.
- 3 years of purchasing, procurement, sourcing, or buyer experience, preferably in a manufacturing environment.
- Experience sourcing materials, packaging, equipment, or manufacturing services preferred.
- Strong supplier negotiation and relationship-management skills.
- Experience with ERP systems; SAP experience preferred.
- Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
- Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced and evolving manufacturing environment.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills.
- Ability to collaborate effectively with U.S. and international teams.
Technical Skills
Required
- Intermediate to Advanced Microsoft Excel
- Pivot Tables
- VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP
- INDEX/MATCH
- Basic statistical analysis
- Data analysis and reporting
An Intermediate/Advanced Excel assessment will be administered during the selection process.
Preferred Experience
Experience in cosmetics, personal care, beauty, pharmaceutical, chemical, or consumer products manufacturing is a plus, particularly experience with raw materials and packaging procurement.
Key Competencies
Supplier Sourcing Negotiation Cost Analysis Vendor Management Purchasing Problem Solving Cross-Functional Collaboration Adaptability Sense of Urgency
Languages
- Fluent English (required).
- Italian and/or Spanish are considered a plus.
Pay: $55,000.00 - $65,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- 401(k) matching
- Dental insurance
- Health insurance
- Paid time off
Work Location: In person
Salary : $55,000 - $65,000