What are the responsibilities and job description for the COMMODITIES MERCHANDISER position at Kent Shared Services (Kent Corporation)?
At KENT WORLDWIDE™, you’re not just taking a job - you’re building something that lasts. As a family-owned company with nearly a century of momentum, we’re focused on supporting a growing world through innovation in food, agriculture, and beyond. Our people drive that impact - bringing curiosity, collaboration, and a commitment to doing meaningful work every day.
As a Commodities Merchandiser, you’ll play a key role in managing commodity origination and feed ingredient logistics while gaining exposure to risk management within our commodities team. You’ll build strong, trust-based relationships with suppliers and internal partners, helping deliver cost-effective solutions that support our operations and customers. Ready to grow your career and help shape what’s next at KENT WORLDWIDE?
PRIMARY DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Manage supply base, including sourcing, selecting, and negotiating optimal cost structures, terms, and services
- Monitor market conditions and supplier performance; proactively address pricing, delivery, and risk-related issues
- Ensure proper inventory levels and compliance with product specifications and quality standards
- Execute purchasing activities, including hedging orders, futures balancing, and risk compliance
- Identify and implement cost savings and cost mitigation opportunities through spend analysis and commodity review
- Build, develop, and continuously improve a reliable, high-quality supplier base through audits, improvement events, and quality initiatives
- Collaborate cross-functionally with operations, feed formulators, and plant managers to optimize cost and delivery outcomes
- Maintain accurate purchasing data, track performance metrics, manage supplier claims, and support reporting on commodities and positions
EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE AND/OR QUALIFICATIONS:
- Bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Business, Supply Chain Management, Accounting, Finance, Business, or related field
- 2 or more years of commodity experience
- Positive attitude and ability to work with sense of urgency in a fast paced, autonomous environment
- Must be a team player, and understand impact of others on complex business needs
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Analytical and problem-solving skills and ability to think and act independently
- Excellent decision making, people management, and negotiation skills
- Proficiency with MS Office (Access, Excel, Word, and PowerPoint)
TRAVEL EXPECTED:
- 10% - As needed