We grow the world’s BEST Strawberries, and our Procurement Lead is a gigantic reason why!

We grow the world’s BEST strawberries, and behind that is a world-class supply chain. As our Procurement Lead, you’ll be in charge of building and scaling our purchasing operations. This is a hands-on leadership role where you’ll own the full procurement lifecycle, develop supplier strategies, drive cost savings, and build systems that support our rapid growth and operational resilience. This is your role if you thrive in a fast-paced, collaborative environment and love turning complexity into clarity.

What You’ll Be Responsible For:

Procurement Strategy & Execution

• Own the end-to-end purchase order lifecycle—from requisition to receipt.
• Design, implement, and scale PO-to-receipt processes in collaboration with cross-functional teams.
• Partner with demand planning and farm operations to forecast inventory needs and ensure timely fulfillment.
• Lead sourcing strategy and supplier selection to support company growth and supply chain resilience.
• Lead the development and execution of the company’s procurement strategy, aligning it with business goals and growth objectives.
• Perform regular inventory cycle counts to ensure accuracy and compliance.
• Oversee key suppliers' selection, evaluation, and management, ensuring a diverse and resilient supply base.
• Develop and manage procurement budgets, forecasts, and spend analytics.
• Establish and monitor KPIs for the procurement function, reporting on performance to senior leadership.
• Lead cross-functional initiatives to improve supply chain efficiency, risk management, and cost optimization.
• Collaborate with Commercial, R&D, and Farm teams to support new product launches and innovation projects.
• Drive the adoption of sustainable and ethical sourcing practices throughout the supply chain.
• Work closely with the construction team to manage materials and equipment.

Team Leadership & Vendor Management

• Manage, mentor, and develop junior team members as the organization scales.
• Build and maintain strategic relationships with key suppliers and vendors, including freight carriers.
• Lead high-stakes negotiations for favorable terms, pricing, and service levels.
• Work with the Finance team to establish and maintain effective internal controls that safeguard inventory and support operational integrity.
• Oversee the procurement of facility and maintenance-related materials and services.
• Negotiate and manage complex contracts, including master service agreements, pricing agreements, and long-term supply contracts.
• Take ownership of warehouse location, ensuring efficient operations.
• Work closely with the facilities management team to lead and take ownership of all warehouse locations
• Partner with legal and compliance teams to review and mitigate contractual risks.
• Mentor and develop junior team members, fostering a culture of learning, accountability, and innovation.

Cost Optimization & Process Improvement

• Drive strategic sourcing initiatives and cost reduction programs.
• Monitor and analyze key procurement metrics to identify efficiencies and opportunities.
• Partner with Finance to support budget planning, reporting, and compliance.
• Establish and enforce procurement best practices and standard operating procedures.
• Champion continuous improvement by identifying and implementing best-in-class procurement tools, technologies, and processes.
• Represent the procurement function in senior leadership meetings and strategic planning sessions.
• Lead crisis management and contingency planning for critical supply chain disruptions.
• Stay ahead of industry trends, emerging technologies, and regulatory changes affecting procurement and supply chain management.

Who will love this job: Individuals who identify with our Core Values and exhibit skills within those values will thrive at Oishii.

• One Team, One Fight!
  • Ability to quickly shift priorities to meet deadlines and effectively communicate, both verbally and in writing, clearly, concisely and with purpose.
  • Ability to work cross functionally and collaborate to ensure a clean, secure & safe working environment for all.

• Focus
  • Ability to remove obstacles in order to prioritize which could include problem solving, working through ambiguity and using fact based or sound judgment.
  • Ability to synthesize information quickly to aid in the troubleshooting process including ability to make data driven decisions.
  • Keen eye for detail and numbers.
• GSD (Get Sh** Done!)
  • Capable of prioritizing tasks and considering the resources available when doing so
  • Ability to negotiate and drive favorable outcomes for the organization.
  • A bias for action! Ability to hold yourself accountable and take ownership of driving results that impact company outcomes.
  • Ability to take direction and run with it!

What we look for in a Procurement Lead:

• 7+ years in procurement, supply chain, or operations.
• Experience with ERP or inventory management systems.
• Exposure to domestic and international procurement.
• Familiarity with agricultural, food production, or manufacturing environments is a plus.
• Experience in procurement, particularly within a construction environment is a plus.
• Experience building process from the ground up particularly in an ambiguous environment.

Location: Phillipsburg, NJ - Must be able to be on-site Monday - Friday

Perks at Oishii:

• Competitive salary $85-90K with an equity package
• 401(k) retirement plan
• Medical, dental and vision insurance
• Paid Parental leave
• 100% Employer Paid Life Insurance + Long Term Disability Insurance
• EAP Access
• Pet Insurance
• Office social events including happy hours, parties, and community service projects
• Employee activity groups for basketball players, Yoga Enthusiasts, runners…

About Oishii:

At Oishii, we grow the best fruit in the world by deploying ground-breaking vertical farming technology that pushes the boundaries of agriculture. We’re the first in the WORLD to grow fruit in an indoor vertical farm at commercial scale. We started with strawberries, which we debuted at Chef's Table at Brooklyn Fare, the three star Michelin restaurant considered by critics to be among the best in the world. Since then, we have supplied our strawberries to food-loving consumers, world-class restaurants, and specialty retailers across NYC. Our proprietary technology enables us to grow the very best produce year-round, at the same high level of quality, all without using any pesticides.

Oishii has been profiled in Eater, NPR, Time Magazine, and Fortune. Oishi was also one of the Fast Companies Most Innovative Companies of 2022.

At Oishii, everything we do works toward accomplishing our mission of transforming agriculture sustainably while bringing produce that truly delights people everywhere. This requires farmers, engineers, scientists, product managers, and members of many other backgrounds to work together day-in and day-out to innovate, while operating increasingly large farms. We have an amazing mission-driven team of highly motivated and engaged members.

Learn More https://oishii.com/