Procurement Manager, Independent Brands
(Wine Jobs:
Wine Retail & Sommelier)
Full Time
BlackSquare Io
Calgary (Remote),
Alberta
Job Description:
As the Procurement Manager, Independent Brands, you will be accountable for procurement of products for our well established brands: WineCollective, Kwaf and Canada Craft Club. This role reports to the Managing Director, Independent Brands, and is critical in the sourcing of our industry-leading subscription packages. The Procurement Manager will create efficiencies to deliver improved costs while maintaining a strong focus on providing new and exciting offerings to our customers each month. The ideal candidate will take a customer-centric approach and be willing to “source outside of the box” in order to create unparalleled experiences . A crucial part of this role is the ability to network, build relationships, and maintain strong communication with internal and external stakeholders. Some of the accountabilities that you have are as follows:
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First and foremost bring in great product! Value and customer experience is of utmost importance within this role.
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Maintaining and creating partnerships with our industry partners, agents, and representatives to find the very best products for our clients;
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Negotiating the best prices possible with our partners and being aware of and executing on LTO, and other offerings, that improve our financial performance;
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Leveraging our existing inventory supplies as efficiently as possible while working with the Procurement and Marketing teams to source the appropriate stock for moving-target requirements; managing of inventory between the warehouse and retail space;
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Recommending pricing strategies in collaboration with marketing teams that are attractive to our customers and help us achieve our business objectives;
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Tasting, assessing, and making recommendations for purchase on behalf of our broad customer base;
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Assisting in the creation and development of content for our various platforms including tasting notes, historical background, and exciting stories that WOW our audience;
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Working cross functionally to deliver content, product information, and scheduled purchases in a timely manner
What you bring to the role:
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3+ years experience in a wine/beer/spirits role (boutique retail, restaurant or agency);
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General knowledge of wine/beer/spirits paired with plenty of curiosity and an open mind;
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Experience purchasing and sourcing product in the Alberta market and a working knowledge of the systems within;
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Familiarity with the regulatory framework of the liquor industry in Alberta and Canada in general;
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Strong communication skills, both written and oral, ideally with some writing experience to assist with content development as needed;
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Experience in the global shipping industry, as it pertains to alcohol, would be valuable:
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Holding of an advanced designation such as WSET, Cicerone, or currently working towards the completion would be definite asset;
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University degree in Business Administration, Marketing, Communications, or similar would be considered an asset;
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Strong problem solving skills;
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A natural negotiator who can navigate difficult conversations;
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Financial acumen as related to a buying role would be considered an asset;
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Ability to prioritize tasks from various sources both inside and outside the organization;
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Strong spreadsheet skills (Google Sheets preferred);
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Experience working with an ERP and/or POS would be ideal.
About BlackSquare
BlackSquare is the global digital experience leader in the alcohol beverage space. We provide direct to consumer turnkey marketing, operations, logistics, and distribution technology-enabled managed services, as well as ecommerce software as a service (SaaS) and data analytics. We are a relentlessly resourceful group of people. Everyone in the company has the freedom to work independently, to solve problems and to get things done for our clients. It’s that entrepreneurial attitude that underpins everything we do together.
In 2021, BlackSquare ranked number 166 out of 448 companies on The Globe and Mail’s annual list of Canada’s Top Growing Companies. We have seen 260% growth over the past three years, and we are not done yet!
Why Work With Us?
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We’re uniquely positioned: We are an established company with 13+ years in the high growth field of ecommerce for the alcohol industry.
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We have an amazing team: Our culture is centered on strength in collaboration. Through trust and support, we have built a high performing team that is growing and learning every day. We take the work seriously but not ourselves and are always up for a laugh.
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You will be challenged: All our employees have the autonomy to stretch and grow as professionals, pushing themselves to make a real impact. If you are looking for a calm, consistent role where each day is the same then BlackSquare probably isn’t for you.
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You can be yourself: We are a remote-first company with flexibility to manage a balance between home and work, whatever that means for you. Every one of our employees enriches our culture by showing up everyday with their unique and authentic selves.
What We Offer
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Medical, dental and vision insurance package;
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Disability and life insurance;
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Employee assistance program;
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Flexible working hours;
Our Commitment
BlackSquare is committed to building an environment that values diversity, equality and inclusion. Our belief is that we are a place of belonging that recognizes and respects our diversity and provides platforms to learn from each other. We ensure equal opportunity for all applicants and encourage people of all visible minorities and racialized people, including Indigenous applicants, and those of any religion, sex, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression to apply.
If you are interested please submit your resume, cover letter and writing sample of a wine review you have previously done. Thank you!