ProducePay is looking for a rockstar logistics, distribution, and operations leader to optimize the delivery of fresh produce to our customers. As Director of External Operations and Supply Chain, you will work on optimizing logistics and distribution for the first B2B marketplace for fresh produce. The work that you do will directly impact the fresh produce supply chain by creating and optimizing all aspects of the external ops/supply chain to deliver an efficient way to buy, sell and distribute fresh produce.

This role will require an acumen for logistics, operations, quality control, influencing, financial controls, and digital enablement. This role will have direct engagement across the entire supply chain network (growers, 3PL, freight providers, retailers, custom brokers, fresh produce buyers). Experience managing a climate-controlled supply chain is required. Finally, applicants should have experience deploying new technologies, obsess about analytics (e.g., service levels metrics, customer satisfaction), and constantly seek out ways to drive efficiencies through continuous improvement and challenging the status quo.

The Director of External Operations and Supply Chain is a vital leadership role within the company reporting to the Chief Operating Officer. This high-visibility position will require strong management, communication, and cross-functional skills coupled with a strong desire and willingness to take a hands-on approach combined with an eagerness to build things from the ground up. This is a unique role for the team member with the right skill set, drive, energy, and mindset.

Responsibilities

Freight Management & On-Time Delivery

Execute: Provide freight services for sellers that don’t have the logistic infrastructure to ship across the United States. ProducePay is able to ensure on-time and accurate delivery for 90% of shipments while being agnostic of the freight services provider. Internal digital systems are deployed to monitor the shipping process and integrated with partners.

Deliverables:

• Defined strategy for freight providers and strategic alliances that are agile and resilient
• Determine the selection criteria, KPI’s for climate logistic providers and be a key member of the selection process to enable Marketplace growers to ship between and within core markets (specifically Mexico and the US)
  • Key member of the contract negotiations process
• Support development of technology infrastructure to enable 1P freight (customer provided/sourced) and 3P freight (ProducePay sourced via partner) and location tracking
  • Provide input related to cost to serve for all freight, primarily 3P
• Develop key leading indicators and dashboards to monitor carrier performance to ensure on-time delivery
• Development of SRM (supplier relationship management) cadence to strengthen relationships with the best and quickly identify/ correct issues with other providers

Supply Consistency

Execute: Systems that ProducePay has developed and are effectively implemented to ensure the contracted supply volumes are consistently met according to buyer requirements and standards. Mitigation plans leveraging Marketplace growers are in place to deal with supply shortages. Grower training and support are provided to increase the accuracy of supply forecasting and reduce downstream operational issues.

Deliverables:

• Define and support the development of vendor management platform to improve consistency of supply for buyers
• Define and monitor KPIs (both leading indicators and lagging dashboards) to ensure contracted supply volumes are meeting end-customer expectations
  • Implement corrective actions plans (CAP) for those that are not meeting the KPI’s
  • Development and execution of contingency plans to ensure continuity of supply

Storage, Quality Control & Traceability

Execute: Strategic Providers are in place to enable short-term cold storage as needed for our customers. Systems are in place to ensure best-in-class traceability standards are followed from seed to customer delivery. Quality control from the farm to delivery at customer warehouse ensures that delivered produce matches required customer specs.

Deliverables:

• Cultivate and develop relationships with third-party cold storage providers in strategic locations to provide storage options for our customers (from storage to full turnkey operation)
• Develop audit / QA mechanism and dashboards indicators to ensure new growers meet industry and end-customer QC and full traceability requirements
• Lead the solution development and enabling of end-customer visibility into grower QC/traceability approach to simplify purchasing and customer evaluation/onboarding process
• Ensure all traceability is to industry/government standards and the required data sharing mechanisms
• Develop a continuous improvement plan that will, over the long-term, identify any areas to improve/ upgrade/ change and out-perform industry standards related to QC and traceability, providing ProducePay traders with differentiated value

Customer data requirements

Execute: Systems are in place to ensure customer data sharing meets or exceeds end-customer expectations. Data sharing, recording, and interoperability should move to define industry standards in produce trading.

Deliverables:

• Identify gaps in process and data infrastructure to support retailer data requirements
• Working with the cross-functional lead the identification of key retailers and build the roadmap to execute a phased mitigation plan to support retailer data requirements
• Working with the cross-functional team lead the improvement of efficiencies to improve efficiencies in data capture and data sharing across trading relationshipsoky en

Requirements

• High-energy entrepreneurial leader with a strong work ethic and willingness to work cross-functionally
• Demonstrated ability to develop, launch, scale, and optimize cross-functional business processes
• Willingness to build from the ground up and scale quickly
• Data-driven and technology-savvy
• Experience leading digital product teams in the logistics area
• Minimum of 15+ years experience in a supply chain role with ~3-5 years managing highly perishable commodities (focus areas: logistics, warehousing, 3PL mgt)
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple complex supply chain projects in parallel
• Extensive experience working with multiple third-party providers of freight and cold storage, and a demonstrated ability to build and manage external partnerships
• Extensive understanding of 3PL and freight contracts and negotiations
• Continuous Improvement, LEAN 6 Sigma preferred
• Knowledge of produce import process is preferred
• Experience with repacking operations
• Bi-lingual in English and Spanish is a plus

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision benefits
• 401k - company automatically contributes 3%
• Parking and Phone plans
• Friday Team Lunches
• Unlimited time off
• Brilliant, motivated, and fun team members