Director of Procurement Operations

Perdue Foods has a goal of becoming the most trusted name in premium proteins by creating products for consumers and for retail and foodservice customers around the globe while changing the way animals are raised for food. It is part of Perdue Farms, a fourth-generation, family-owned food and agricultural business deeply rooted in tradition yet with a forward-thinking mindset. We believe that success starts with our people, and our culture is built on a foundation of teamwork, integrity, and respect, where every voice matters and everyone is encouraged to contribute to our shared goals. We are dedicated to creating a supportive, inclusive environment where associates feel valued and inspired to make an impact, both within the company and in the communities we serve. From promoting growth and development to prioritizing work-life balance, we’re committed to helping our team members thrive. That's Perdue.

Summary

The Director of Procurement Operations leads the operational core of the procurement function - ensuring all buying activities, tools, and support processes run efficiently and compliantly across both direct and indirect spend. This role drives standardization, supports execution, and connects strategy to day-to-day operations. It oversees procurement operations managers, buyers, and analysts while collaborating closely with the Category Management and CoE teams to improve performance, data visibility, and policy adherence across the enterprise. This role is also responsible for the Material Planner group, which ensures the materials needed to meet production are set up correctly.

This position is located onsite at our corporate office in Salisbury, MD. Relocation assistance is available for qualified candidates to support a smooth and successful transition.

Principal Essential Duties & Responsibilities

• Lead daily purchasing operations across direct and indirect teams, including regional, fleet, and PAB buyers.
• Monitor and continuously improve P2P processes (purchase orders, receiving, invoicing, issue resolution).
• Support sourcing execution by ensuring tools, data, and processes are in place to enable timely buys.
• Ensure end-to-end adherence to procurement policies, buying thresholds, and supplier usage guidelines.
• Support risk mitigation by driving compliance to contract terms, preferred suppliers, and audit requirements.
• Own implementation and enforcement of procurement SOPs and resolution protocols.
• Oversee new supplier onboarding, data classification, and catalog integration.
• Partner with Category Managers and the CoE to maintain a clean, compliant supplier master.
• Partner with the Procurement CoE to roll out and maintain key tools.
• Interpret operational data to identify inefficiencies, cost leakage, or policy noncompliance.
• Enable greater visibility through dashboards, intake forms, and reporting templates.
• Directly manage Procurement Ops Managers and a network of category-aligned and regional buyers.
• Provide day-to-day guidance, performance coaching, and resource prioritization.
• Act as a liaison across procurement, operations, finance, and site teams to align goals and execution.
• Oversee the Material Planner group, ensuring production materials are set up correctly.
• Maintain accurate material master data, lead times, and planning parameters.
• Align material availability with production schedules and supplier deliveries.

Minimum Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s Degree in Supply Chain, Business, Finance, or a related field.
• 10+ years of experience in procurement operations, P2P, sourcing support, or supply chain.
• Prior experience leading operational teams (buyers, managers, planners or analysts) in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong understanding of procurement technology, SOP development, and data-driven decision-making.
• Strong people leadership with proven ability to drive accountability and operational consistency.
• Ability to balance daily execution with long-term process improvement.
• Expertise in procurement tools, P2P workflows, and data reporting.
• Excellent collaboration and communication skills across technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Mindset for standardization, risk control, and continuous improvement.

Physical Requirements and Environmental Factors

• Work in a primarily sedentary position with occasional movement between offices or buildings.
• Move light equipment or supplies as needed.
• Access files, supplies, and equipment.
• Perform work in an office, open-partitioned, cubicle environment.

Perdue Farms Inc. is an Equal Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or protected veteran status.