[Hiring] Sourcing Lead @Farmer's Business Network

Role Description

FBN Marketplace is expanding its third-party supplier ecosystem, where external partners compete to serve farmer demand through a scalable platform. Reporting to VP of Category Management, the CP Sourcing Lead is the single-threaded owner for third-party supply of Crop Protection products within FBN Marketplace. This role consolidates supplier sourcing, supply coordination, negotiation, and performance management for non-manufactured products. In a lean operating model, this role functions as the primary third-party supply capability, partnering closely with Marketplace, Category Management, Demand Planning, Finance, and Logistics to ensure the right products are selected, funded, and available to meet farmer needs. This is a senior individual contributor role with broad accountability for outcomes, not people management.

Responsibilities

• Third-Party Supply Ownership (Primary Accountability)
  • Serve as the single-threaded owner for third-party supply execution across FBN Marketplace for Crop Protection products.
  • Consolidate supplier sourcing, commitments, and execution in a lean operating environment.
  • Act as the central point of accountability for third-party product availability, timing, and readiness.
  • Resolve third-party supply issues end-to-end without reliance on a dedicated supply team.
  • Achieve savings targets by deploying appropriate negotiation strategies, such as bids, sharing price intelligence, and securing multiple supply options.
• Supplier Sourcing & Partnerships
  • Own end-to-end relationships with third-party CP suppliers across all non-manufactured products.
  • Lead supplier identification, evaluation, onboarding, and ongoing management.
  • Negotiate commercial terms including pricing, payment terms, rebates, and service levels.
  • Maintain clear supplier expectations aligned to Marketplace demand and operational constraints.
• Product & Assortment Alignment
  • Partner with Category Management to determine which products are sourced vs. internally manufactured (GCS).
  • Support assortment rationalization to reduce complexity and improve execution.
  • Ensure suppliers are operationally ready for new product launches, promotions, and seasonal demand.
• Demand Planning & Buy Execution
  • Work with Category Management on preferred model, ie, Vendor Stock on Demand or Direct Purchase.
  • Work closely with Demand Planning to align forecasts, buy quantities, and replenishment strategies.
  • Translate demand signals into supplier commitments and purchase plans.
  • Identify and mitigate supply risks including lead times, shortages, substitutions, and supplier constraints.
  • Adjust buy plans dynamically based on in-season demand and supplier performance.
• Supply Chain & Logistics Coordination
  • Partner with the Demand, Supply Chain and Logistics teams to execute inbound, storage, and drop-ship strategies.
  • Ensure third-party products are positioned appropriately to meet customer delivery expectations.
  • Coordinate timing, quantities, and fulfillment methods with logistics and demand partners.
  • Act as the primary escalation point for third-party supply execution issues.
• Financial & Cash Planning
  • Partner with Finance to manage cash requirements and working capital for third-party purchases.
  • Track replacement COGS on a weekly basis.
  • Balance product availability with disciplined cash management.
  • Track margin performance and support variance analysis for third-party products.
  • Support quarterly and annual planning processes related to third-party supply.
• Marketplace & Customer Enablement
  • Work closely with the Marketplace and Sales teams to ensure pricing, availability, and assortment support conversion.
  • Support campaigns, promotions, and demand spikes with aligned supplier execution.
  • Communicate supplier constraints, opportunities, and substitutions proactively.
• Supplier Performance & Governance
  • Own supplier performance metrics including fill rate, availability, margin performance, and service levels.
  • Drive corrective actions with underperforming suppliers.
  • Support a lightweight governance and approval process for new third-party product introductions.
  • Ensure clear documentation and decision ownership across third-party supply activities.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Supply Chain, Operations, Agriculture, or a related field.
• 6–10 years of experience in supplier management, sourcing, category operations, or marketplace roles.
• Experience negotiating commercial terms with external partners.
• Strong cross-functional collaboration skills.
• Financial and margin acumen.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supporting third-party or marketplace-based product models.
• Agriculture, ag inputs, or supply chain experience.
• Familiarity with demand planning or S&OP processes (participation, not ownership).
• Experience operating in a fast-paced, matrixed organization.

Characteristics

• Comfortable operating as a senior individual contributor with broad influence.
• Highly organized with strong execution discipline.
• Customer-centric, with a clear understanding of farmer needs.
• Data-driven and financially grounded.
• Able to balance short-term execution with long-term platform thinking.

Benefits

• Competitive total compensation packages including equity compensation (dependent upon job level).
• Incentive/bonus plans (dependent upon position).
• Paid holidays plus an additional floating holiday.
• Work flexibility including paid time off and remote work if your role is eligible.
• Parental leave.
• Benefits including but not limited to: medical, dental, vision, wellbeing, short & long term disability, life insurance, 401k, HSA employer contributions, and more.