Director of Protein Procurement

Job Title: Director of Protein Procurement

Reports to: VP, Procurement & Operations Analytics

Location: Nationwide, preference in CA or IL

Company: JustFoodForDogs, LLC

Job Type: Full-time, Exempt 

About JustFoodForDogs:

JustFoodForDogs, the #1 vet recommended fresh food for dogs, is dedicated to helping pets live longer, healthier lives through real, whole-food nutrition. Founded in 2010, JustFoodForDogs revolutionized the fresh whole food movement for dogs when it opened the first open-to-the-public kitchen cooking food for dogs. All of our recipes are formulated by veterinarians and made with 100% human-grade ingredients. Today, consumers can find JustFoodForDogs at JustFoodForDogs retail locations, their favorite retailers and on-line at JustFoodForDogs.com. The company’s offerings include daily meals, shelf-stable products, supplements, and treats. To learn more about JustFoodForDogs, visit JustFoodForDogs.com

Position Summary

The Director of Protein Procurement is responsible for JFFD’s Total Cost of Ownership of all proteins used in our products. This role will be responsible for ensuring we partner with the right suppliers from across the globe – innovation, service, quality, cost – with the right commercial relationships. 

The role needs to embrace our entrepreneurial culture and work with; our New Product Development and Veterinary Services teams to develop new products and our Quality team to ensure our protein suppliers adhere to our standards. 

In addition, the Director needs to be a leader across all Operations to identify, scope, and drive improvement projects related to how we acquire and use our proteins. The ideal candidate will also help JFFD improve its Procure to Pay processes, leveraging our core ERP, NetSuite.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Sourcing and TCO Optimization

• Develop and execute multi-year strategies to reduce the Total Cost of Ownership in alignment with product quality objectives, balancing cost savings with quality and supply continuity.
• Manage and optimize supplier relationships, focusing on turnkey purchased finished goods and expanding product offerings.
• Lead strategic supplier network planning, including capacity strategy, geographic risk diversification and supplier segmentation.

Cross-Functional Collaboration and Innovation

• Support innovation and renovation initiatives by collaborating with Supply Chain, Manufacturing, Quality, and R&D teams.
• Resolve supplier performance issues, ensuring On Time In Full (OTIF) delivery and quality standards.

Market Analysis and Insights

• Build insights into supply dynamics, including supplier performance, contracting techniques, and market trends.
• Conduct market research to identify opportunities and mitigate risks within assigned categories.

Education, Experience & Skills

• 7+ years of experience in procurement or category management, including strategic sourcing and supplier partnerships.
• Must possess deep experience in the human food meat/poultry/seafood supply chain. Traditional "feed grade" pet food experience is secondary to USDA/FDA human food processing knowledge.
• Proven track record of managing volatility in protein markets (Poultry, Beef, Pork, Fish). Ability to execute forward buys, formula pricing, and index-based contracts (Urner Barry, USDA market reports).
• Deep understanding of international freight, customs clearance, tariffs, and USDA/FDA import regulations for sourcing proteins outside the US (e.g., New Zealand lamb, international seafood).
• Demonstrated history of delivering cost savings and driving cross-functional collaboration in dynamic environments.
• Excellent negotiation, communication, and relationship-building skills.
• Passion for pets and alignment with JustFoodForDogs' mission and values.

Tenets of the Pack (Company Values)

Live Our Mission – We believe this is more than a job. It’s a cause.

Be a Team Player – We put company goals and success first.

Maintain a Positive Attitude – We bring energy, enthusiasm, and drive to everything we do.

Deliver Results – We play to win.

JUSTFOODFORDOGS is an Equal Opportunity Employer. 
 JUSTFOODFORDOGS does not discriminate due to race, color, creed, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender and/or gender identity or expression, marital or parental status, national origin, ethnicity, citizenship status, veteran or military status, age, disability, unemployment status or any other legally protected basis, and to the extent permitted by law.