Purchasing Manager – Tobacco Leaf Station
This role is built for professionals who have personally managed tobacco leaf buying, grading, and receiving station operations—and understand the decisions that impact quality, cost, and supply in real time.
The ideal candidate will have experience that includes:
• Having spent time on the receiving floor, not just reviewing reports
• Anticipating grade outcomes from field conditions and curing practices
• Making pricing and allocation decisions under pressure
• Balancing grower relationships with commercial accountability
• Bringing a practical, disciplined approach to quality, cost, and execution
You’ll directly influence leaf quality, supply continuity, and grower partnerships—with the autonomy to make decisions that matter day-to-day and season-to-season.
As Lead Manager, you will take ownership of end-to-end leaf station performance and grower contracting including:
• Leading daily receiving station operations (scheduling, sampling, grading, purchasing)
• Ensuring grading accuracy and consistency aligned to established internal systems
• Making real-time buying decisions based on crop conditions, grade evolution, and market dynamics
• Managing direct grower relationships, including contracting, negotiation, and issue resolution
• Translating field and station insights into actionable supply and quality strategies
• Driving operational discipline and safety performance across station teams
• Extensive travel is required, including international assignments
• This is a field-based role with significant time at receiving stations and grower locations
Requirements include:
[This position requires hands-on experience—not theoretical knowledge].
• 5+ years in tobacco leaf purchasing, receiving station operations, or closely related field roles
• Demonstrated experience grading tobacco and making purchasing decisions at the station level
• Strong understanding of tobacco types and quality drivers (flue-cured, burley, oriental, dark, etc.)
• Working knowledge of agronomic and curing factors that influence final leaf quality
• Proven ability to contract and negotiate directly with growers
• Experience using leaf purchasing systems (GLS, CGS, or similar)
• Track record of leading teams in high-volume, time-sensitive environments
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