Procurement Manager

Role Overview The Procurement Manager will be responsible for end-to-end banana procurement, with strong hands-on experience in Yelakki and G9 bananas, managing farmer sourcing, quality control, manpower, and coordination with modern trade, quick commerce, B2B, B2C, and export operations. This is a field-driven role requiring deep knowledge of banana harvest maturity, post-harvest handling, and retailer-specific quality standards. Key Responsibilities 1. Banana Procurement & Sourcing End-to-end procurement of Yelakki, G9, Red Banana, Nendran, and other varieties. Build and manage direct farmer networks and FPOs in Mysuru, Mettur, Trichy, and surrounding regions. Plan procurement volumes aligned with modern trade, quick commerce, B2B, B2C, and export demand. Negotiate pricing, contracts, and seasonal supply commitments. Set up New Collection centers. 2. Yelakki & Regional Expertise (Critical) Strong hands-on experience in Yelakki banana procurement from the Mysuru belt. Practical knowledge of harvest stage, bunch maturity, finger size, peel quality, and shelf-life management. Understanding of regional variations in G9 quality from Karnataka, Andhra and Tamil Nādu. 3. Modern Trade & Quick Commerce Quality Management Deep awareness of Modern Trade (MT) and Quick Commerce (QC) retailer quality standards such as: Size uniformity, colour index, finger count, and cosmetic appearance Residue compliance, cleanliness, and packing standards Tight rejection tolerances and audit requirements Ensure procurement and grading meet QC turnaround timelines (same-day/next-day dispatch). Reduce rejections and penalties from MT & QC partners through right harvest and grading decisions. 4. Quality Control & Post-Harvest Operations Oversee harvesting, de-handing, grading, packing, transport, cold storage, and ripening operations. Coordinate with ripening chambers to meet retailer-specific ripeness windows. Implement SOPs to minimize post-harvest losses and quality degradation. Support export-grade sourcing where required. 5. Team Hiring & Manpower Management Recruit and manage line supervisors, procurement executives, and field staff. Organize and handle labour teams, including migrant labour (e.g., Bengal teams). Ensure productivity, attendance, safety, and local compliance. 6. Coordination with Sales, Ops & Export Teams Align daily procurement with sales forecasts and dispatch plans. Work closely with modern trade category teams, quick commerce planners, and export coordinators. Support new retailer onboarding and quality trials. 7. Reporting & Compliance Maintain daily procurement MIS: arrivals, dispatches, rejections, wastage, pricing, and margins. Track supplier and farmer performance. Ensure compliance with FSSAI, retailer audits, and internal SOPs.