We are looking for an experienced Plant Buyer to lead live-goods purchasing and inventory planning for our growing operation. This is a hands-on position for someone who knows plants, understands the nursery industry, and knows how to buy. You will work directly with growers and vendors throughout the Midwest and across the country while partnering with sales, branch management, and operations to ensure we have the right material, quality, price, location, and timing.

Key Responsibilities:

• Purchase trees, shrubs, evergreens, perennials, ornamental grasses, and other live plant material.
• Develop seasonal purchasing and replenishment plans based on sales, inventory, customer demand, and market conditions.
• Manage inventory levels, order points, sell-through, seasonal build-up and drawdown.
• Develop and maintain strong relationships with wholesale growers and nurseries.
• Negotiate pricing, freight, availability, quantities, and delivery schedules.
• Manage pre-book and contract-grow commitments and ship-window calendars.
• Source specialty and hard-to-find plant material.
• Coordinate inter-branch transfers and inventory rebalancing as needed.
• Build efficient truckloads and help manage freight and transportation costs.
• Monitor plant quality from purchase through delivery.
• Work closely with sales and branch managers to understand customer needs and upcoming demand.
• Analyze purchasing, sales, and inventory data to make informed buying decisions.
• Track key measures including inventory turns, landed cost, shrink, culls, markdowns, and sell-through.

Experience & Qualifications:

• 5+ years of experience in nursery, horticulture, landscape, live-goods purchasing, or a related industry.
• Strong knowledge of landscape plant material, plant quality, and nursery-industry practices.
• Experience purchasing from wholesale growers and nurseries.
• Established industry relationships are highly valued.
• Strong negotiation, communication, and organizational skills.
• Ability to analyze inventory, sales, and market information and make sound purchasing decisions.
• Understanding of the seasonality and unique inventory challenges of live goods.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Experience with inventory management, freight, replenishment, or multi-branch purchasing is a plus.
• Experience with ERP/purchasing systems and Microsoft Excel is preferred.
• Horticulture, nursery management, business, supply chain, or related education is preferred; equivalent industry experience will be considered.
• Able to pass background and drug screening

*Competitive salary: $90,000–$110,000, depending on experience. Performance-based bonus opportunity.

*The Plant Buyer will have a direct impact on what Fiore buys, what we have available to sell, how efficiently we manage our inventory, and ultimately how successful our live-goods business is.

If you know the nursery industry, have strong grower relationships, understand live-goods inventory, and take pride in making smart buying decisions, we'd like to hear from you!

The base salary for this position typically falls within the range of $59,600.00 to $77,400.00 annually. Starting wage may vary based on a number of factors including, but not limited to, the position being offered, location, education, training, and/or experience. SRS Distribution offers additional competitive and non-financial benefits. Depending on the role, associates may also be eligible for performance-based bonus programs, commissions, profit-sharing programs, car allowance or automobile and fuel program, and reimbursement for travel expenses in accordance with company travel policy.

Job Location:

Fiore Nursery and Landscape Supply - Lake Zurich20433 W IL Route 22 Lake Zurich, IL 60047

 

Competitive weekly/bi-weekly pay, discretionary bonuses, 401(k) with company match, Employee Stock Purchase Plan, paid time off (vacation, sick, volunteer, holidays, birthday, floating), medical/dental/vision, flexible spending accounts, company-paid life and short-term disability, plus optional long-term disability, and additional life insurance. All benefits subject to eligibility.

 

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