Farmers Business Network→
Sourcing Lead - Crop Protection at Farmers… · Chicago
Skills
Job Description
Company Overview
Farmers Business Network, Inc. (FBN®) is a pioneering digital marketplace and farmer-to-farmer network dedicated to empowering family farmers globally while promoting sustainable agriculture. With over 117,000 members, FBN's Farmers First® promise unites growers and ranchers in their quest to maximize profitability and increase food production. FBN leverages data, AI and direct-to-farm delivery to simplify the agricultural supply chain, boosting convenience and transparency, reducing farm input costs, enhancing access to financing and services, and providing personalized farm insights. Its Gradable® joint-venture helps thousands of farmers adopt and earn rewards for regenerative practices while simplifying the access of regenerative products for the world’s leading food companies and grain buyers.
Position Summary
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)
Which suppliers participate in each category
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
Minimum 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
To understand the physical demands of this job, please click this link and refer to Template B
The following represents FBN's reasonable estimate of the US national average base salary range for this role based on market data and placement of internal employees: $129,870 - $144,300 annually. This salary range may vary based on geography and the higher cost of labor in some metropolitan areas.
Beyond Base Pay, FBN also offers all full-time/permanent employees competitive total compensation packages that include 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.
FBN is proud to be an equal opportunity employer that is committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. We do not discriminate in hiring or any employment decision based on race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), marital status, ancestry, physical or mental disability, genetic information, veteran status, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, or other applicable legally protected characteristic. FBN considers qualified applicants with criminal histories, consistent with applicable federal, state and local law.
We participate in the E-Verify program in certain locations as required by law. Learn more about the E-Verify program here.
FBN is also committed to providing reasonable accommodations to the known limitations for qualified applicants with disabilities and disabled veterans in our job application process. If you need assistance to complete this form or participate in an interview, please let us know.