Saba Grocers Initiative Procurement & Operations Associate Oakland, CA · Full time Company website

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Saba Grocers Initiative joins forces with corner store owners to make fresh fruits and vegetables accessible and affordable to all of Oakland. We make it easy for corner stores to buy produce from marginalized & BIPOC farmers, supporting thriving small businesses while feeding the neighborhoods of Oakland. Much of Oakland lives in “food deserts” – where a traditional grocery store is a mile away or more and healthy food can’t be reached. By putting produce into corner stores, we’re able to get good food to all of Oakland.

A healthy community where everyone has access to quality, nutritious, healthy food can be achieved through a synergistic relationship between stores and the communities they serve. Corner stores/community markets can serve as an important conduit for communities to get healthy products, provide information that promotes health and well-being, and for facilitating community empowerment.

Procurement & Operations Associate

Saba Food Hub  ·  Oakland, CA  ·  Full-Time  ·  Hybrid

About the Role

This role is designed to grow with you. You'll start by learning the business hands-on and, over time, develop into our team's subject matter experts on the produce market, who's growing what, what's in season, where prices are heading, and what we should be buying and when.

Entry-level candidates are welcome. We'll train the right person who's curious, organized, and ready to grow into deep market expertise.

Why Join Us

• Mission-driven work — your work directly supports food access in underserved communities.
• Develop deep expertise — grow into the team's go-to authority on produce sourcing, pricing, and seasonality.
• Build lasting relationships with farmers, buyers, and retailers across the regional food system.
• Hybrid schedule with a thoughtful mix of onsite and remote days.
• Meaningful career growth within a rapidly expanding nonprofit enterprise.

What You'll Do

• Vendor management. Cultivate and strengthen relationships across our farm network, and identify, vet, and onboard new growers to expand our supplier base.
• Weekly pricing. Gather updated pricing from farmers each week and maintain accurate, current rate sheets that the sales team relies on.
• Order logistics. Coordinate inbound and outbound logistics for every order, ensuring timing, quantities, and product specifications align.
• Proactive order management. Oversee each order from confirmation through delivery, anticipating and resolving potential issues before they reach the customer, and keeping the sales team informed throughout.
• Billing cycle. Move orders through the billing cycle efficiently, ensuring seamless handoff between operations and finance.
• Site visits. Visit farms and other vendors regularly to strengthen relationships, evaluate quality, scout new products, and stay informed on conditions in the field.
• Market analysis & pricing forecasts. Track produce market trends, form a clear view on where prices are heading, and apply those insights to guide buying decisions and customer pricing.
• Seasonality & availability. Serve as the team's expert on seasonal product cycles and current availability, planning ahead so customers consistently receive what they need.
• Customer experience. Deliver an exceptional customer experience through accurate operations, clear communication, and reliable execution.

What You'll Bring

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Economics, Finance, Supply Chain Management, Operations Management, Agribusiness, or a related field preferred; equivalent experience considered.
• Strong organizational skills, you can keep many moving orders straight without dropping any.
• Comfort with numbers and analysis; you'll be tracking pricing trends and forming predictions.
• Excellent written and verbal communication with farmers, customers, and the internal team.
• Curiosity about food, agriculture, and the produce business; willingness to go deep and become an expert.
• Hunger to develop deep expertise in the produce market and become the team's resident authority over time.
• Reliable, detail-oriented, and proactive about follow-ups.
• Comfortable with spreadsheets and business software in general; experience with ERP or CRM systems is a plus, and familiarity with Tableau or similar data visualization tools is a bonus.
• Valid driver's license and willingness to travel locally for farm visits.

Entry-level candidates are welcome. We'll train the right person on the produce market, our systems, and our way of working.

Nice to Have

• Background or interest in food, farming, supply chain, or local agriculture.
• Spanish language skills for farmer communication.
• Prior experience in B2B sales, procurement, vendor relations, or supply chain support.

Compensation & Benefits

• Reports to: Saba Food Hub COO
• Status: 100% FTE + benefits
• Location: Oakland, CA
• Compensation: $26.50 – $31.25 per hour, plus bonus
• Benefits: Healthcare, dental, and vision coverage for full-time employees (provided based on percentage of time employed); 26 days of PTO annually; 11 company holidays; 401(k) match plan (4% company contribution, 1% employee contribution required).

Work Schedule

Saba's office is open 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM. This is a hybrid role with 3 days onsite and 2 days remote.

Training Period (first month): You'll spend time on the warehouse floor to learn the produce business from the ground up. During this period, your schedule will be:

• Monday & Tuesday: Onsite, 5:00 AM – 2:00 PM
• Wednesday: Onsite, 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
• Thursday & Friday: Remote, 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Ongoing Schedule (after training):

• Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday: Onsite, 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
• Thursday & Friday: Remote, 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM

The Company reserves the right to modify your schedule based on the operational needs of the business.

Saba Grocers is an equal opportunity employer to all, regardless of age, ancestry, color, disability (mental and physical), exercising the right to family care and medical leave, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, political affiliation, race, religious creed, sex (includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and related medical conditions), and sexual orientation. We are an inclusive employer and encourage applications from all qualified individuals, including members of underrepresented groups.