Senior Purchasing Manager

Based in Berkeley, CA, UPSIDE Foods grows meat, poultry, and seafood directly from real animal cells. These products are not vegan or vegetarian—they are meat made without the need to raise and slaughter billions of animals. UPSIDE Foods aims to address environmental, animal welfare, and public health challenges while providing the meat people love.

Founded as the world’s first cultivated meat company in 2015, UPSIDE Foods (formerly Memphis Meats) has achieved industry milestones in producing multiple species of meat (beef, chicken, and duck) and selling a cultivated meat product in the United States. The company seeks to build a better food system with delicious, humane, and sustainable meat, poultry, and seafood.

About this job:

We are seeking a Senior Purchasing Manager to lead and scale our procurement operations during a critical phase of company growth and commercialization. This is a hands-on role responsible for managing day-to-day procurement execution while driving strategic sourcing initiatives, supporting Cap Ex and infrastructure projects, and developing the foundational processes and team to support long-term scalability.

The ideal candidate combines tactical execution strength with strategic thinking and team leadership. You are comfortable issuing POs, redlining contracts, managing the ERP system, and leading supplier meetings. This is a unique opportunity to help build a high-performing procurement function from the ground up.

Responsibilities

• Procurement Operations & Execution
  • Manage the end-to-end purchase requisition and purchase order process to ensure timely and accurate fulfillment of internal requests
  • Partner with Finance to ensure clean invoice matching, accrual processes, and payment term enforcement
  • Maintain accurate supplier and item master data within ERP system
  • Track and manage open order status, lead time compliance, and order fulfillment performance
  • Serve as the procurement point of contact for cross-functional business partners
• Strategic Sourcing & Category Oversight
  • Own sourcing and supplier management for assigned categories including indirect materials, services, and Cap Ex
  • Lead negotiations for key vendor contracts including terms, pricing, and service levels
  • Identify and qualify new suppliers, including onboarding and compliance activities
  • Build relationships with strategic vendors and drive continuous improvement and value creation
• Cap Ex & Project-Based Procurement
  • Manage procurement activities for capital projects including construction, equipment, and infrastructure
  • Coordinate with stakeholders in Facilities, Operations, Legal, and Quality for project planning, installation readiness, and supplier qualification
  • Track procurement milestones and supplier readiness against project timelines and budget
• Procurement Process & Team Development
  • Design and implement scalable procurement processes, SOPs, and internal workflows
  • Identify system and reporting needs to improve visibility, compliance, and cycle time
  • Support the development of procurement KPIs and dashboards for functional performance
  • Contribute to future hiring and mentoring of procurement team members as the function scales

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Business, Engr or related field; or equivalent experience
• 8+ years of progressive experience in procurement, strategic sourcing, or supply chain management
• Proven success managing both tactical execution and strategic sourcing initiatives
• Experience in a startup or high-growth environment with lean teams and evolving processes
• Strong contract negotiation and vendor management skills
• Proficiency in multiple ERP systems (e.g., Net Suite, SAP, Oracle, with Microsoft BC preferred) and procurement tools

• Stock options for all full-time incoming team members
• Employer-paid healthcare premiums for team members (medical, dental, and vision)
• Pet insurance for your furry family members
• Unlimited PTO
• Company-sponsored learning & development opportunities

UPSIDE Foods is an equal opportunity employer and values diversity in the workplace. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability.

How to apply

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