Fermentation Manager Jobs in Chicago, IL (NOW HIRING)

Primient is a century old company with an entrepreneurial spirit. We are a leading producer of food and industrial ingredients made from plant-based, renewable sources. We deliver value through deep technical, commercial, and operational excellence that is backed by our long-standing corn wet milling heritage. Wherever we are in the process, from field to customer, our priorities are focused on ensuring we produce the safest, highest quality products through practices that uphold both our responsibility and commitments to the challenge and drive for excellence, our people and our planet. We are a privately held company with locations across the US, Mexico, Poland, and Brazil. We're investing in our plants and people to unlock our potential in the industrial and food sectors. Guided by our values of Safety, Excellence, Integrity, and Growth, we're focused on growing our business, our reputation, and the career of every teammate.

The Business Partner, BioSolutions Procurement serves as the strategic procurement lead and trusted advisor for Primient's BioSolutions portfolio, supporting CAPEX projects, acquisitions, joint ventures, and future growth initiatives. This role leads strategic sourcing and supplier management activities, including RFPs, RFQs, supplier evaluations, supplier selection, contract negotiations, and procurement program oversight, to ensure successful project execution and business growth.

Operating as a highly autonomous individual contributor, this position develops and executes sourcing, supplier, and procurement strategies that drive innovation, commercialization, supply continuity, cost optimization, and capital investment. The role serves as the procurement lead for key BioSolutions initiatives, ensuring alignment between procurement activities, project objectives, regulatory and government funding requirements, and long-term business priorities while delivering sustainable value and mitigating supply and commercial risks.

Key responsibilities:

Strategic Business Partnership

• Serve as the primary procurement partner for BioSolutions projects and future acquisitions, joint ventures, and growth platforms.
• Align sourcing and supplier strategies with BioSolutions business objectives, commercialization efforts, and capital investments.

Strategic Sourcing & Supplier Selection

• Lead end-to-end sourcing events, including RFIs, RFPs, RFQs, supplier evaluations, competitive bidding, and commercial negotiations
• Develop sourcing strategies and lead supplier selection decisions for materials, services, capital equipment, engineering, and technology providers.
• Negotiate and manage contracts, service agreements, and strategic supplier partnerships.

BioSolutions Program & Procurement Management

• Manage procurement activities supporting PDO, EDA-funded initiatives, and future BioSolutions ventures.

Government Procurement & Compliance

• Support EDA-funded and government-supported projects by ensuring procurement activities meet funding, compliance, documentation, reimbursement, and audit requirements.
• Maintain procurement governance and ensure adherence to company policies and applicable regulatory requirements.

Continuous Improvement

• Drive procurement best practices, process improvements, and capability development across the BioSolutions portfolio.
• Identify opportunities to improve efficiency, reduce risk, and create long-term value through strategic procurement initiatives.

Knowledge

• Advanced strategic sourcing and category management methodologies
• Government procurement regulations, grant-funded purchasing, and EDA procurement requirements
• Federal reimbursement programs, compliance reporting, and audit documentation requirements
• BioSolutions, biotechnology, specialty ingredients, fermentation, or specialty chemical supply chains
• CAPEX procurement, capital project sourcing, and project execution support
• Supplier relationship management, commercial contracting, and risk management
• Financial analysis, business case development, and value creation methodologies

Skills

• Strategic sourcing and category strategy development
• Government-funded procurement and compliance management
• Executive-level supplier negotiation and relationship management
• CAPEX and project procurement leadership
• Business partnership and stakeholder influence without direct authority
• Risk identification, assessment, and mitigation
• Executive communication, presentation, and decision-support development

Mindsets

• Enterprise-focused and business-oriented
• Highly autonomous and self-directed
• Strategic and forward-thinking
• Growth and innovation focused
• Strong governance and compliance orientation
• Commercially minded and value driven
• Collaborative influencer and trusted advisor

Required and Preferred Education/Certification

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Supply Chain, Engineering, Finance, Operations or a related field (required)

Preferred

• Master's Degree (MBA preferred)
• Professional procurement certification (CPSM, C.P.M., MCIPS, PMP, or equivalent) preferred
• Government Contracting or Federal Procurement certification (preferred)
• PMP Certification
• Six Sigma Green Belt or Lean Certification

• Competitive Pay

• Multiple Healthcare plan choices

• Dental and vision insurance

• A 401(k) plan with company and matching contributions

• Short- and Long-Term Disability

• Life, AD&D, and Voluntary Insurance plans

• Paid holidays & vacation

• Floating days off

• Parental leave for new parents

• Employee resource groups

• Learning & development programs

• Fun culture where you have an opportunity in shaping our future

We are believers in the power of difference. We strive to represent the communities in which we operate and to provide an inclusive, welcoming environment for all. We want Primient to be a place where every employee feels they belong and knows they are seen, heard, valued and safe to speak up. Our aspiration is to unlock the full potential in diverse perspectives, while offering everyone an equal chance to grow,

Primient is an equal opportunity employer, committed to the strength of an inclusive workforce.

California Consumer Privacy Act ("CCPA")

The Company is committed to complying with the California Consumer Privacy Act ("CCPA") and all data privacy and laws in the jurisdictions in which it recruits and hires employees. We collect the following categories of personal information for the purpose of hiring the best qualified applicants and to comply with applicable employment laws: Name and contact information; Job preference and work availability; Social Security Number and/or other identification information; Education and qualifications; Employment history and experience; Military service; Reference and background check information, including relevant criminal history and credit history; Social media information; Pre-employment test results; Post-offer medical examination information and results, including drug test results; Voluntary self-disclosure information regarding minority, veteran, and disability status; and Information provided by you during the hiring process.