Fleet Manager, Alaska Procurement

Job Title: Fleet Manager, Alaska Procurement

Department: Supply Chain

Reports To: SVP of Supply Chain

Supervises: N/A

FLSA Status: Exempt

Location: Alaska, Kenai Peninsula or Kodiak preferred 

Travel: Remote first, significant travel within Alaska required

GENERAL ROLE DESCRIPTION 

Represent Wild Alaskan Company (WAC) dockside in Alaska as a proactive, year‑round partner to harvesters, tender operators, processors, and buyers of Alaskan wild seafood. Identify, recruit, and retain independent harvesters and tender operators who meet WAC’s quality standards and company philosophy. Lead the discovery, evaluation, and onboarding of new partner processors aligned with WAC’s product, capacity, and quality requirements. Work collaboratively with seasonal buying‑station operations, including dockside purchases, bids, logistics coordination, and field‑level quality inspection. Serve as WAC’s operational liaison during peak seasons, ensuring consistent execution of quality, service, and supply objectives.

CORE RESPONSIBILITIES

• Recruit, qualify, and maintain relationships with Alaska‑based fishermen and tender operators to procure raw material for WAC’s supply chain.
• Source and bid on seafood deliveries across targeted fisheries: Halibut, Pacific cod, Sockeye Salmon, and Coho Salmon.
• Build and communicate real‑time schedules of incoming deliveries to WAC offloading partners using vessel data and fish tickets.
• Conduct dockside inspections during offload to verify handling, chilling, packing, and product wholesomeness; accept or reject loads based on quality criteria.
• Calibrate, log, and maintain tender and offload scales; verify weight and temperature records for purchase accuracy and compliance.
• Work with Procurement and Supply Chain to translate grounds pricing into dockside price offers and bid strategy.
• Support regulatory reporting and paperwork for NMFS and State of Alaska fisheries (fish tickets, landing documentation).
• Coordinate logistics with local ground, air, and marine carriers to ensure timely movement of products.
• Partner with vessel, tender, and processor operations to develop and cost quality improvement initiatives, advancing a 'Quality at Scale' framework for seafood products procured by Wild Alaskan Company.
• Coach and instruct vessel crews on best practices for preserving product quality and hygienic handling; clearly communicate WAC’s refusal policy for observed unsanitary practices.
• Manage payment procedures with fleet partners.
• Document supplier evaluations, nonconformances, corrective actions, and season trends for procurement and quality teams.
• Operational Scrappiness: Manage complex logistics schedules against moving targets, including weather disruptions and seasonal run variations.

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

• Local Network: Existing relationships within the Bristol Bay, Southeast, Cook Inlet, Kodiak or Copper River fishing communities.
  Demonstrated experience in Alaska fisheries, tender operations, or seafood procurement; proven success building and maintaining fleet relationships.
• Deep practical knowledge of salmon, halibut, and groundfish fisheries and factors that affect raw product quality (handling, chilling, bleeding, roe condition).
• Strong communication, negotiation, and relationship management skills with commercial fishermen and local industry partners.
• Competence with fish purchase costing and recordkeeping, Google Sheets or Microsoft Excel, and mobile communications for field reporting.
• Knowledge sufficient to troubleshoot basic tender gear, scales, and temperature monitoring devices.
• Ability to travel extensively across Alaska, operate in remote and weather‑exposed environments, and work irregular hours during season peaks.
• Valid driver’s license and willingness to travel by small aircraft and boat when required.
• Clear written and verbal reporting skills for concise field summaries to procurement leadership.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS & ENVIRONMENT

• Ability to regularly lift, push, pull, and carry equipment or materials weighing up to 40 pounds independently.
• Must be able to move freely and safely in confined spaces and elevated areas, including navigating narrow passageways, steep stairs, and vertical ladders common on marine vessels and processing docks.
• Ability to maintain balance and move effectively on uneven, wet, or slippery surfaces and moving platforms (vessels at sea or at dock).
• Capacity for extended periods of standing, walking, bending, and reaching while working in remote, weather-exposed, and rugged environments across Alaska
• Must be able to wear and utilize all required Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), including but not limited to PFDs (Personal Flotation Devices), immersion suits, and non-slip footwear as necessitated by the environment.

NICE TO HAVES

• Formal experience managing tenders, fleet procurement, or field quality assurance for an Alaska seafood company.
• Familiarity with FSQA/HACCP/DEC regulations.
• Supervisory or ambassadorial experience representing a company in coastal communities and industry forums.
• Residence or strong local network in Anchorage, Homer, Kodiak, or other Alaska hubs.

Work Schedule

• This is a full-time, salaried exempt position. Standard working hours are Monday through Friday, 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM Alaska Standard Time.
• During fishing season (approximately mid-March through mid-November), the nature of fisheries operations requires flexibility. Fleet managers are expected to be available for work outside standard hours, including weekends, as operational needs demand.
• During the non-fishing season (approximately mid-November through mid-March), a standard Monday through Friday schedule applies.

The starting salary range for this position is $100,000 - $108,000, commensurate with skills and experience. Wild Alaskan’s benefits package includes health, vision, and dental insurance, 401k, PTO, safe/sick time, vacation, parental leave and more, as well as a delicious box of free fish every month.