Associate Director, Ingredients – Cheese and Dairy

Kraft Heinz•Chicago, IL

2d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Associate Director, Ingredients – Cheese and Dairy sets enterprise-level strategic direction for the Cheese and Dairy procurement portfolio across Kraft Heinz’s North American Zone. The role shapes long-term category and supplier relationship strategies and operating models for dairy, cream, milk, cheese, cheese powder, cultures, trim, whey, and milk fat, while establishing annual execution plans and credible three-year strategies. The position leads through category leaders to deliver enterprise outcomes across cost, service, risk, productivity, innovation, supply continuity, cash, inflation mitigation, supplier performance, and total cost of ownership. It serves as a senior escalation and decision-shaping leader on significant supplier, market, operational, quality, financial, and risk matters, and builds alignment with internal stakeholders and strategic suppliers. The role manages and develops category leaders and procurement professionals, strengthening leadership capability, performance standards, and succession readiness. It also establishes scalable governance, routines, tools, and performance management processes across Procurement and partner functions, and represents Cheese and Dairy Procurement in enterprise forums and senior leadership discussions. This is a normal office environment with open workspaces and moderate travel to supplier locations and manufacturing facilities. Chicago/Aon Center-based employees may work virtually up to two days each week and are expected to work in person at their assigned work location at least three days per workweek on defined core days. The new-hire base salary range is $164,200–$205,200, with eligibility for a performance-based bonus. Benefits and wellbeing programs are available subject to applicable plan terms and may vary by role, location, and other factors.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in supply chain management, finance, business, or equivalent; candidates with equivalent experience will be considered.
At least 10 years of progressive procurement, supply chain, finance, or commercial experience.
Significant experience leading complex ingredient, dairy, cheese, commodity, or food manufacturing categories.
Demonstrated ability to lead through leaders, build organizational capability, coach talent, set leadership standards, and strengthen succession pipelines.
Strong enterprise and business judgment connecting category strategy, supplier dynamics, operational risk, financial performance, and long-term business priorities.
Proven ability to shape and deliver one-year execution plans and credible three-year strategies across multiple categories, spaces, or strategic priorities.
Executive communication and business storytelling skills, including the ability to simplify complex issues, influence senior stakeholders, and build alignment around trade-offs and decisions.
Advanced negotiation and supplier relationship leadership experience, including success in complex supplier, commercial, and cross-functional decision environments.
Ability to resolve ambiguous, high-impact business challenges by aligning stakeholders, resources, talent, and operating routines to strategy.
Experience establishing scalable processes, governance, and performance management routines that improve decision quality, accountability, and functional effectiveness.
Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and source-to-pay tools.
Ability to use data, analytics, and market intelligence to inform enterprise-level recommendations.

Nice To Haves

MBA.
Advanced Procurement qualifications such as CPM or CPIM.

Responsibilities

Set strategic direction for the Cheese and Dairy procurement portfolio, ensuring annual execution and credible three-year plans are established and delivered.
Lead through category leaders by aligning talent, resources, priorities, and operating routines to deliver enterprise value.
Shape category strategy, supplier relationship strategy, and operating models for dairy, cream, milk, cheese, cheese powder, cultures, trim, whey, and milk fat.
Build executive alignment with internal stakeholders and strategic suppliers through clear business storytelling and recommendations on complex trade-offs.
Serve as a senior escalation and decision-shaping leader for high-impact supplier, market, operational, quality, financial, and risk matters.
Coach leaders, set standards, create transparency on priorities, and strengthen succession readiness for critical procurement roles.
Own category outcomes including productivity, cash, inflation mitigation, supply assurance, supplier performance, innovation enablement, and total cost of ownership.
Establish scalable routines, governance, and performance management processes across Procurement and partner functions.
Lead strategic sourcing, supplier selection, and negotiation strategy for complex, business-critical categories.
Translate market dynamics, supplier capabilities, risk signals, and business priorities into category choices and executable plans.
Influence stakeholders across Business Units, Operations, Finance, Quality, R&D, Global Procurement, and suppliers to align on priorities and decisions.
Drive continuous improvement in supplier governance, cross-functional decision forums, category planning, risk management, and value reporting.
Ensure performance goals, productivity pipelines, risk mitigation plans, and financial commitments have clear ownership and visibility.
Strengthen standards, tools, routines, and leadership behaviors to enable consistent execution beyond annual results.
Represent Cheese and Dairy Procurement in enterprise forums and communicate category outlook, risks, opportunities, and decisions to senior leadership.
Lead a team of category leaders and procurement professionals, accountable for coaching, performance standards, succession readiness, and business outcomes.