Associate Director, Ingredients – Cheese and Dairy

The Kraft Heinz Company•Chicago, IL

3d•$164,200 - $205,200•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 leads category leaders and procurement professionals, ensuring annual execution and credible three-year plans deliver value across cost, service, risk, productivity, innovation, and supply continuity. It shapes category and supplier strategies and the operating model for dairy, cream, milk, cheese, cheese powder, cultures, trim, whey, and milk fat. The position owns enterprise outcomes for assigned categories, including productivity, cash, inflation mitigation, supply assurance, supplier performance, innovation enablement, and total cost of ownership. It leads strategic sourcing, supplier selection, and negotiation strategy for complex, business-critical categories, and serves as a senior escalation and decision-shaping leader on high-impact supplier, market, operational, quality, financial, and risk matters. The role develops leadership capability through coaching, setting performance standards, and strengthening succession readiness. It builds alignment with senior internal stakeholders and suppliers, establishes scalable governance and performance-management routines, and represents Cheese and Dairy Procurement in enterprise forums. The position is based at Chicago/Aon Center in a normal office environment, with moderate travel to supplier locations and manufacturing facilities. Chicago/Aon Center-based employees may work virtually up to two days per week and are expected to work onsite at least three days per workweek during defined core days.

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, including 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 simplifying complex issues, influencing senior stakeholders, and building alignment around trade-offs and decisions.
Advanced negotiation and supplier relationship leadership experience, with demonstrated 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, and 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 enterprise-level strategic direction for the Cheese and Dairy procurement portfolio and establish, own, and deliver annual execution and credible three-year plans.
Lead category leaders by aligning talent, resources, priorities, and operating routines to deliver enterprise value across cost, service, risk, productivity, innovation, and supply continuity.
Shape long-term category and supplier relationship strategies and the operating model for dairy, cream, milk, cheese, cheese powder, cultures, trim, whey, and milk fat across the North American Zone.
Build executive alignment with internal stakeholders and strategic suppliers through business storytelling, enterprise judgment, and recommendations on complex trade-offs.
Serve as the senior escalation and decision-shaping leader for high-impact supplier, market, operational, quality, financial, and risk matters requiring cross-functional resolution.
Coach leaders, set standards, create transparency on priorities, develop leadership capability, 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 that improve decision quality, stakeholder confidence, and functional effectiveness.
Lead strategic sourcing, supplier selection, and negotiation strategy for complex, business-critical categories, and ensure leaders apply robust sourcing discipline and commercial governance.
Translate market dynamics, supplier capabilities, risk signals, and business priorities into category strategic choices and executable plans.
Influence Business Units, Operations, Finance, Quality, R&D, Global Procurement, and suppliers to align on priorities, decisions, and trade-offs.
Improve supplier governance, cross-functional decision forums, category planning, risk management, value reporting, and other internal and external ways of working.
Ensure performance goals, productivity pipelines, risk mitigation plans, and financial commitments are clearly owned and visible across the portfolio.
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 required decisions to senior leadership.
Lead a team of category leaders and procurement professionals, with accountability for coaching, performance standards, succession readiness, and business outcomes through others.

Benefits

Performance-based bonus.
Healthcare coverage for employees and eligible dependents, including medical and prescription drug plans.
Dental insurance.
Vision insurance.
Paid time off and company holidays.
Leave of absence.
Flexible work arrangements.
Recognition programs.
Training.
Employee Assistance Program.
Wellbeing programs and family support programs.
401(k).
Life insurance.
Accidental death and dismemberment coverage.
Disability coverage.
Wellbeing events, resources, and learning opportunities supporting physical, social, emotional, and financial wellbeing.