Category Procurement Manager

Kerry Group•Beloit, WI

About The Position

Kerry is the world's leading taste and nutrition company for the food, beverage and pharmaceutical industries. Every day we partner with customers to create healthier, tastier and more sustainable products that are consumed by billions of people across the world. Our vision is to be our customers' most valued partner, creating a world of sustainable nutrition. A career with Kerry offers you an opportunity to shape the future of food while providing you opportunities to explore and grow in a truly global environment. The Category Procurement Manager, Packaging, owns the strategic sourcing activities for the America’s Region, with the goal of achieving significant initial cost reductions, while maintaining/improving product quality, aligning to sustainability initiatives, and meeting service levels to support business objectives. This position requires plastic packaging experience, preferably within the food industry. Category responsibilities include flexible packaging, rigid packaging and industrial packaging. Experience in packaging engineering is desired.

Requirements

7 or more years packaging industry and buying experience, preferably across multiple manufacturing locations
Strong working knowledge of Microsoft Office and SAP preferred
Must be able to travel up to 20% of the time
Strong communication skills; successful candidate will work with Kerry co-workers in multiple functions and locations as well as outside vendors.
Problem-solving and analytical skills
Basic understanding of purchasing and supply chain management
Ability to comply with existing/quickly adapt to new processes within the organization
Able to work in a dual reporting matrix and in virtual teams
Adept at influencing stakeholders among other company functions/departments, to further the category sourcing objectives, increase efficiencies, and influence total costs.

Nice To Haves

MBA or MS degree desirable, with significant plastics packaging experience

Responsibilities

Directly responsible for the procurement and risk management of the plastics category with an annual spend of approximately $70MM.
Develops and executes Sourcing Strategy for assigned packaging commodities in America’s region (US and Canada)
Analyzes market and delivery conditions to determine present and future material availability/price and prepares market analysis reports.
Leads sustainability initiatives for assigned categories
Monitors procurement reporting systems to meet company requirements.
Identifies and maintains suppliers that provide high quality products and service at a better price while maintaining the highest code of ethics and conduct.
Negotiates complex requests for materials.
Works day-to-day with the other functions in the region on implementation of category sourcing initiatives
Work with suppliers, sites, and key stakeholders in development of new packaging designs
Maintains packaging specifications and assures compliance as required
Ensures categories are contracted in line with the sourcing strategy to avoid uncontrolled spend
Ensures master agreements are properly codified into local contracts for the region
Prepares and reviews contracts, bids, proposals, and vendor agreements for legal correctness, business terms, price, and acceptability of items and specifications
Develops and utilizes a system to evaluate vendor quotations with the appropriate negotiation and purchasing techniques to ensure quality, price, delivery, and service.
Directly solves operational issues with vendors
Reviews and resolves vendor claims and contracts for conformance to company policy

Benefits

Kerry offers a competitive benefits package, including medical, dental, vision, paid time off, a 401(k) plan with employee and company contribution opportunities, Employee Share Plan, Life, disability, and accident insurance, and tuition reimbursement.

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