Sr. Director, Category Management, Restaurant Solutions

National DCP•Duluth, GA

About The Position

The Sr. Director, Category Management , will oversee the category management team and all aspects of category management as an integral part of NDCP’s Restaurant Solutions and NDCP’s extended leadership team. This position will contribute to the growth and profitability of Dunkin’ by optimizing sourcing strategies, building mutually beneficial supplier relationships, and promoting continuous improvement. The Sr. Director and category management team will provide dedicated support in the areas of supplier, cost, risk, and performance management. This includes ensuring timely supply of high-quality products and services at the lowest sustainable cost to the Dunkin’ franchisees on behalf of NDCP. Restaurant Solutions has procurement and supply chain responsibilities for indirect products and services, such as kitchen equipment, smallwares, custom fabrication, distribution, and consolidation programs, construction materials, furnishings, lighting, signs, and store level services. The Sr. Director, Category Management will report directly to the EVP, Restaurant Solutions. NDCP and this position are located in Duluth, GA.

Requirements

Minimum 7-10 years of experience in category management and strategic sourcing, including supplier, cost, risk, and relationship management.
Proven track record of success leading, motivating, and developing teams and individuals
Excellent communicator, both written and verbal.
Strong financial acumen, process orientation, and technology-forward mindset.
Proficiency in the Microsoft Office suite (Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint) required.
Collaborative, “team first” approach with proven ability to develop strong business relationships and manage effectively.
Proven organizational and project management capabilities, including the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
Proactive and dedicated with a drive for quality and results.

Nice To Haves

Experience with a purchasing cooperative, foodservice distributor, franchise system, or within the foodservice/restaurant industry is a plus.

Responsibilities

Full accountability for sourcing and category management performance, people leadership, and developing strategic vision.
Set department vision, priorities, and organizational goals
Oversee category portfolio performance (cost, innovation, risk, supplier diversity)
Build alignment with NDCP internal leadership and Dunkin’/Inspire key stakeholders
Develop talent strategy: hiring, coaching, training, retention, succession planning
Lead enterprise supplier strategy and partnerships
Drive continuous improvement, process development and adherence, and technology adoption to optimize productivity and efficiency
Own reporting for board-level or executive leadership updates
Accountable for direct management of supplier relationships, service performance, adherence to quality standards, costs, and risk mitigation.
Negotiate lowest possible landed cost based on product specifications, quality, service levels, and industry conditions.
Optimize business terms/conditions and develop contracts for supply of products and services with all new and existing suppliers. Ensure timely completion.
Identification, discovery, initiation, and development of new, user-friendly program offerings to drive incremental value and improve the Member experience.
Interface and collaborate with Dunkin’/Inspire Brands New Store/Remodeling teams, R&D, Operations Services, and its franchisees to provide optimum cross-functional planning and execution of Category Management functions.
Prepare and execute RFI, RFQ, and RFP events. Analyze responses and work with internal counterparts to achieve best award decision. Prepare executive summary with results.
Locate, analyze, develop, and maintain efficient and effective supplier base to meet current and future needs of all purchased materials and services.
Lead cross-functional, multi-stakeholder initiatives spanning sourcing, supplier onboarding, contract execution, and new program launches, requiring formal project management discipline experience (e.g., PMP, SCRUM, Six Sigma, Prosci).
Design, standardize, and continuously improve category management and supplier processes in line with NDCP operating standards and SAP workflows.
Drive structured change management in Category Management with the support of NDCP CI and PMO functions.
Lead adoption of new processes, tools, and technologies.
Understanding of ERP-based financial processes supporting procurement and distribution, including invoicing, inventory tracking, goods receipts, and general ledger postings.
Partner with Finance to ensure accurate item, price, and supplier setup to support compliance, audit requirements, and clean financial reporting.
Partner with Finance, Accounting, and Operations to ensure sourcing decisions, contracts, and supplier programs translate correctly into SAP transactional and financial outcomes.
Partner with dedicated Finance support to leverage ERP and CRM data to support cost analysis, margin transparency, risk management, and board-level reporting.

Benefits

We offer competitive compensation packages and excellent benefits.
Our comprehensive offerings include:
A variety of affordable Medical, Dental, and Vision coverage
Flexible Spending Accounts
Company-paid Group Life, AD&D, Short-Term and Long-Term Disability coverage
Voluntary Life and AD&D coverage
401(k) retirement savings plan with company match
Employee Assistance Program
Paid time off for Vacation.
Discretionary time, Sick time , and Holidays
Education Discounts at Southern New Hampshire University, as well as access to online self-study materials through our internal Learning Management System
Fitness and Wellness Discount and Reimbursement Program
Employee purchase discount programs
Employee apparel program
Bonus