Senior Category Manager

About Kerry

What will you do?

Main Objective

The Senior Category Manager leads and implements strategic sourcing activities within high-complexity categories, ensuring long-term supply continuity, cost optimization, and strong supplier and stakeholder relationships.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead sourcing strategies for categories with an annual spend of approximately $200 million, considering scale, risk, pricing complexity, and supplier diversity.
• Develop and execute sourcing and tendering strategies for highly complex categories, ensuring alignment with business objectives and sustainability goals.
• Build deep raw material and industry expertise, particularly in upstream commodities, acting as a trusted advisor to stakeholders.
• Identify and implement a constant pipeline of $8M USD in cost reductions and avoidance, aligned with category strategies and business objectives.
• Drive margin management, pricing support, and governance to meet financial targets.
• Launch cross-functional cost improvement initiatives to reduce Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) and deliver PIP (Profit Improvement Program) savings.
• Contribute to transforming sustainability from a cost center to a profit center by embedding sustainability into sourcing strategies.
• Ensure supplier compliance with standards (e.g., SEDEX, insurance, quality) and support innovation and sustainability KPIs.
• Oversee procurement from intent to delivery, ensuring continuity of raw material supply and contract compliance.
• Manage supplier risk (price, quality, supply) and working capital through standardized payment terms and supplier benchmarking.
• Utilize e-tendering tools and contract management systems to drive transparency and efficiency.
• Build strong cross-functional relationships with RD&A, Regulatory, Supply Chain, Operations, Finance, and other key functions.
• Serve as a strategic partner to internal stakeholders and a relationship leader to external suppliers.
• Represent Procurement as a value creator across the organization.

What will you need to be successful?

• Bachelor’s degree in Agriculture, Economics, Business, Finance, Economics, or Food Science, or related.
• MBA or MS degrees are desirable.
• Minimum 10 years of food industry and buying experience with at least 5 of those years in a leadership / management of a strategic category within the procurement function.
• Advanced understanding of purchasing and supply chain management.
• Strong communication skills, able to get buy-in and commitment from stakeholders and being able to working in a dual reporting matrix and virtual teams.
• Ability to comply with existing/quickly adapt to new processes.
• Problem-solving and analytical skills.
• Availability to travel up to 20% of the time.

Compensation Data

The typical hiring range for this role is $108,378 to $188,355 annually and is based on several factors including but not limited to education, work experience, certifications, location, etc. In addition to your pay, Kerry offers benefits such as a comprehensive benefits package, incentive and recognition programs, equity stock purchase and retirement contribution (all benefits and incentives are subject to eligibility requirements).