Category Manager

About the role

The Procurement Category Manager will lead the strategic sourcing activities for their category(s) in Europe, with the goal of achieving significant cost reductions, while maintaining/improving product quality and vendor service levels. The individual will coordinate the category management team and work closely with key stakeholders in corporate functions to pursue effective strategies and implementation plans. This position is responsible for ensuring execution of global category strategies in the Europe region and is accountable for implementation of all regional and global cost optimization initiatives.

About Kerry

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.

Key responsibilities

• Leads category sourcing activities in the Europe, overseeing all activities related to procurement of a material, from intent to purchase through delivery of the material.
• Develops and implements regional sourcing strategies for categories in Europe Region while contributing to Global Strategy formation and execution.
• Recruits and maintains suppliers that minimize Kerry’s total cost of ownership, while upholding internal and external policies, governmental regulations and laws and maintaining the highest code of ethics and conduct.
• Develops and utilizes a system to evaluate vendor quotations with the appropriate negotiation and purchasing techniques to ensure quality, price, delivery, and service.
• Monitors performances of vendors and their compliance with Kerry guidelines.
• Analyses market and delivery conditions to determine present and future material availability/price, and prepares market analysis reports.
• Tracks performance within each spend category and defines budgetary impact.
• Prepares and reviews contracts, bids, proposals, and vendor agreements for legal correctness, price, and acceptability of items to specifications
• Directly solves operational issues with vendors.
• Reviews and resolves vendor claims and contracts for conformance to company policy.
• Provides assistance to acquisition strategies by completing due diligence and integration activities for spend.

Qualifications and skills

• Successful, multi-year track record within in Procurement.
• Strong purchasing experience is preferred.
• Strong communication/interpersonal skills.
• Drive – someone who is self-motivated and career driven with a strong sense of urgency, enthusiasm and commitment.
• Exceptional problem-solving and analytical skills.
• Leading and Managing Change – A fast learner who rapidly moves up the learning curve. Someone who embraces change and is willing to adapt and take on new responsibilities.
• Delivery of Sustainable Results – Strong results-oriented mentality with a continuous cost focus; drives cost/value initiatives.
• Project Management – Someone who is able to plan and manages projects through to completion.