What are we looking for?

• BA required, MBA or equivalent experience preferred

• Minimum of 8 years of experience in large-scale strategic procurement and/or directly relevant supply chain discipline.

• Minimum of 8 years in leading and managing a direct team and cross-functional teams

• Experience in agricultural commodity price risk management and hedging preferred.

• Experience in managing dynamic business environments, where price stability, supply availability and potential business outcomes were under continuous pressure and change.

• Strong analytical ability and proven experience with supplier and economic markets- specifically including ability to identify and manage market risks and opportunities and develop a supplier relationship management program that improves the overall capability of our supply base.

• Effectively negotiate commercial terms and conditions; apply business law to create appropriate legal contracts; manage business, legal and intellectual property risk.

• Effectively manage relationships with all internal and external clients; develop and maintain superior processes for integrating external supplier ideas into the business.

• Demonstrate the openness to act as a team player, situational leadership within peer group to influence business strategy, and ability to develop their organization.

• Understanding of food safety and Good Manufacturing Practices.

What will be your key responsibilities?

• Lead the creation and direct the implementation of strategic sourcing initiatives in the areas of ingredients and packaging for the Petcare North America business delivering a target ‘value improvement’ 5%+ of the total spend.

• Lead the cash improvement program related to suppliers. Deliver incremental cash improvement year on year.

• Drive an effective relationship with key internal clients, especially with the R&D, and Marketing teams to ensure the delivery of business plans at or ahead of targets & plans. This involves regional and global counterparts in order to ensure appropriate Commercial representation in internal business processes.

• Lead the organization to create and execute ‘game changing’ strategic sourcing plans for major spend categories and influence the Global Pet Nutrition Commercial Leadership team via new ideas and innovations.

• Lead and develop a team of Commercial associates to ensure that all business processes, Commercial guidelines and the Finance Manual are understood. This includes driving a robust Commercial operating environment.

• Deliver market trend, market development information and analysis to drive business understanding of these markets and how best to exploit the capabilities of suppliers and industry developments to deliver a competitive advantage to the Pet Nutrition NA business. This includes leading creation and implementation of strategic supplier initiatives to deliver sustained competitive advantage.

• Develop and maintain team talent levels including functional direction and objectives of the area as well as the divisional talent management processes for the team.

• Lead major programs within our value leadership program. Own the program, deliverables, and interact with other functions to enable these results.

• Demonstrate a Quality Culture in Actions, Words and Spirit.