Category Portfolio Manager

Synlait; Dunsandel; On-site; NZD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Parental leave

B Corp™ certification

Social Club membership

Job summary

Synlait is a global leader in milk nutrition and a purpose-led company based in New Zealand. We are seeking a Category Portfolio Manager to lead the strategy, performance and optimisation of key ingredient categories across procurement, technical, innovation and planning.

You’ll drive cost reduction, supplier relationships, budgeting and risk management while collaborating across international markets to ensure supply meets current and future needs.

Qualifications

• Experience leading category management or procurement in manufacturing environments.
• Ability to translate strategy into actionable category plans.
• Strong commercial and strategic capability with focus on profitability and value.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute strategic category plans for key ingredients.
• Lead, coach and develop a high-performing procurement team.
• Identify opportunities to reduce cost, improve value and optimise the ingredient portfolio.
• Lead supplier relationships and commercial negotiations.
• Monitor global market trends, pricing, supply availability and risks.
• Develop and manage category budgets, forecasts and savings initiatives.
• Partner with Technical, Innovation and Operations to ensure supply meets requirements.
• Identify and mitigate supply, commercial and operational risks.
• Support new product development and ingredient innovation.
• Use market intelligence and data to inform sourcing decisions.
• Ensure strong day-to-day category management and supplier performance.
• Build collaborative relationships with strategic suppliers.
• Represent Synlait internationally through supplier meetings and market engagement.

Skills

Strategic thinking

Leadership

Negotiation

Stakeholder management

Cost optimization

Supply chain

Education

Procurement / Supply Chain related degree

Job description

Jora New Zealand will close on 9th September 2026. Thank you for being with us, we are cheering you on as you continue your career journey.

Do you have a strong commercial mindset and experience managing ingredient categories in a complex manufacturing environment? We’re looking for a Category Portfolio Manager to lead the strategy, performance and optimisation of key ingredient categories that are critical to our products and operations.

This is a strategic leadership role where you’ll work across Procurement, Technical, Innovation, Planning, while building strong relationships with suppliers and understanding global ingredient markets.

You’ll be responsible for:

• Developing and executing strategic category plans for key ingredients
• Leading, coaching and developing a high-performing procurement team
• Identifying opportunities to reduce cost, improve value and optimise the ingredient portfolio
• Leading supplier relationships and commercial negotiations
• Monitoring global market trends, pricing, supply availability and emerging risks
• Developing and managing category budgets, forecasts and savings initiatives
• Partnering with Technical, Innovation and Operations to ensure ingredient supply meets current and future requirements
• Identifying and mitigating supply, commercial and operational risksSupporting new product development and ingredient innovation
• Using market intelligence and data to inform sourcing and commercial decisions
• Ensuring strong day-to-day category management and supply performance
• Building effective, collaborative relationships with strategic suppliers
• Representing Synlait internationally through supplier meetings, trade shows and market engagement as required

About you

You’re an experienced category or procurement leader who knows how to turn strategy into results. You’ll take ownership of your assigned ingredient categories, developing and delivering strategies that balance cost, quality, supply security, risk and long-term value.

You’ll bring:

• 5 -7 years previous experience in Category Management, Procurement, Portfolio Management or a similar role
• Experience in manufacturing, ingredients, raw materials or global supply chains is highly desirable
• Proven leadership experience, with the ability to lead and develop high-performing teams
• Experience working across international markets or global supply chains is advantageous
• A relevant tertiary qualification in Procurement, Supply Chain, Business or a related discipline is desirable
• Strong commercial and strategic capability, with an understanding of profitability, pricing, margins, market opportunities and growth
• Strong supplier, negotiation and stakeholder management skills, with confidence to influence and make decisions
• A strategic mindset with the confidence to make decisions and challenge the status quo
• Strong supplier and stakeholder relationship skills
• The ability to manage risk, complexity and competing priorities

About us – The Synlait Spirit

Synlait is more than a global leader in milk nutrition – we're a purpose-led team that’s Doing Milk Differently For A Healthier World. Our Synlait Spirit guides everything we do, from how we show up each day to the impact we create together. You’ll be joining an authentic, down-to-earth team that lives the three values that underpin the Synlait Spirit.

Be The Difference

means we understand before we act – that means asking why, supporting each other to think differently, stay curious, and continuously look for smarter ways to deliver value. Whether it’s in the paddock, the plant or the boardroom, we’re driven by impact and inspired to make a meaningful difference every day.

Move as One

by working together with respect, trust and a shared commitment to doing what’s right. We collaborate across teams to deliver innovative solutions and create opportunity for those around us.

Right on the Mark

We feed the world’s most vulnerable, including newborn babies, so we have to be Right on the Mark. That means we take accountability seriously, act with courage and focus our energy on what matters most. We combine expert farming and state-of-the-art processing to deliver high quality nutritional products to all over the world.

At Synlait you’ll be challenged and supported to grow. We know everyone brings something unique to the table so we’re an inclusive workplace, where diverse perspectives fuel innovation and success.

What we offer:

• Health insurance cover & partnered with top brands for great benefits and discounts
• Excellent parental leave with our Matua policy
• B CorpTM certified
• Social Club membership opportunities

Applicants outside of New Zealand will only be considered if you have the legal right to live and work in New Zealand.