External Manufacturing Sourcing Leader

Kraft Heinz

Chicago (IL)

Hybrid

USD 121,000 - 151,000

Full time

4 days ago

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Benefits offered by this job

Performance bonus

Healthcare benefits

Wellbeing programs

401k

Job summary

Kraft Heinz in Chicago seeks a Sr. Manager, External Manufacturing Procurement to lead a team of buyers and translate business priorities into disciplined execution across sourcing, supplier management, and product delivery.

You will shape three-year supplier strategies while coaching buyers and driving continuous improvement across the portfolio. The role partners with R&D, Marketing, Finance, Legal, Sales, and Operations to align sourcing decisions with broader business objectives and to

Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in supply chain, business, finance, operations, engineering, or a related field; MBA and/or advanced procurement qualifications preferred
Significant procurement experience, ideally including external manufacturing, finished goods, ingredients, packaging, CAPEX, or related categories
Demonstrated people leadership experience, including coaching and developing high-performing teams
Strong experience in sourcing, supplier management, negotiation, contracting, and operational execution within a complex business environment
Experience developing category strategies and supplier plans that connect near-term execution with longer-term business needs
Strong systems thinking, with the ability to connect buyer execution, supplier performance, category strategy, and cross-functional dependencies across the portfolio
Strong supplier management foundation, with credibility to coach others through issue resolution, negotiations, implementation, performance follow-up, and supplier development planning
Curiosity about AI and digital tools, with interest in how they can improve visibility, decision making, efficiency, and team effectiveness
Strong solution-oriented mindset, with the ability to remove barriers, simplify complexity, and help teams move from issue identification to practical action
Strong communication, influencing, and stakeholder management skills across matrixed teams and functions
Strong problem-solving, prioritization, and execution capabilities across multiple concurrent priorities
Ability to lead through ambiguity, support team decision making, and escalating issues with sound judgment
Continuous improvement mindset with the ability to strengthen team routines, sourcing discipline, category planning, and ways of working over time
Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and familiarity with source-to-pay tools such as SAP, Ariba, Workday, and related systems

Responsibilities

Lead and develop a team of base external manufacturing buyers responsible for sourcing and supplier management across the portfolio
Translate business, category, and procurement priorities into clear buyer focus, workplans, and execution expectations
Coach buyers through sourcing decisions, supplier issues, negotiation preparation, and execution challenges to strengthen capability and judgment
Drive disciplined short- to mid-term execution of sourcing activities across the portfolio, including supplier selection support, bid processes, negotiations, contracting coordination, implementation, and follow-through
Oversee day-to-day supplier management routines across the buyer team, including issue resolution, service follow-up, escalation support, and ongoing performance management
Responsible for execution against productivity, inflation management, cash, service, and supply continuity priorities within the core external manufacturing portfolio
Develop and maintain category and supplier strategies that balance immediate business needs with longer-term portfolio direction and business objectives
Shape a 3-year view of supplier needs, supply base development, category evolution, and financial delivery to support future business requirements, growth priorities, and resilience needs
Lead effective Supplier Relationship Management (SRM) and identify supplier strengths, development opportunities, capability gaps, and strategic actions needed to strengthen the supply base over time
Partner cross-functionally with R&D, Marketing, Finance, Legal, Sales, and Operations to align sourcing decisions, supplier strategies, and execution priorities to broader business objectives
Work closely with supply chain teams on network design and optimization of the manufacturing footprint for the respective categories, including make vs. buy analyses
Partner with the Associate Director and cross-functional stakeholders to connect short-term execution priorities with longer-term category, supplier, and business strategies
Remove barriers that slow buyer execution by coordinating across procurement, operations, finance, quality, R&D, and other cross-functional teams
Establish and reinforce clear team routines, governance, and visibility to priorities, risks, open issues, and ownership across the portfolio
Ensure strong consistency in how the buyer team manages sourcing processes, supplier communication, issue tracking, and follow-up
Support risk management, business continuity planning, supplier segmentation, and supply base management across the portfolio
Drive continuous improvement in base external manufacturing procurement ways of working to simplify processes, reduce rework, and improve execution speed and quality
Monitor team performance through key metrics related to sourcing delivery, supplier performance, service, cost, cash, and execution health
Use data, governance routines, and team reviews to strengthen accountability and improve portfolio execution
Foster a team culture of accountability, collaboration, learning, and continuous improvement