Innovation Procurement Leader

Kraft Heinz; Chicago (IL); Hybrid; USD 142,000 - 177,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health coverage and benefits

Wellbeing programs

Flexible work arrangements

401k

Job summary

Kraft Heinz in Chicago leads innovation procurement, guiding a team of Innovation Managers to execute the BU’s innovation strategy across brands and platforms. The role focuses on building capability, championing supplier-enabled innovation, and delivering sourcing excellence across mid- and long-term portfolios.

Reporting to the Associate Director, External Manufacturing & Innovation Procurement, this position drives governance, operating rhythms, and continuous improvement while removing

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in supply chain, business, finance, operations, engineering, or related field (MBA preferred).
• Significant procurement experience including innovation sourcing, external manufacturing, commercialization, ingredients, packaging, CAPEX, or related categories.
• Demonstrated people leadership experience coaching and developing high-performing teams.
• Strong experience supporting innovation, commercialization, supplier capability development, and launch execution in fast-moving environments.
• Strong systems thinking linking innovation strategy, supplier capability, and cross-functional dependencies.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop a team of Innovation Managers responsible for sourcing and commercialization support across the portfolio.
• Translate BU and brand priorities into team focus, resource alignment, and execution direction.
• Champion supplier-enabled innovation by connecting supplier capabilities to three-year needs.
• Build the operating rhythm for innovation procurement including governance and visibility.
• Coach teams through complex sourcing, commercialization, and supplier challenges.
• Remove barriers by aligning procurement with R&D, operations, finance, quality, legal, and business teams.
• Instill sourcing excellence through supplier selection, contracting, commercialization readiness, and launch support.
• Drive consistency in managing innovation sourcing, supplier engagement, and cross-functional coordination.
• Lead continuous improvement to simplify processes, speed delivery, and improve execution.

Skills

Team leadership

Innovation procurement

Sourcing & negotiation

Stakeholder management

Decision making

Cross-functional coordination

Structured problem solving

Education

Bachelor’s degree in related field

MBA/advanced procurement qualification preferred

Tools

SAP

Ariba

Workday

Microsoft Office

Job description

Kraft Heinz in Chicago leads innovation procurement, guiding a team of Innovation Managers to execute the BU’s innovation strategy across brands and platforms. The role focuses on building capability, championing supplier-enabled innovation, and delivering sourcing excellence across mid- and long-term portfolios.

Reporting to the Associate Director, External Manufacturing & Innovation Procurement, this position drives governance, operating rhythms, and continuous improvement while removing