Manager, Procurement - Innovation (HDM)

The Kraft Heinz Company; Chicago (IL); Hybrid; USD 104,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

Paid time off

Wellbeing programs

401k

Job summary

The Kraft Heinz Company in Chicago is seeking a procurement leader focused on driving innovation through strategic supplier partnerships and robust external manufacturing programs. You will coordinate with brand, finance, and operations to align supplier capabilities with ambitious growth plans.

You will shape outsourcing and internal readiness, manage negotiations and risk, and lead cross-functional teams to ensure timely launches and commercial success.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in supply chain, operations, finance, business, engineering, or a related field.
• MBA and/or advanced procurement qualifications preferred
• Experience in Procurement across ingredients, packaging, CAPEX, external manufacturing or related categories
• Knowledge of food or beverage manufacturing processes and commercialization environments
• Strong negotiation and influence skills across stakeholders
• Strong collaboration across matrixed teams and supplier networks
• Adaptability in fast-moving, evolving environments
• Digital savviness with Tableau/Power BI and basic BI tooling
• Interest in AI solutions to improve insights and decision-making
• Strategic thinking connecting procurement to brand and business strategy
• Passion for developing products and partnering with suppliers on new technologies
• Ability to prioritize and manage multiple priorities with speed and rigor
• Growth mindset and curiosity to challenge assumptions
• Advanced storytelling and communication, including written/verbal/analytical skills
• Change leadership to influence adoption and move work to execution
• Risk sensing and scenario planning to anticipate issues and plan options
• Process orientation and continuous improvement to drive efficiencies
• Analytical, planning, and execution skills with attention to detail
• Strong organizational agility to navigate formal and informal channels

Responsibilities

• Partner with brand, business, and cross-functional teams to understand innovation strategy, pipeline priorities, and future capability requirements
• Identify and develop supplier partners to enable innovation strategy and growth opportunities
• Bring forward innovation concepts, supplier capabilities, and emerging technologies via external partnerships
• Align suppliers, readiness, contracting, and launch support for internally manufactured innovation
• Support internal innovation commercialization with procurement readiness and coordination
• Lead external manufacturing sourcing and commercialization for innovation projects
• Act as primary contact for external manufacturing innovation partners
• Drive supplier relationship management for innovation partners and launch readiness
• Lead problem solving during commercialization and launch for speed and continuity
• Transition launched products and contracts to the appropriate procurement team after stabilization
• Conduct supplier and market landscape analysis to identify new partners and opportunities
• Drive continuous improvement across innovation sourcing, supplier collaboration, and commercialization processes
• Facilitate cross-functional forums and lead working sessions to strengthen alignment and reduce complexity
• Execute supplier segmentation and SRM with Kraft Heinz principles across quality, service, sustainability, cost, and performance
• Manage supplier-led innovation with external partners to unlock growth and value

Skills

Procurement strategy

Cross-functional leadership

Supplier relations

BI tools

Analytical thinking

Negotiation

Change management

Education

Bachelor’s degree in related field

MBA / advanced procurement qualifications

Tools

Tableau

Power BI

SAP Ariba

Microsoft Office

Job description

Job Description

PrimaryResponsibilities

• Partner with brand, business, and cross-functional teams to understand innovation strategy, pipeline priorities, and future capability requirements

• Identifyand develop supplier partners that can enable innovation strategy,conduct continuous landscape assessments for the category,elevate commercialization, and unlock new growth opportunitiesthrough proactively shaping supplier partnerships to meet business needs

• Bring forwardinnovationconcepts, supplier capabilities, and emerging technologies by building strong external partnerships and staying connected to market developments

• Serve as a key connector between business unit innovation and core procurement teams, including Ingredients, Packaging, and External Manufacturing, toalignpreferred suppliers, supplier readiness, contracting, and launch supportfor internally manufactured innovation

• Support internal innovation commercialization by ensuring procurement readiness and strong coordination across the relevant procurement categories and stakeholders

• Lead external manufacturing sourcing and commercialization activities for applicable innovation projects, including supplier identification, strategic sourcing, commercial negotiation, IP and CAPEX considerations, contracting, onboarding, and supplier ways-of-working setup

• Act as the primary point of contact for external manufacturing innovation partners through development, commercialization, launch, and early lifecycle support

• Drive supplier relationship management for innovation partners, including performance management, collaboration routines, issue resolution, and launch readiness

• Lead problem solving during commercialization and launch to ensure speed, continuity, and strong cross-functional execution

• Transition launched products, supplier relationships, and contract ownership to theappropriatebusinessprocurement team after stabilization

• Conduct supplier and market landscape analysis toidentifynew partners, innovation opportunities, and competitive advantages

• Drive continuous improvement, process efficiency, and best practices across innovation sourcing, supplier collaboration, and commercialization processes

• Facilitate cross-functional forums(working with finance, operations, marketing, sales, legal, quality,R&D)andleadworking sessions that strengthen alignment, simplify complexity, and improve procurement’s impact on innovation delivery

• Execute supplier segmentation and supplier relationship management routines in line with Kraft Heinz principles, including business reviews and continuous improvement across quality, service, sustainability, cost, and performance

• Executesupplier led innovation through Supplier relationships and internal stakeholder management aligning capabilities and technology with the needs of the business. Foster collaboration between Kraft Heinz and external partners to unlock growth andvalueandmanageadditionalresponsibilities as assigned.

Expected Experience& Required Skills

• Bachelor’s degree in supply chain, operations, finance, business, engineering, or a related field; MBA and/or advanced procurement qualifications preferred

• Experience in Procurement, including areas such as Ingredients, Packaging, CAPEX, External Manufacturing, or related categories; Finance or process engineering experience is also valued

• Knowledge of food or beverage manufacturing processes and commercialization environments

• Strong negotiation and influence skills, with the ability to shape decisions and build alignment across internal and external stakeholders

• Strong collaboration skills and the ability to work effectively across matrixed teams, functions, and supplier networks

• Adaptability and resilience through change, with the ability to stay effective in fast-moving and evolving environments

• Digital savviness and basic knowledge of business intelligence tools such as Tableau and Power BI

• Literacy in and curiosity about AI solutions, with interest in how they can improve insight generation, decision making, and ways of working

• Strong strategic thinking and business acumen, with the ability to connect procurement decisions to brand, category, and business strategy

• Passion for developing new products and partnering with suppliers onnew technologiesand innovation opportunities

• Ability toprioritize effectively,balance competing priorities, assess trade-offs, and focus time and resources on the highest-value work to deliver innovation with speed and rigor

• Intellectual curiosity and a growth mindset, with a willingness to challenge assumptions and embrace the art of the possible

• Advanced storytelling and communication skills, with the ability to turn complex ideas into clear, compelling messages for different audiences.Strong written, verbal, and analytical skills, as well as interpersonal and presentation skills.

• Change leadership capability, including the ability to influence adoption, align stakeholders, and move work from concept to execution

• Risk sensing and scenario planning capability, with the ability toanticipateissues, evaluate alternatives, and build practical paths forward

• Strong process orientation and continuous improvement mindset, with the ability to drive efficiencies, simplify complexity, andestablishscalable best practices

• Strong analytical, planning, and execution skills, with attention to detail across multiple priorities and projects

• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook) and have an understandingforsource-to-pay tools (SAP, Ariba, etc.).

• Ability to quickly develop a level of organizational agility, i.e., know how to get things done both through formal and informal channels.

Work Environment & Schedule

This position is considered a Normal office environment with limited travel or visits to external locations; offices are open workspaces To create a more agile and modern workplace, we allow Chicago/Aon Center based employees to work virtually for up to two days each week and expect them to work in-person during the defined core days at their assigned work location at least three days per workweek.

Our Total Rewards philosophy is to provide a meaningful and flexible spectrum of programs that equitably support our diverse workforce and their families and complement Kraft Heinz’ strategy and values.

New Hire Base Salary Range:

$104,200.00 - $130,200.00

Bonus: This position is eligible for a performance-based bonus as provided by the plan terms and governing documents.

The compensation offered will take into account internal equity and may vary depending on the candidate’s geographic region, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience among other factors

Benefits: Coverage for employees (and their eligible dependents) through affordable access to healthcare, protection, and savingfor the future, we offer plans tailored to meet you and your family’s needs. Coveragefor benefits will be in accordance with the terms and conditions of the applicable plans and associated governing plan documents.

Wellbeing: We offer events, resources, and learning opportunities that inspire aphysical, social, emotional, and financial well-being lifestyle for our employees and their families.

You’ll be able to participate in a variety of benefits and wellbeing programs that may vary by role, country, region, union status, and other employment status factors, for example:

• Physical - Medical, Prescription Drug, Dental, Vision, Screenings/Assessments

• Social - Paid Time Off, Company Holidays, Leave of Absence, Flexible Work Arrangements, Recognition, Training

• Emotional – Employee Assistance Program, Wellbeing Programs, Family Support Programs

• Financial – 401k,Life, Accidental Death & Dismemberment, Disability

Location(s)

Chicago/Aon Center

Kraft Heinz is an Equal Opportunity Employer – Underrepresented Ethnic Minority Groups/Women/Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity and other protected classes.In order to ensure reasonable accommodation for protected individuals, applicants that require accommodation in the job application process may contact [e-mail] for assistance.