Sr. Manager, Ingredients - Oils, Processed Grains, & Components

heinz; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Heinz is seeking an accomplished procurement leader to own and advance category strategy across edible oils, grains, flour, pasta, components, and related ingredients. You will translate business priorities into strategic sourcing, manage supplier relationships at the executive level, and drive cost, continuity, and innovation while leading a procurement team.

The role demands strong negotiation, analytics, and leadership skills, with experience guiding cross-functional initiatives and

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in related field required.
• Minimum 6+ years of procurement, sourcing, or category management experience.
• Proven ability to develop and execute category strategies.
• Experience leading complex negotiations and supplier relationships.
• Experience managing direct reports and talent development.
• Strong financial, analytical, project management, and change leadership skills.
• Ability to influence senior stakeholders and lead through ambiguity.
• Excellent executive communication and business storytelling.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute multi-year category strategies for oils, grains, flour, pasta, components, and related commodity ingredient categories.
• Translate business priorities into procurement strategies to support growth, margin, supply continuity, innovation, and operations.
• Monitor markets, geopolitical/regulatory trends, and supplier capabilities to identify risks and opportunities.
• Establish category roadmaps with productivity, risk mitigation, sustainability, and innovation objectives.
• Lead strategic supplier segmentation and relationship programs.
• Lead complex sourcing events, negotiations, contract development, and supplier selection decisions.
• Drive total cost improvements through market intelligence, supplier collaboration, specification optimization, and negotiations.
• Develop sourcing strategies to improve competitiveness while ensuring supply continuity.
• Negotiate commercial agreements, risk-sharing, pricing structures, and long-term partnerships.
• Serve as executive relationship owner for key suppliers.
• Conduct supplier reviews, performance discussions, and capability assessments.
• Build partnerships supporting innovation, sustainability, and operational improvements.
• Resolve escalated commercial, supply, quality, and contractual issues.
• Lead, coach, and develop procurement managers, buyers, and category specialists.
• Foster accountability, collaboration, continuous improvement, and ownership.
• Promote best-practice sourcing methodologies across procurement.
• Lead initiatives involving multiple stakeholders and business units to align on strategy and execution.

Job description

Primary Responsibilities:

Category Strategy & Managemen t

• Develop and execute multi-year category strategies for oils, grains, flour, pasta, components, and related commodity ingredient categories.
• Translate business priorities into procurement strategies that support growth, margin enhancement, supply continuity, innovation, and operational excellence.
• Monitor commodity markets, supply-demand dynamics, geopolitical developments, regulatory trends, and supplier capabilities to proactively identify risks and opportunities.
• Establish category roadmaps with clear productivity, risk mitigation, sustainability, and innovation objectives.
• Lead strategic supplier segmentation and relationship management programs.

Strategic Sourcing & Negotiation s

• Lead complex sourcing events, negotiations, contract development, and supplier selection decisions.
• Drive total cost improvements through market intelligence, supplier collaboration, specification optimization, and commercial negotiations.
• Develop sourcing strategies that improve competitiveness while ensuring continuity of supply.
• Negotiate commercial agreements, risk-sharing mechanisms, pricing structures, and long-term partnerships.

Supplier Relationship Management

• Serve as executive relationship owner for key strategic suppliers.
• Conduct supplier business reviews, performance discussions, and capability assessments.
• Build collaborative partnerships that support innovation, sustainability, and operational improvements.
• Resolve escalated commercial, supply, quality, and contractual issues.

Leadership & Talent Development

• Lead, coach, and develop procurement managers, buyers, and category specialists.
• Build organizational capability through performance management, succession planning, and individual development plans.
• Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, continuous improvement, and ownership.
• Promote best-practice sourcing methodologies across the procurement organization.

Cross-Functional Leadersh ip

• Lead highly complex business initiatives involving multiple stakeholders, competing priorities, and significant business risk.
• Serve as a trusted advisor to Business Units, Manufacturing, Operations, R&D, Quality, Finance, and Supply Chain teams.
• Drive alignment through fact-based recommendations, executive communication, and business storytelling.
• Lead cross-functional programs to improve category performance, supplier effectiveness, and business processes.

Risk Management & Supply Assuranc e

• Develop and maintain category risk strategies covering supply continuity, geopolitical exposure, capacity constraints, financial health, sustainability, and quality risk.
• Establish contingency plans for critical materials and strategic suppliers.
• Partner with Quality, Regulatory, and Operations teams to manage supply disruptions and business continuity events.
• Ensure compliance with procurement governance, contracting policies, and supplier quality requirements.

Financial & Business Performanc e

• Deliver annual productivity, cash flow, working capital, and value creation targets.
• Manage category budgets, forecasts, savings pipelines, and strategic investment opportunities.
• Support business planning and long-range planning processes.
• Develop executive-level presentations and recommendations for senior leadership decision-making.

Role Scope

Categories

• Edible oils
• Flour and processed grains
• Pasta
• Semi-finished goods and components
• Related commodity ingredients

Team Leadershi p

Provides leadership and development for procurement professionals supporting the assigned commodity ingredient categories. The final reporting structure and direct-report scope should be confirmed during position approval.

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Business, Finance, Economics, Agricultural Sciences, Food Science, Engineering, or a related field.
• Minimum 6+ years of progressive procurement, sourcing, commodity management, agriculture, food manufacturing, or related experience.
• Proven experience developing and executing category strategies.
• Demonstrated success leading complex negotiations and supplier relationships.
• Experience managing direct reports and developing talent.
• Strong financial, analytical, project management, and change leadership capabilities.
• Ability to influence senior stakeholders and lead through ambiguity.
• Excellent executive communication and business storytelling skills.

Preferre d

• MBA or advanced degree.
• Experience within food, ingredients, agriculture, commodities, or consumer packaged goods.
• Market expertise in oils, grains, flour, pasta, components, or related ingredient categories.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, and analytics tools.

Success Measures

• Achievement of annual productivity, cash flow, and value creation targets.
• Improved supply continuity and reduced category risk.
• Strong supplier perform