Strategic Sourcing Manager - Grocery

Sysco Northeast Rdc; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 95,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Sysco Northeast RDC is seeking a skilled category manager to build negotiation facts and manage cost bases for assigned suppliers and categories. You will handle certification, awards, and post-award activities to sustain profitability.

Role requires strong data analysis, Excel proficiency, and experience with RFX processes within a matrix organization. Travel may be limited; on-site work at corporate facilities in Houston is expected.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree preferred or applicable experience in merchandising, pricing and/or customer service
• 7 years Sysco merchandising, pricing and/or customer service experience or equivalent combination of education and industry experience. Master's degree a plus.
• Track record of fact-based negotiation skills.
• Solid understanding and utilization of the RFX sourcing process.
• Highly skilled in data analysis.

Responsibilities

• Negotiate the net cost and Earned Income programs for assigned categories/suppliers.
• Negotiate, prepare and present supplier award recommendations to senior sourcing leadership.
• Communicate the results of negotiation activities to stakeholders.
• Conduct ongoing sourcing activities supporting category post-award.
• Develop supplier profiles and cost component worksheets.

Skills

Negotiation

Data analysis

Advanced Excel

Sourcing

Communication

Project management

Vendor management

Market intelligence

Education

Bachelor's degree preferred

Master's degree a plus

Tools

Tableau

Ariba

AS/400 / mainframe

Job description

JOB SUMMARY

Responsible for building the negotiation fact base and conducting negotiations with suppliers for specified categories as part of the category management process. Responsible for managing ongoing cost base and supplier relationship activities, such as; cost changes, earned income programs and contract cost agreements for all Corporate managed suppliers.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Sourcing

• Negotiate the net cost and Earned Income programs for assigned categories/suppliers.
• Negotiate, prepare and present supplier award recommendations to senior sourcing leadership.
• Communicate the results of negotiation activities.
• Conduct on-going sourcing activities that support the category post-award.
• Manage and validate steady-state change requests.
• Develop industry overviews and supplier profiles for each assigned category. Create cost component worksheets for supplier clean-sheet cost buildup.
• Ensure legal documentation is completed (Hold Harmless, Certificate of Insurance, Supplier Authorization Agreement, Bid Award Purchase Agreement, Terms Change Form).
• Continually identify new suppliers and initiate the process to engage them.
• Engage suppliers and refine supplier/product fact base throughout the category management process.
• Coach suppliers throughout the category process to ensure active participation.
• Performsstrategic sourcing function for specified categories including negotiating, finding and onboarding new suppliers, conflict resolution and problem-solving.

Product Cost Management

• Negotiate ongoing cost-based activities such as cost changes, program alterations, Earned Income program expirations, and category renewals/extensions.
• Effectively manages all Supplier initiated price changes by performing complex cost analyses that leverage industry/market data, clean sheet cost build-ups, specific cost component indices, and internal stakeholders to effectively manage Sysco’s product costs.
• Generates required approval form(s) that contain detailed analysis and appropriate levels of supporting data to obtain leadership approval.
• Manages the implementation of cost changes by working cross-functionally with the Costing Team and Supplier to ensure correct pricing is loaded.
• Reviews variance reports and resolves any exceptions with suppliers.
• Works cross-functionally with the Category Director/Manager and the Transfer Price Team, as required, to provide market insight to establish effective transfer pricing.
• Ensures proper notice of cost adjustments is received by the Supplier and provided to Operating Companies.
• Manages the effective use of the database of Suppliers’ price increases and seeks opportunities for price decreases.

Product Program Management

• Negotiates new programs with suppliers, using market data and established programs for comparable items to set acceptable earned income rates.
• Re-negotiates expiring and/or expired program agreements to maintain or enhance profitability.
• Negotiates program agreements to cover supplier payments for products purchased through DOT.
• Negotiates the centralization and standardization of Local programs into the corporate programs for all corporately managed suppliers.
• Generates and negotiates the required agreement form(s) and obtains leadership approval.
• Works cross-functionally with Agreements Team and Costing to ensure any new or renewed rates match the Supplier’s system pricing.
• Ensures all agreements for corporate managed Suppliers are loaded into the Ariba database.

Supplier Management

Contacts suppliers regarding delinquent monthly earned income payments; communicates updates to A/R team and escalates issues to appropriate Strategic Sourcing leadership.

Financial Issue Resolution Support

• Resolves pricing inaccuracies and AR/AP issues as needed.
• Additional tasks as required to achieve business results.

QUALIFICATIONS

Education

Bachelor's degree preferred or applicable experience in merchandising, pricing and/or customer service

Experience

• 7 years Sysco merchandising, pricing and/or customer service experience or equivalent combination of education and industry (foodservice or retail) experience. Master's degree a plus.
• Track record of fact-based negotiation skills.
• Solid understanding and utilization of the RFX sourcing process.
• Highly skilled in data analysis.
• Knowledge of product and production processes.
• Understanding of supply chain principals and dynamics.
• Understanding of the dynamics of supply and demand.
• Requires excellent Microsoft Excel skill sets, specifically V lookups, manipulating pivot tables, filtering, and sorting functions. Knowledge of mainframe systems/ programs, such as AS240, RME, Tableau, etc., a plus.
• Ability to effectively collect and use market data to efficiently manage cost.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to effectively work in a Matrix organization.
• Project management background a plus.

Intrinsic Characteristics

• Analytical thinker who can pull disparate pieces of data together to form a coherent story.
• Project management style mindset to manage suppliers through the sourcing process.
• Ability to effectively balance relationships with suppliers and internal organization.
• Collaborative team player who can work across functions (e.g., Analytics, Category Leadership, Supply Chain, etc.) to deliver results.
• Ability to work on multiple projects in a fast-paced environment, adapt to shifting priorities, and be very detail-oriented.
• Knowledge-driven individual who can quickly build category understanding.
• Proactive communicator with exceptional communication and presentation skills. (both oral and written)
• Strong bias for action (self-starter).

Physical Demands

• The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an associate to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.
• Reasonable accommodations will be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this job.
• While performing the duties of this job, the associate is regularly required to sit, stand, walk and use hands and fingers to operate a computer keyboard, mouse, and telephone to talk and hear.
• The associate is frequently required to sit and reach with hands and arms.
• The associate must occasionally lift and/or move up to 20 pounds.

Work Environment

• This position must be performed from the corporate facility in Houston, Texas.
• Must be able to do limited travel to Sysco facilities or operating companies.
• The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those associate encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations will be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this job.
• The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

NOTICE

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature of the environment and the level of work being performed by this job. This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only tasks to be performed by the employee in this job. He or she will be required to follow any other instructions and to perform any other job-related duties requested by his or her supervisor.

Reasonable accommodations will be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. This job description supersedes prior job descriptions.