Transportation Category Manager – Strategic Sourcing

Kraft Heinz, Inc.

Chicago (IL)

On-site

USD 104,000 - 130,000

Full time

14 days+

Get a reply from this employer

Your resume and cover letter, tailored to exactly what they’re hiring for.

Get past ATS filters

Benefits offered by this job

Medical coverage

Prescription Drug coverage

Dental coverage

Vision coverage

Screenings/Assessments

Paid Time Off

Company Holidays

Leave of Absence

Flexible Work Arrangements

Recognition

Training

Employee Assistance Program

Wellbeing Programs

Family Support Programs

401k

Life Insurance

Disability Insurance

Job summary

Kraft Heinz in Chicago seeks a Category Manager, Transportation to lead category strategy, sourcing, and supplier performance across subcategories like Dedicated Full-Truckload, Spotting & Shuttling, and CPU. You will manage approximately $285 million in spend and influence cross-functional stakeholders to optimize service, cost, risk, and operational efficiency.

The role requires 7+ years in indirect procurement/transportation, with strong market insight and disciplined execution.

Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education and relevant experience
7+ years of experience in Indirect Procurement, transportation procurement, logistics, supply chain, or a related category management field
Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite
Experience with source-to-pay or eProcurement tools such as Ariba, SAP, or Keelvar
Experience in supplier performance, risk management, and analytics tools
Strong verbal and written communication, presentation, stakeholder management, and negotiation skills
Category strategy development and execution
Strategic sourcing and supplier negotiation
Contract lifecycle management
Cross-functional influence and stakeholder alignment
Cost modeling and financial analysis
Project and portfolio management
Sound judgment in complex or confidential business situations
No direct reports; may provide direction to internal resources and third-party support partners
Travel: up to 6 trips per year

Responsibilities

Develop and maintain multi-year category strategies for assigned transportation subcategories, grounded in business needs, market intelligence, supplier capability, and financial opportunity
Translate category strategy into a prioritized pipeline of sourcing, productivity, risk management, and supplier performance initiatives
Lead strategic sourcing events, including RFx development, supplier evaluation, negotiation, award recommendations, and implementation planning
Lead complex commercial negotiations and contract execution in alignment with procurement policies and source-to-pay standards
Manage supplier relationships and conduct supplier business reviews to monitor performance, address risks, and elevate issues when needed
Track category market dynamics, including pricing trends, cost drivers, supplier shifts, and innovation opportunities, and translate those insights into action with business stakeholders
Partner with Finance and Data Analytics to manage total cost of ownership, quantify savings opportunities, and support fact-based decision-making
Identify, assess, and prioritize productivity initiatives based on complexity, implementation effort, business risk, timing, and financial impact
Build strong relationships with stakeholders across Logistics, Customer Supply Chain, Operations, Manufacturing, Legal, and other corporate functions to ensure alignment and execution support
Influence decisions across mid- to executive-level stakeholders through clear recommendations, strong business cases, and credible category expertise
Drive contract and program compliance through disciplined supplier management and partnership with internal stakeholders
Anticipate risks, close gaps, and follow through on commitments with an owner mindset
Support the development and direction of internal resources and third-party support aligned to category priorities