Senior Category Manager - Tzaneen

Ntice Sourcing Solutions; Tzaneen; On-site; ZAR 800,000 - 1,200,000; Full time

Job summary

Ntice Sourcing Solutions is seeking a Senior Category Manager to drive procurement strategies for Westfalia Fruit in Tzaneen. This pivotal role requires a seasoned professional with over a decade of experience in FMCG and expertise in category management. You'll play a key role in enhancing profitability and will collaborate with various teams to implement best practices across the organization.

Benefits

Provident Funds

Insured Benefits

Annual Bonus Option

Qualifications

• Minimum 10-15 years' experience in FMCG or related fields.
• Proven strategic procurement or category management experience.
• Experience with digital procurement tools valued.

Responsibilities

• Lead Africa-wide category strategies aligned with group objectives.
• Oversee regional supplier performance management.
• Negotiate with regional suppliers to optimize terms.

Skills

Analytical Skills

People Management

Strategic Thinking

Communication Skills

Negotiation Skills

Education

Degree in Supply Chain Management

Postgraduate Degree

Tools

ERP Systems

MS Dynamics

Job description

Join to apply for the Senior Category Manager - Tzaneen role at Ntice Sourcing Solutions.

Westfalia Fruit, situated in Tzaneen, has a permanent vacancy for a suitably qualified and experienced Senior Category Manager.

Westfalia Fruit is a leading multinational supplier of fresh fruit and related value-added products to global markets.

Through our vertically-integrated supply chain, we grow, source, ripen, pack, process, and market quality avocados & fresh produce year-round across the globe.

With the largest avocado-growing footprint in the world, we are recognized as the leading #avoexperts and are considered the supplier of choice to retail & wholesale customers served from sales offices in the UK, Europe, North America, Latin America & Africa.

Purpose of the role

Lead the development and execution of Westfalia Africa's overarching category strategy across all "non-fruit" procurement categories. This high-impact role is responsible for driving performance, standardizing best practices, and improving profitability through strategic sourcing, supplier development, and collaboration with commercial, technical, and operations teams across regions including Europe, North & South America.

Act as a regional procurement leader, influencing decision-making at the executive level and shaping the future of procurement for Westfalia Fruit.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Lead Africa-wide category strategies aligned with group objectives, category segmentation, and market analysis.
• Guide the development of cross-functional sourcing strategies with measurable goals (cost savings, risk reduction, innovation).
• Create visibility of procurement performance across sites and consolidate regional supplier strategies.
• Own at least one category of supply.
• Drive and implement governance models to standardize processes across African teams.
• Lead capability building and training initiatives for local category managers and stakeholders.
• Promote continuous improvement by tracking performance and conducting post-implementation reviews.
• Act as a senior business partner to various teams across Africa, driving alignment on spend, supplier relationships, and compliance.
• Present procurement strategies and results to the Africa leadership team.
• Oversee regional supplier performance management, including SLAs, KPIs, and scorecards.
• Identify and mitigate supply risks through multi-sourcing strategies, contractual safeguards, and market intelligence.
• Promote supplier-led innovation and co-development opportunities.
• Manage cost control, budget, and savings delivery across categories.
• Negotiate with regional suppliers to optimize terms and increase value creation.
• Maintain category roadmaps and track strategic initiatives.
• Develop reporting tools and dashboards to measure performance.
• Use analytics and forecasting to inform sourcing decisions and report to stakeholders.
• Lead procurement input into business planning and financial reporting cycles.

Education

Degree in Supply Chain Management or related Business qualification is essential (e.g., CIPS, ISM). Postgraduate degree is advantageous.

Experience

Minimum 10-15 years' experience in FMCG, fresh produce, agribusiness, or food manufacturing. Proven strategic procurement or category management experience, preferably with pan-African or global exposure. Experience in cross-functional sourcing, supplier negotiations, governance frameworks, stakeholder influence, and risk management. Digital procurement tools and business transformation experience are also valued.

Skills

• Strong analytical skills and familiarity with procurement systems (ERP, SRM, BI tools).
• Excellent people management and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Strategic thinking with operational and executive capability.
• Knowledge of MS Dynamics or similar ERP platforms.
• Effective communication, presentation, and business acumen.
• Results-driven, independent, and team-oriented work ethic.

Remuneration

The company offers a comprehensive Total Guaranteed Remuneration Package, including provident funds, insured benefits, and an annual bonus option.

Seniority level

Mid-Senior level

Employment type

Full-time

Job function

Management

Industries

Horticulture

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