Job Description

About Kerry

Kerry is the world's leading taste and nutrition company for the food, beverage and pharmaceutical industries. Every day we partner with customers to create healthier, tastier and more sustainable products that are consumed by billions of people across the world. Our vision is to be our customers' most valued partner, creating a world of sustainable nutrition. A career with Kerry offers you an opportunity to shape the future of food while providing you opportunities to explore and grow in a truly global environment.

What will you do?

Main Objective

The Senior Category Manager leads and implements strategic sourcing activities within high-complexity categories, ensuring long-term supply continuity, cost optimization, and strong supplier and stakeholder relationships.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead sourcing strategies for categories with an annual spend of approximately $200 million, considering scale, risk, pricing complexity, and supplier diversity.
• Develop and execute sourcing and tendering strategies for highly complex categories, ensuring alignment with business objectives and sustainability goals.
• Build deep raw material and industry expertise, particularly in upstream commodities, acting as a trusted advisor to stakeholders.
• Identify and implement a constant pipeline of $8M USD in cost reductions and avoidance, aligned with category strategies and business objectives.
• Drive margin management, pricing support, and governance to meet financial targets.
• Launch cross-functional cost improvement initiatives to reduce Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) and deliver PIP (Profit Improvement Program) savings.
• Contribute to transforming sustainability from a cost center to a profit center by embedding sustainability into sourcing strategies.
• Ensure supplier compliance with standards (e.g., SEDEX, insurance, quality) and support innovation and sustainability KPIs.
• Oversee procurement from intent to delivery, ensuring continuity of raw material supply and contract compliance.
• Manage supplier risk (price, quality, supply) and working capital through standardized payment terms and supplier benchmarking.
• Utilize e-tendering tools and contract management systems to drive transparency and efficiency.
• Build strong cross-functional relationships with RD&A, Regulatory, Supply Chain, Operations, Finance, and other key functions.
• Serve as a strategic partner to internal stakeholders and a relationship leader to external suppliers.
• Represent Procurement as a value creator across the organization.

What will you need to be successful?

• Bachelor’s degree in Agriculture, Economics, Business, Finance, Economics, or Food Science, or related.
• MBA or MS degrees are desirable.
• Minimum 10 years of food industry and buying experience with at least 5 of those years in a leadership / management of a strategic category within the procurement function.
• Advanced understanding of purchasing and supply chain management.
• Strong communication skills, able to get buy-in and commitment from stakeholders and being able to working in a dual reporting matrix and virtual teams.
• Ability to comply with existing/quickly adapt to new processes.
• Problem-solving and analytical skills.
• Availability to travel up to 20% of the time.

Compensation Data

The typical hiring range for this role is $108,378 to $188,355 annually and is based on several factors including but not limited to education, work experience, certifications, location, etc. In addition to your pay, Kerry offers benefits such as a comprehensive benefits package, incentive and recognition programs, equity stock purchase and retirement contribution (all benefits and incentives are subject to eligibility requirements).

​Kerry is an equal opportunity employer. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, national or ethnic origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age disability, protected veteran status or other characteristics protected by law. Kerry will only employ those who are legally authorized to work in the United States for this opening. Any offer of employment is conditional upon the successful completion of a background investigation and drug screen. Additional information can be found at: Know Your Rights: Workplace Discrimination is Illegal (dol.gov).

Beware of scams online or from individuals claiming to represent us. A Kerry employee will not solicit candidates through a non-Kerry email address or phone number. In addition, Kerry does not currently utilise video chat rooms (e.g., Google Hangouts) to conduct interviews. Refuse any request that asks you to provide payment to participate in the hiring process (e.g., purchasing a “starter kit,” investing in training, or something similar). Kerry will not ask you to pay any money at any point in the hiring process with the exception of reimbursable travel expenses. In addition, any payments made by Kerry will be from official firm accounts bearing the Kerry name.

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