Associate Category Manager - Ingredients (56607)

About the role

We are a trusted partner to our customers when it comes to innovation and have one of the strongest R&D, product formulation and technical teams in the industry. We are recognized as the leader in plant-based softgel innovation and our ability to encapsulate difficult formulas. We seek out innovation across our entire business and pass that knowledge and expertise to our customers.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement category sourcing strategies that align with business objectives and cost-saving initiatives.
• Identify and evaluate potential ingredient suppliers based on quality, cost, reliability, regulatory compliance, and country-of-origin considerations to build a qualified and resilient supply base.
• Negotiate contracts, terms, and pricing agreements to optimize cost savings and supplier performance.
• Monitor supplier performance through key performance indicators (KPIs) and develop corrective action plans when necessary.
• Conduct ongoing market intelligence to track commodity trends, raw material pricing movements, and supply chain risks across assigned ingredient categories.
• Collaborate with Quality Assurance, Regulatory Affairs, Research and Development, Finance, and Sales to support ingredient sourcing decisions, cost analysis, new product timelines, and cross-functional alignment across the business.

Qualifications

• High School Diploma or equivalent GED Certificate; Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, Procurement, or a related field a plus.
• Hands-on sourcing experience with ingredient raw materials, specifically plant-based or botanical/vegetable-derived ingredients; working knowledge of animal-derived or functional ingredients such as gelatin, collagen, probiotics, amino acids, and capsule shell materials (HPMC, gelatin-based) is strongly preferred.
• Three (3) + years of sourcing, procurement, or supply chain experience, preferably in the dietary supplement, nutraceutical, pharmaceutical, or food manufacturing industries.
• Any combination of experience, education, and training that provides the level of knowledge, skills, and experience needed to successfully perform the job.

Skills

• Strong negotiation and contract management skills.
• Excellent communication and collaboration abilities.
• Knowledge of industry regulations and compliance standards.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously.
• Experience with sourcing tools, databases, and ERP systems.

Benefits

The Company pays 100% of the premium for employee-only medical coverage. Dental, Vision, Life Insurance, 401(k), 10 paid Holidays, Paid time off.

Pay

The final salary offered for this position may take into account a number of factors including, but not limited to, location, skills, education, and experience.

Schedule

This position is currently classified as on-site.