Category Manager - Plastic

Job Duties

• Develop sourcing Category Management plans for Plastics Packaging (films, PP cups, lids, bottles, sleeves, shrink wrap) supporting food and beverage manufacturing.
• Analyze and calculate total cost of procurement and use category strategies to drive multi-year sourcing plans that maintain flat to down costs in inflationary and volatile resin markets.
• Source and assess trustworthy and capable plastics packaging partners across domestic and international markets.
• Develop and maintain supplier evaluation systems to ensure quality, price, delivery, sustainability, and service performance; conduct regular compliance and business reviews.
• Create and deploy structured sourcing processes that drive Best Value supplier relationships and continuous improvement across the Global Sourcing organization.
• Partner with packaging suppliers to reduce waste, improve recyclability, increase recycled content, and introduce higher quality or lower total cost packaging solutions.
• Collaborate with Product Development and Packaging Engineering on innovation, new materials, and next-generation single-serve, RTD, and flexible packaging solutions.
• Execute contracts, RFIs, RFPs, proposals, and supplier agreements ensuring commercial, legal, and technical compliance.
• Interface with Global Sourcing Quality Assurance to ensure specifications, food-contact compliance, and sustainability standards are consistently met.
• Support commercialization of New Product Development (NPD) projects in partnership with Sales and Operations teams.
• Serve as liaison between Procurement and Manufacturing to ensure clear communication, forecast alignment, and supply continuity.

Attributes

• Demonstrates superior interpersonal, coaching, and communication skills across all organizational levels.
• Identifies opportunities to drive change, improvement, and innovation.
• Provides honest, constructive, and timely feedback.
• Celebrates success and recognizes contributions of others.

Accountability

• Motivated, self-directed, and detail oriented.
• Takes full responsibility for own actions and category outcomes.
• Follows up personally and monitors progress to ensure commitments are met.
• Holds self and suppliers accountable for performance and results.
• Demonstrates strong decision-making skills and financial KPI management.
• Exhibits strong attention to detail.

Communication

• Contributes to and executes a strategic vision for a Global Procurement organization.
• Effectively delegates and works with cross-functional teams.
• Effectively manages multiple projects simultaneously and prioritizes workload.
• Safeguards information and ideas flow in all appropriate directions.
• Shares information openly while respecting confidentiality.
• Conveys information clearly and ensures understanding.

Teamwork

• Experience working as both a member and leader of teams.
• Works collaboratively toward shared goals.
• Supports team objectives and successes.
• Adds value to team efforts and resolves conflicts professionally and directly.
• Collaborates effectively across functions.

Requisition Number

Requisition Number 6564

Shift

Shift First

Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience in Category Management, Procurement, or Supply Chain Management, preferably within food, beverage, or consumer packaged goods.
• Bachelor's degree in Procurement, Supply Chain, Engineering, or Business; advanced degree a plus.
• PREFERRED: Professional certifications: CPSM, CPM, MCIPS, CPIM, PMP, APICS, ISM.
• Experience with plastics packaging including films, rigid plastics, lids, cups, bottles, and sleeves.
• Experience managing diverse supplier bases, contracts, risk, forecasting, and category strategies.
• Strong computer skills including Word, Excel, Outlook, and NetSuite or similar ERP systems.
• Ability to perform in a fast-paced, high-change manufacturing environment.
• Strong financial acumen with understanding of P&L impact and cost drivers.

Equal Opportunity Employer / Vets / Disabled

Starting Pay Rate 110,000