Director Strategic Sourcing Meat, Own Brands

Main Responsibilities

• Develop strategic, mutually beneficial best practices with suppliers and internal stakeholder teams (Merchandising, Own Brands, Replenishment, Supply Chain, Transportation, etc.) utilizing robust strategic sourcing processes to drive sales and productivity improvements.
• Lead top to top meetings to identify business opportunities and consumer trends to grow sales in partnership with suppliers and internal cross functional teams.
• Ensure long-term strategically beneficial relationships with suppliers are maintained and available supply to the company.
• Partner closely with Finance to develop financial plans and forecasts related to the sourcing of commodities, goods and services and any potential P&L impacts.
• Partner with internal packaging personnel and identify innovative, sustainable packaging materials as well as other ESG solutions for the Own Brands portfolio of products.
• Partner with the legal department as needed to facilitate the negotiation of terms and conditions of Own Brands contracts.
• Manage supplier performance metrics, tracking key KPIs to ensure service levels are being met.
• Responsible for recruiting, interviewing and hiring new sourcing professionals as well as retaining, growing and developing the Strategic Sourcing Department.
• Set priorities for team, provide status and team updates to leadership and clearly communicate objectives so senior management team initiatives are met.
• Lead the development and planning of category strategy, planning, maturity, opportunity assessments and supplier relationship management.
• Formulate and execute strategic sourcing plans for meat categories, aligning with the overall business objective.
• Secure the best possible pricing, terms, and conditions while ensuring compliance with industry standards during negotiations with suppliers.
• Conduct market research and analysis to stay informed of trends, pricing and supply chain dynamics in the meat industry including specific types like beef, pork and poultry.
• Continuously monitor market trends, price fluctuations, and industry news to identify potential risks and opportunities in the meat market.
• Analyze cost structures and seek opportunities for cost savings and efficiencies of meat commodities.
• Develop and maintain strong relationships with meat suppliers, evaluating their quality, reliability, and pricing to ensure optimal sourcing.

Requirements

• A.B./B.S. degree in Business/Supply Chain, Meat Science/Food Science or other related fields, MBA preferred.
• Minimum of 10 plus years’ experience in retail meat and poultry sourcing and procurement (commodity and value added).
• Minimum of 2-3 years leading strategic sourcing professionals and strong people management skills.
• Skilled at leading with vulnerability and authenticity.
• Expert knowledge in formal strategic sourcing processes and methodologies.
• Possesses a thorough understanding of and prior experience dealing in various commodities markets, including a basic understanding of key drivers of commodity markets.
• Deep understanding of meat and poultry industry specifications, production systems, quality grades and animal raising processes and/or understanding of meat category, their sourcing regions, quality standards, and market dynamics.
• Demonstrated experience driving sustainability and traceability initiatives within the sourcing process.
• Ability to interpret raw material and finished good specifications and evaluate corresponding cost implications and opportunities.
• Familiarity with USDA/FDA standards, perishability, and packaging are a plus.
• Possesses strong problem-solving skills, including the ability to determine root causes of issues and develop and execute plans to resolve problems.
• History of developing and delivering successful category strategies.
• Skilled in managing executive relationships of multi-million dollar spend.
• History of driving significant cost savings initiatives.
• Ability to work independently, with minimal guidance, and create solutions that are in alignment with the culture and strategies of the department and company.
• Strong oral, written and formal presentation skills including the ability to communicate complex solutions and findings.
• Exceptional time and meeting management and presentation skills.
• Strong program skills in MS Office.
• Strong initiative, creative problem-solving ability and sense of urgency.
• Ability to effectively manage multiple projects and deadlines.
• Strong customer support and ability to work with cross-functional teams.

Qualifications

• Driven leaders who can demonstrate that they are change agents, consensus builders and strategists who have experience utilizing a sourcing process, and whose calling and drive is to make an impact.