Senior Category Manager of Packaging Procurement

Principal Essential Duties & Responsibilities

• Lead development and execution of long-term packaging category strategies and savings plans.
• Perform advanced spend analysis, market research, and competitive benchmarking.
• Drive supplier performance improvement through KPIs and strategic business reviews.
• Lead complex sourcing events (RFIs, RFPs, negotiations, auctions) for his/her packaging categories.
• Develop and implement innovative sourcing solutions to meet evolving needs.
• Negotiate contracts with packaging suppliers that create significant value for Perdue.
• Partner cross-functionally across Perdue, especially with R&D packaging engineers and Marketing, on the packaging category strategies, innovation, optimization, and key initiatives.
• Partner with Procurement CoE to standardize sourcing templates and tools.
• Ensure contracts meet financial, operational, and compliance standards.
• Track contract milestones, expirations, and renewal timelines.
• Act as the primary contact for packaging suppliers.
• Monitor and resolve supplier performance issues and lead supplier development efforts.
• Proactively identify and mitigate supply risks.
• Ensure adherence to procurement policies and workflows.
• Lead high-profile or complex sourcing projects.
• Champion process improvements and best practice adoption.
• Lead knowledge-sharing and capability building across procurement.
• Support talent development within the function.

Minimum Education and Experience

• 10+ years of experience in procurement, sourcing, or category management, with at least 3-5 years in packaging procurement.
• Proven experience in supplier negotiations, RFx management, and contract execution.
• Strong cross-functional collaboration with operations, finance, and legal.
• Advanced proficiency in ERP and sourcing platforms (e.g., SAP Ariba).

Physical Requirements and Environmental Factors

• Position is mostly sedentary but may require occasional moving to other offices or buildings.
• May need to move light equipment or supplies from one place to another.
• May need to access files, supplies and equipment.
• Work activity is in an office, open-partitioned, cubicle environment.