Strategic Sourcing Specialist at Mars at Mars

Job Description:
Strategic Sourcing Specialist - Mars Food, Cape Town South Africa

• We are seeking a dedicated Procurement Specialist to manage the procurement of assigned raw material categories for the Mars Food Cape Town site. This pivotal role is responsible for leveraging supplier capabilities to advance the regional and global Food strategic agenda.
• The successful candidate will lead the development and implementation of sourcing strategies at the CAP site, focusing on transforming current practices, simplifying portfolios, and enhancing value through quality, productivity, innovation, and sustainability.
• As the Mars spokesperson to suppliers, the Procurement Specialist will apply best practices in supplier management and collaborate closely with Operations and Supply Chain teams to ensure timely and complete delivery of materials. This role reports directly to the CAP site Commercial Manager.

What are we looking for?

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent with a focus on business, supply chain, procurement, engineering, or operations (preferred).
• Minimum of 3 years of practical experience in strategic sourcing (procurement) is required.
• Proven category management experience in procurement is essential.
• Strong knowledge of manufacturing and operational processes.
• Effective relationship management skills, both internally and externally.
• Ability to learn and adapt to changing market conditions and business dynamics.
• Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional teams, collaborating effectively with both internal and external stakeholders.
• Working experience in FMCG / Food is an advantage
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Strong analytical and project management skills

What would be your key responsibilities?

• Category Expertise: Analyze category spend, cost drivers, market trends, and supplier base to develop the most suitable sourcing strategy for packaging materials. Determine whether a regional or global strategy is appropriate. Build industry knowledge to develop cost models and execute core category strategies that enhance year-over-year productivity and improve total cost of ownership (TCO).
• Strategy Development: Lead cross-functional teams to develop and execute category strategies using the Mars Strategic Sourcing Methodology (MSSM).
• Supplier Relationship Management: Manage relationships with current and potential suppliers. Perform supplier segmentation and evaluate them based on quality, service, and value leadership performance. Conduct business reviews and "Top to Top" meetings as needed.
• Value Leadership: Identify and drive cost-saving initiatives to achieve over 5% year-over-year productivity delivery.
• Knowledge Management: Participate in external benchmarking and industry forums to gain market intelligence. Provide category input and price risk management to Cape Town site operating plans, ensuring compliance with procedures, policies, systems, and controls.
• Simplification: Collect and analyze data to identify opportunities to reduce complexity, rationalize specifications, and optimize the supplier base.
• Stakeholder Management: Collaborate with internal stakeholders to align supplier strategies and timelines with business objectives. Establish and maintain relationships with key stakeholders in local and global forums.
• Negotiation, Tendering & Contract Management: Develop commercial models, conduct tenders, and negotiate complex deals. Manage price, supply, service, legal, and intellectual property risks in line with business priorities.
• Risk Management & Supply Security: Forecast price volatility and define strategies to protect the business against risks.
• Transformation: Actively participate in the Global Commercial team to identify and share best practices across regions and segments. Drive change management and adoption of new ways of working.
• Sustainability: Collaborate with teams and suppliers to meet Mars Sustainability targets, aiming for 100% reusable, recyclable, or compostable packaging by 2025, using at least 30% recycled content and reducing virgin plastic use by 25%.