Strategic Sourcing Specialist: Raw & Packaging Materials at Mars

Job Description:

Overview

• The role is responsible for the procurement of assigned Raw and Packaging Materials for the Mars Food Cape Town site.
• The main mission of this role is to leverage supplier capabilities to serve the regional and/or global Food strategic agenda, by leading the development & implementation of the categories sourcing strategy at the CAP site, including step changing current practices, portfolio simplification and value contribution on quality, productivity, innovation & sustainability.
• The role acts as Mars spokesperson towards suppliers by applying best practice to supplier management and works next to Operations and Supply Chain teams to ensure the delivery of the materials on time in full. This role reports to CAP site Commercial Manager.  

What are we looking for?

• Bachelor or Degree with the focus on business, supply chain, procurement, engineering or operations (preferred)  
• 3-4+ years practical experience in strategic sourcing (procurement) is required
• Category management experience in procurement is a must
• Knowledge of manufacturing and operational processes
• Effective relationship management – internal and external
• Learn and adapt to changing market conditions and business dynamics
• Must have a demonstrated ability to lead x-functional teams, collaborating with both internal and externally.
• Working experience in FMCG / Food is an advantage
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Strong analytical and project management skills

What will be your key responsibilities?

• Category Expertise: Analyses the category spend, cost drivers, market trends and supplier base to develop the most appropriate sourcing strategy for the different packaging materials in scope. Identifies whether a regional or a global strategy is appropriate. Builds industry knowledge to develop cost models and execute the core category strategy that enables strong YoY productivity and improves the TCO of the categories.
• Strategy Development: Partners to lead a cross functional team to develop and execute the category strategy using the MSSM methodology (Mars Strategic Sourcing Methodology).
• Supplier Relationship Management: Manages supplier relationships with current and potential new suppliers. Performs supplier segmentation and evaluates them in terms of quality, service, and value leadership performance with the rest of the departments.  Conducts suppliers’ business reviews and “Top to Top” when needed.
• Value Leadership: Identifies and drives cost saving initiatives to enable >5% YoY Productivity delivery.
• Knowledge Management: Participates in external bench-marking and industry forums to gain market intelligence, provides category input and price risk management to the Cape Town site operating plans, and ensures compliance with proper procedures, policies, systems and controls.
• Simplification: collects and analyzes data to identify insights and opportunities to reduce complexity, rationalize specifications, and have the right supplier base.
• Stakeholder management: works closely with internal stakeholders, ensuring the supplier strategy and timelines are aligned with business strategy and objectives Establishes and maintains relationship with key stakeholders both local and global forums (Markets, Commercial-R&D-Quality-Supply).
• Negotiation, Tendering & Contract management: Develops appropriate commercial models, tenders and negotiates complex deals. Manages price, supply, service, legal and intellectual property risks in line with business priorities
• Risk management & Supply Security: Forecasts price volatility, defines means to protect the business against the risks.
• Transformation: is an active part of the Global Commercial team identifying and x-fertilizing the region´s and x-segment best practices across the globe. Drives change management and new ways of working adoption.
• Sustainability: Works with the team and suppliers to meet the Mars Sustainability targets to be 100% reusable, recyclable or composable by 2025 using at least 30% recycled content within our packaging categories and reduce by 25% the use of virgin plastic