Assoc Mgr Category Procurement

Location: Hershey, PA / Open to Remote Why Hershey: At The Hershey Company, our culture is rooted in purpose and inspired by Milton Hershey’s enduring vision that business should create opportunity for others. Through our commitment to corporate philanthropy, we create positive impact by supporting communities, helping children thrive, and operating as a business for good. This includes our deep and long standing partnership with Milton Hershey School, where we invest in education, workforce readiness, and hands on engagement to help students succeed beyond the classroom. Supported by strategic grantmaking, product donations, cross brand collaboration, and strong employee volunteerism, Hershey offers a place to work where making a difference—locally and globally—is part of how we do business every day. How will you fit in the big picture? This role organizes and executes procurement work that often spans multiple teams or functional areas. The role independently manages defined workstreams or projects within an assigned area of responsibility, applying intermediate procurement knowledge to support category strategies and sourcing activities. It influences procurement outcomes through subject matter expertise, problem resolution, and coordination with internal stakeholders. The position increasingly engages and influences stakeholders while driving improvements that enhance operational efficiency and overall business performance. What will you do? Manage Procurement Projects or Processes: Independently manages procurement projects or owned processes within a defined area. Ensures work is completed with accuracy, appropriate stakeholder engagement, and alignment to procurement policies. Identifies opportunities to enhance the efficiency or quality of the assigned process. Conduct Supplier and Market Analysis: Performs research, supplier assessments, and baseline market analysis to inform category strategies. Synthesizes data into actionable insights and communicates implications clearly. Identifies emerging risks, opportunities, or supplier performance issues requiring escalation. Support Contracting and Negotiation Activities: Prepares documents, gathers inputs, and coordinates contract reviews to support negotiation cycles. Ensures alignment to templates, policies, and compliance requirements. Identifies contractual inconsistencies and engages category owners to address them. Collaborate Across Functions to Resolve Issues: Works with functions such as Planning, Finance, Quality, and Engineering to resolve procurement-related challenges. Gathers information systematically to understand root causes and impacts. Recommends practical solutions leveraging best practices and past precedents. Deliver Continuous Improvement in Procurement Processes: Identifies inefficiencies, proposes enhancements, and participates in implementation of improved procurement processes. Applies subject matter knowledge to streamline workflows or clarify requirements. Ensures that changes are communicated effectively and adopted within assigned areas. Organize and execute procurement activities that impact multiple teams or functions. Manage projects or processes within the procurement area to ensure effective outcomes. Apply subject matter expertise to identify and implement improvements in procurement practices. Communicate effectively with internal and external stakeholders to support procurement objectives. Conduct research and analyze complex issues to develop well-informed solutions. Leverage best practices and past precedents to drive transformation and elevate procurement results. Lead and execute Request for Proposal (RFP) and other competitive bidding events including conducting due diligence on suppliers, contacting suppliers to communicate requirements, evaluating bids received and summarizing findings with the Business Owner. Works with Project Managers and Engineering team to understand sourcing needs and inform sourcing project plan and sup…

View the full posting and apply