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Manager, Indirects - Transportation Procurement

Kraft Heinz
7 hours ago
Full-time
On-site
Chicago, IL, United States
LinkedIn

The Category Manager, Transportation leads category strategy, sourcing, and supplier performance management for key transportation subcategories across Kraft Heinz North America, including Dedicated Full-Truckload, Spotting & Shuttling, and Customer Pick-Up (CPU). The role manages approximately $285 million in spend and is accountable for building multi-year category strategies that improve service, control cost, reduce risk, and increase operational efficiency. This person partners closely with Logistics, Customer Supply Chain, Operations, Manufacturing, Legal, Finance, Data Analytics, and other cross-functional stakeholders to translate business needs into clear category priorities and sourcing actions. Success in the role requires strong market insight, disciplined execution, effective stakeholder influence, and the ability to balance internal service with enterprise value creation. Job Description Essential Duties and Responsibilities: Develop and maintain multi-year category strategies for assigned transportation subcategories, grounded in business needs, market intelligence, supplier capability, and financial opportunity Translate category strategy into a prioritized pipeline of sourcing, productivity, risk management, and supplier performance initiatives Lead strategic sourcing events, including RFx development, supplier evaluation, negotiation, award recommendations, and implementation planning Lead complex commercial negotiations and contract execution in alignment with procurement policies and source-to-pay standards Manage supplier relationships and conduct supplier business reviews to monitor performance, address risks, and escalate issues when needed Track category market dynamics, including pricing trends, cost drivers, supplier shifts, and innovation opportunities, and translate those insights into action with business stakeholders Partner with Finance and Data Analytics to manage total cost of ownership, quantify savings opportunities, and support fact-based decision-making Identify, assess, and prioritize productivity initiatives based on complexity, implementation effort, business risk, timing, and financial impact Build strong relationships with stakeholders across Logistics, Customer Supply Chain, Operations, Manufacturing, Legal, and other corporate functions to ensure alignment and execution support Influence decisions across mid- to executive-level stakeholders through clear recommendations, strong business cases, and credible category expertise Drive contract and program compliance through disciplined supplier management and partnership with internal stakeholders Anticipate risks, close gaps, and follow through on commitments with an owner mindset Support the development and direction of internal resources and third-party support aligned to category priorities Requirements Education: Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education and relevant experience Experience : 7+ years of experience in Indirect Procurement, transportation procurement, logistics, supply chain, or a related category management field Technical/System Skills: Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite Experience with source-to-pay or eProcurement tools preferred, such as Ariba, SAP, or Keelvar. Experience in supplier performance, risk management, and analytics tools preferred Communication Skills: Strong verbal and written communication, presentation, stakeholder management, and negotiation skills Core Skills: Category strategy development and execution Strategic sourcing and supplier negotiation Contract lifecycle management Cross-functional influence and stakeholder alignment Cost modeling and financial analysis Project and portfolio management Sound judgment in complex or confidential business situations Supervisory : No direct reports; may provide direction to internal resources and third-party support partners Travel: May require up to 6 trips per year $’s Managed : $285 Million Organizational Influence: North America Cust…

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