Strategic Sourcing Manager – Co-Man & Co-pack

Job Purpose

External manufacturing is a business priority for MEA and it is positioned on our MEA business strategy as a value driver. It plays a pivotal role on driving MEA ambition on NS as well as MAC.

The jobholder is responsible for the overall management & sourcing of the MEA supplier base for External Manufacturing category. The role is part of MEA MW direct commercial team, with a primary focus on strategy creation and execution to deliver long term competitive advantage. He/she will ensure supply security by maximizing value for money, and leveraging external capabilities.

The role drives the alignment of internal stakeholders across the regions and different functions in order to embed the sourcing strategy by applying key Commercial signature processes (e.g. responsible sourcing, material quality management, supplier performance relationship management, etc.). He/ she manages global or regional initiatives through supplier relationship management and ensures the business is protected and risk is properly managed. The role will lead the Sustainable Packaging agenda at External manufacturing as well as Resilience ensuring business continuity.

Key Responsibilities

Sourcing Strategic Development & Execution:

• Create, deliver, and execute the sourcing strategy for the External Manufacturing category (co-manufacturing & co-packing) across Middle East & Africa.
• Drive “Best in Class” category leadership and implement tools such as sourcing strategies, cost model analysis, e-auctions, and RFPs to deliver maximum value to the category.
• Lead Resilience strategy and roadmap for External manufacturing ensuring minimal business disruption.
• Develops and executes sourcing strategies using the MSSM framework and the appropriate tools for the market category (routine, leverage, bottleneck, critical).
• Develops and monitors the price risk management strategies.
• Applies a wide range of sourcing tools (e.g., negotiation, e-procurement, strategic collaboration, etc.) to select and allocate business to suppliers.

Maximize value for money:

• Deliver finance excellence through cash initiatives such as payment terms and supplier owned inventory programs.
• Obtain optimal terms by utilizing negotiation techniques when required to understand the tradeoffs between cost, volume, and quality to meet our performance criteria and secure long-term supply continuity.
• Drive an effective relationship with key stakeholders to deliver competitive market advantages through superior analysis, strategy, judgement, and execution.
• Identify and implement novel and creative means for reducing costs, improving quality, improving total value of money, including networking within the Mars Global community for best practices and ideas for reapplication.
• Collaborates with the stakeholders (Commercial, R&D, Finance, Supply, and CBU) to drive portfolio optimizations/ harmonization, develops long term category strategy and drives continuous cost improvement.

Protect Supply Chain:

• Ensure supply chain security and develop contingency plans to secure the business and provide recommendations to execute as appropriate.
• Builds sourcing category expertise to provide market and financial insights and inputs to the operating plan process.
• Tracks, monitors, and drives key supplier performance indicators across cost, service and quality and puts corrective actions in place when needed.
• Implements standard processes and tools to ensure responsible, continuous and sustainable sourcing.
• Participates in the global internal and external benchmarking and cost structure analysis management.

Leverage External Capability:

• Leading Supplier relationship management through regular visits to supplier facilities in order to become the subject matter expert for his/ her product which includes the manufacturing processes and all costs associated.
• Leverage supply chain knowledge to create cost models and influence the future product roadmap and sourcing decisions.
• Ensure delivery of business plans at or ahead of targets and plans while providing appropriate Commercial representation in internal business processes.
• Accountable for Sustainable packaging roadmap at External manufacturing, through working both internally with R&D/Sustainability Teams and externally with Suppliers.

Job Specifications/Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree
• 7-9 years of Commercial/Purchasing/Supply Chain experience preferably in Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG).
• Sourcing/Supply chain/Co-man knowledge and understanding is required.
• Fluent in English