Sourcing Manager, Dairy Ingredients - Positive Work Culture

Summary/Objective

This position manages the procurement of all dairy ingredients and non-dairy processing ingredients for all manufacturing plants of Savencia Cheese USA LLC and business partners to assure optimum cost and adequate supply. Manages supplier relationships including cow and goat milk cooperatives, goat milk patron program, cost management, budget planning, management of inventory, quality assurance of dairy ingredients and problem resolution with suppliers.

Essential Functions

• Manage milk and cream procurement for Savencia Cheese USA manufacturing and business partners for both long term contracts and spot market purchases as required to balance production and fill the required sales demand
• Determine least cost formulas based upon current market conditions
• Coordinate with Receiving Teams and Dairy Ingredients Buyer/MRP to determine efficient scheduling of dairy loads and logistics
• Manage milk and/or cream sales assuring optimum return as needed
• Lead and report on Dairy Sustainability Program in coordination with Fieldman and Global Milk Sustainability Team including assuring Best Farming Practices, Animal Welfare and working towards Carbon reduction with F.A.R.M. (Farmers Assuring Responsible Management)
• Develop and manage goat milk patron programs – assures balance of milk to requirements -includes farm inspection programs, hauling contracts, annual patron meetings, newsletters and overall communication
• Manage the dairy accounting functions for monthly reporting to Finance and state auditor review
• Recommend and implement dairy budgets and forecasts for all dairy ingredients
• Support and implement dairy risk management strategy for retail sales set forth by the Director of Materials Management and Chief Financial Officer (CFO)
• Recommend and implement the dairy risk management strategy for customer key accounts set forth by the Director of Materials Management and Sales VP
• Source and negotiate contracts for all non-dairy ingredients for all Savencia Cheese USA manufacturing sites. Works in conjunction with the Research and Development (R&D) department to source ingredients for new product development
• Identify alternate sources or specifications of supply for potential cost savings, quality improvements and/or improved efficiencies
• Develops an approval process for new suppliers with Quality, gathers proper documentation and manages annual supplier performance evaluations according to a predefined matrix with the Lead Buyer and Quality
• Assures accurate Source Files and Price Info-records are managed in SAP
• Follow on new industry products and practices to lead cutting edge developments
• Enforces company purchasing policies and procedures
• Investigate and stay informed on regulatory requirements as it relates to dairy ingredients

Travel: This position requires up to 25% travel including on-farm visitations. Frequently travel is outside the local area and overnight.

Required Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in agricultural and/or business administration or related field
• Eight to ten years’ dairy industry related procurement
• Leadership: a demonstrated ability to lead people and achieve results through others
• Negotiation skills applied to vendor management
• Planning: an ability to think ahead and plan over a two-year time span
• Management: the ability to organize and manage multiple priorities
• Problem analysis and problem resolution at both a strategic and functional level
• Strong customer orientation
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
• Project management processes – planning, analysis, resource deployment and control
• Tactical execution of tasks for process improvement

Preferred Education and Experience

• Knowledge of dairy manufacturing
• Experience in lean manufacturing environments
• Advanced computer proficiency – SAP experience