Regional Category Manager (EMEA) - Grains & Sweetners

Looking for an opportunity to lead strategic sourcing initiatives, manage a high-impact portfolio, and help shape the future of our Health & Biosciences business?

IFF is a global leader in flavors, fragrances, food ingredients and health & biosciences, we deliver sustainable innovations that elevate everyday products.

Health & Biosciences: Channeling our passion for nature and bioscience into sustainable, life enhancing technologies that power innovative solutions across healthcare, food, consumer and industrial markets.

This is a hybrid role can be based out of our office in Asturias/ Barcelona, Spain OR Leiden, Netherlands. Join a collaborative, innovative, and solution-oriented team where your expertise contributes to meaningful products used around the world. Your potential is our inspiration!

We are excited to welcome a new Regional Category Manager for Grains and sweeteners Raw Materials to our team, and we hope it is you! In a highly dynamic and transforming market, the future Category Manager (CM) will develop and execute sourcing strategies aiming to source, secure and optimize IFF Raw material (~65 Mio) for all relevant manufacturing plants in the most important region for IFF Europe. The Category Manager will prepare, negotiate, manage, and coordinate assigned raw material categories across the EMEA region for the Health & Biosciences business unit. In the future, the Category Manager will also oversee the Yeast Extracts, Enzymes, and Dairy categories (~€35 million).

The Portfolio Will Include the Following Products

• Starches and derivatives

• Commodity grains

• Sugar

• In Future Yeast, Enzymes and Dairy

The CM is accountable for the management and performance of this full portfolio, including establishing sourcing strategies, setting strategic objectives, optimizing products and supplier’s portfolio and executing strategic transformative projects. The CM will manage relationships with key suppliers, ensure alignment with IFF business objectives. The job function requires international external interactions with suppliers and raw material market/network knowledge. In addition, it requires extensive internal interaction with key functions including Operations, Business teams, Quality, Commercial, and Technical Program leads.
 

The key value axis of IFF sourcing strategy are the following:

• Drive cost competitiveness through TCO and cash optimization, with a cross-functional vision (that will include rationalization, specs optimization, etc.)

• Develop Category strategy for the respective portfolio’s

• Drive IFF CO2 footprint reduction on the category, playing a key role in IFF sustainability agenda.

• Ensure a robust market risk management together with business lead and execute accordingly.

• Identify technological innovations and support business growth.

Where You'll Make a Difference 

• Develop regional category strategies for assigned categories and sub-categories to ensure Raw material supply, manage costs and capture saving. Implement strategies within the region, driving results and achieving strategic objectives.

• Execute a disciplined application of IFF’s strategic sourcing methodology: Perform continually spend analysis on assigned categories and sub-categories, assess market intelligence, and develop full market analysis,

• Understand and apply the principals of SRM within the category and region: Develop new and existing supplier partnerships and collaboration to support growth strategy with market risk, innovation, sustainability and technology, support technology buying by accessing supplier capabilities.

• Provide continuous impactful communication to stakeholders. Be the advocate of the regional spend.

• Develops and negotiate contracts that capture an advantage for Health and Bioscience Business and minimize risks. Manages contract implementation and supplier performance; involved in supporting resolving operational issues.

• Develops a partnership with business/operations, functional or operational leadership to drive common objectives.

• Identifies and drives continuous improvement and productivity gains.

• Understands market dynamics and total cost of ownership factors.

What Makes You the Right Fit 

• Bachelor, or master’s degree in business (preferred), Economics, science/engineering, supply chain or equivalent experience

• Related experience in the raw materials procurement, supplier relationship management (ideally > 4 years)

• CPSM or SPSM or related certification in supply chain or procurement excellence

• Ideally, experience in the procurement area of responsibility with depth and contacts in key markets (ideally > 4 years)

• Strong knowledge of business practices and financial concepts/impact/analyses

• Solid Financial acumen ideally acquired through a commodity procurement role (involving hedging)

• Strong people skills, project management and experience in cross-functional teams

• Effective communication and presentation skills

• Fluent oral and written skills in English language

Why Choose Us? 

IFF offers an attractive compensation and benefits package designed to support your health, wellbeing, and work-life balance, including:

• Comprehensive medical coverage for you, with optional coverage for your family.

• Pension plan to support your long-term financial security.

• Life and accident/disability insurance.

• Benefits Club with exclusive discounts and savings on everyday purchases and vacation packages through a wide network of providers.

• Employee Assistance Program (EAP), offering discreet access to a wide range of wellbeing, financial, and personal support services for you and members of your household.

• Hybrid Work Profile

We are a global leader in taste, scent, and nutrition, offering our customers a broader range of natural solutions and accelerating our growth strategy. At IFF, we believe that your uniqueness unleashes our potential. We value the diverse mosaic of the ethnicity, national origin, race, age, sex, or veteran status. We strive for an inclusive workplace that allows each of our colleagues to bring their authentic self to work regardless of their religion, gender identity & expression, sexual orientation, or disability.

Visit IFF.com/careers/workplace-diversity-and-inclusion to learn more