descrizione del lavoro

On behalf of our client, a globally recognized leader in the food industry, specializing in the development, manufacturing and distribution of premium nutrition products, owned by a Private Equity, we are looking for the

Procurement Manager Italy

The Procurement Manager Italy is responsible for managing national purchasing activities to ensure that the plants and the commercial organization receive all necessary supplies, guaranteeing the best possible quality, the most competitive price, an adequate level of service, favorable payment terms and all other relevant conditions. He/she is also responsible for creating and leading the category sourcing strategy, in close collaboration with the Company Lead Buyers, in order to respond to changes in consumer/customer preferences as well as to the technological and supply environment evolution of the category. The role includes defining and leading the project portfolio related to new products, cost reduction initiatives, compliance and quality within the relevant categories.

The Procurement Manager Italy is expected to define and execute the sourcing strategy, striking the right balance between cost, quality and customer expectations, as well as to develop and implement a fully synergistic Italian procurement operation. In addition, the role is responsible for defining, managing, and executing a synergistic strategy for meat sourcing and operations, maximizing value for the entire organization. Finally, he/she must ensure that all purchasing activities are carried out in compliance with ethical standards and all applicable regulations.

The Procurement Manager Italy reports directly to the Regional Head of Procurement and dotted line to Italian General Manager and works closely with the Country Buyers and Lead Buyers, playing an active and coordinating role in category sourcing initiatives across Italy.

The role requires ongoing collaboration with the Product Development Director, Plant Director, Quality Director and other key stakeholders within the organization.

In alignment with the Italian leadership team, the Procurement Manager holds full responsibility for delivering the expected results in the Italian market. Their contribution is critical to the company’s overall performance in the country, both operationally and strategically.

Key Responsibilities:

• Monitor and interpret relevant market information into strategies and actions for the respective category
• Monitor, interpret and translate downstream market information (competitors, adjacent industries, retail environment, consumer trends, legal context, etc.) into strategies and actions
• Lead and execute the end-to-end sourcing strategy with a particular focus on Italy
• Define, align, and implement relevant sourcing strategies that maximize with specific attention to the Italian market and local industrial base
• Define, align and implement synergistic opportunities in Italian and group-wide sourcing activities
• Coordinate the network of buyers and stakeholders to achieve objectives
• Define and execute purchasing activities in line with the overall category strategy
• Define and lead the savings project portfolio in line with quality requirements
• Manage suppliers in line with the purchasing strategy
• Ensure contractual compliance with suppliers
• Responsible for accurate and up-to-date data management in transactional systems
• Responsible for the timely preparation and distribution of required reports and information
• Ensure procurement readiness for various audits
• Maintain close communication with Italian management, providing regular updates on market situation, coverage recommendations, etc.
• Drive continuous improvement in Quality, Total Cost of Ownership, Payments terms, Supplier Service Level
• Responsible for preparing the raw materials price budget
• Develop suppliers in collaboration with the PD and QA managers to ensure competitive new sources for existing and new materials
• Collaborate with the buyer network to ensure overall benefit for the company and full market visibility are always considered
• Communicate updated prices to buyers, controllers, call-off team and other relevant partners
• Ensure compliance with audit requirements, as needed
• Ensure the highest ethical standards are maintained throughout the supplier selection process

Ideal profile:

• Bachelor’s degree or relevant secondary school diploma
• Minimum of 10 years’ procurement experience, preferably within the Food, Feed or Pet Food industries
• Fluent in English
• Comprehensive knowledge of quality’s role within the value chain
• Clear understanding of procurement’s role within the corporate environment
• Excellent negotiation skills, results-driven mindset, proactive and action-oriented complete the profile

Location: Center of Italy / remote work 2 days per week

Ref: VG55691