Manager, Procurement – Sustainability

Job Description Job Purpose As the Procurement Manager for Sustainability, you will be responsible for collaboratively developing, implementing, and managing our North American Zone (U.S. and Canada) packaging sustainable sourcing programs to achieve our ambitions of achieving net zero by 2050. You will coordinate with and enable relevant teams in the delivery of ESG commitments and will be responsible for adapting the program to fit evolving priorities within the Kraft Heinz ESG strategy. In addition, you will partner with the broader Global Procurement Sustainability Program activities by contributing to continuous improvement in positive procurement, value creation, internal and external engagement, innovation, supplier collaboration, third party partnerships, and internal collaboration. In this role, you will interact and collaborate with leaders within the business units and other zones, particularly Research and Development, NAZ and Global Procurement teams, the North American Zone Procurement Leadership Team, and Finance.

Essential Functions & Responsibilities

Work collaboratively with the NAZ packaging procurement and R&D teams to refine our sustainability goals and move from ambition to a clear action plan to deliver our net-zero targets. Establish a comprehensive program plan and make recommendations supporting creating value and delivering the Kraft Heinz ESG strategy.

Map out specific packaging-related initiatives with our top suppliers in North America, which are the largest contributors to our Kraft Heinz carbon footprint. Organize the initiatives by supplier, action timing, deliverables, cost, impact, etc. Collaborate cross-functionally to advance supplier collaboration ways of working to drive ESG collaboration.

Support the management of the NA zone carbon data, working with the Global Sustainability team to clean up and improve our carbon data foundations. This includes working with our suppliers on tools for self-reporting carbon data.

Build tools and processes to monitor and track the initiatives as part of the NA zone sustainability roadmap, giving visibility to key milestones and decision requirements and holding suppliers accountable for delivering plans.

Serve as a subject matter expert (SME) in meetings with suppliers, bringing in experience from other organizations or suppliers to appropriately challenge and build carbon reduction plans; support Procurement function in sustainability-related conversations with suppliers.

Act as a strategic partner to the Research & Development and ESG function regarding the development of strategic workstreams

• Packaging end-of-life (Recyclable, Reusable, Compostable)
• Sustainable Packaging Raw Materials (Recycled or Eco-Friendly alternatives)
• Innovating New Sustainability Conscious Product Packaging
• Recycling Infrastructure Development
• Support building relevant business cases to secure investment for sustainability initiatives, including CAPEX, COGS, or external support needed to deliver our carbon reduction ambition.
• Manage a structured multi-stakeholder program, leading relevant rituals and routines.
• Enable Category teams to drive initiatives within their categories that advance the Kraft Heinz ESG objectives.
• Coordinate across teams in the delivery of relevant ESG commitments and objectives.
• Seek continuous improvement regarding Procurement’s role in Packaging Sustainability and look for process, product, and service improvement opportunities.
• Project manages implementing any agreed strategies, contracts, or processes for targeted ESG projects.
• Deliver results, taking ownership for change management related to the ESG strategy. Engage and collaborate with external partners (suppliers, service providers, NGOs, etc.) to advance the Packaging Sustainability Program.

Expected Experience & Required Skills

• Bachelor’s degree in supply chain management, finance, business, or related field. Candidates with extensive confirmed experience will be considered instead of a degree.
• Possess at least 3 to 5 years of demonstrated ability in procurement, sustainability, supply chain, or project management, with a minimum of a year of procurement sustainability experience.
• Strong written, verbal, and analytical skills, as well as interpersonal and presentation skills.
• Effective negotiator and influencer with demonstrated examples with internal customers and external suppliers/partners.
• Effective stakeholder management skills, especially with senior leadership; proven track record of building effective business relationships.
• Strong eye for business and communication skills, both verbal and written, with the ability to understand and explain sophisticated sustainability topics to suppliers and senior business leaders.
• Proven project management and solid analytical and consultative skills; able to make sound, data-driven business decisions. Prior experience with case development and multi-workstream project management is critical to success in this role.
• Experience in developing long-term business strategies and confidence when doing so.
• Possess experience in the sourcing life cycle process and fully grasp the tools needed to complete the process.
• Ability to multi-task, attention to detail, organized, outstanding customer service skills.
• Judgment to handle confidential information and complicated business situations; ability to lead and influence others; project management, problem-solving, leadership, and team-building skills.
• Ability to quickly develop organizational agility to get things done through formal and informal channels.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook).

Location(s)

Chicago/Aon Center

Kraft Heinz is an Equal Opportunity Employer that prohibits discrimination or harassment of any type. All qualified applicants are considered for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Applicants who require an accommodation to participate in the job application or hiring process should contact [email protected] .