Procurement Category Manager

Simplot Australia is a food manufacturing and agriculture business encompassing potato, vegetable, seafood, and sauce operations that supply a wide range of frozen, shelf-stable and chilled products to Australia and New Zealand’s major retail and food service customers.

As a leading provider of quality, nourishing and sustainable food, we are focused on creating food Australians and New Zealanders love by maximising value from the best Australian-grown produce and global seafood. Our iconic brands have been an integral part of Australian life for generations, and include the likes of Leggo’s, Birds Eye, Edgell, John West and Chiko.

We have five manufacturing sites in Australia and six sales sites and employ almost 2000 people across these operations. We are an integral part of the global J.R. Simplot Company.

**Culture and Benefits**:
At Simplot, we are fuelled by our purpose: We Contribute to Feeding Our World. We imagine a better future and set goals to reach it. We are committed to working as one Simplot and are guided by our shared values:

- Respect for Resources
- Spirit of Innovation
- Passion for People

We embrace diversity, equity, and inclusion. We care about creating an environment that promotes safety and wellbeing and where our people feel supported, respected and empowered. We do not tolerate any form of discrimination and are committed to providing equal opportunities for all our team members.

Simplot is passionate about cultivating a future where good ideas and inspiring possibilities have the chance to grow. We want our team members to build exciting and fulfilling careers with us and offer professional and personal growth opportunities.

**The Perks**:

- Flexible working arrangements and a variety of engaging Health and Wellbeing programs
- Diverse Leadership Development Programs and Professional Development Support
- Employee Reward and Recognition Program
- Bonus incentives
- Discounted Health Insurance and Gym Memberships
- Sensory Club Program - Enjoy and taste our new product launches and access to our Culinary cooking sessions
- Novated Car Leasing Agreements
- Income Protection Insurance
- Opportunity to purchase additional annual leave

Simplot Australia values the innovation and relationship building that comes from face to face connection but also recognises the need for flexibility in the lives of our team members. This is why we have a hybrid work environment, with one dedicated day per week where we all come together to maintain our successful culture of innovation, connection and collaboration.

**About our role**:
We have an exciting opportunity for a **Procurement Category Manager - External Manufacturing** to join our procurement team based at our head office in Mentone / Moorabbin.

Reporting to the Senior Category Manager you will work with a range of suppliers and internal stakeholders to continuously drive increased profitability and value while maintaining alignment with our strategic direction and core values.

**What you will do**:

- Provide input into annual budgets, using fact-based assumptions to underpin all inputs
- Develop and regularly refine category plans for our ingredients portfolio to address business needs, mitigate risks, and deliver long term sustainable value in the form of supply contingency, productivity, effective risk management, supply partnerships, reliability of supply, continuous improvement and supplier led innovation
- Actively manage market conditions and all cost inputs, including that of commodities, to ensure Simplot is not competitively disadvantaged
- You will present recommendations with clear pricing and/or forward coverage strategies and will oversee and, in some cases, lead negotiation of contracts
- Provide agility for the supply chain to support seasonal demand changes and communicate preferred supplier arrangements and the commercial implications of each to key business partners through and via the Integrated Business Planning (IBP) process
- Influence and manage internal relationships by providing commercial support to meet business objectives and goals, including our sustainability and innovation commitments
- Deliver optimal business value through supplier selection and ongoing management and you will identify and differentiate between strategically managed and tactically managed areas of spend and suppliers
- Contribute to the day-to-day procurement activities within your team and maintain compliance with operating procedures and processes
- Track and collate key functional metrics and report regularly to senior internal stakeholders

**About you**:

- You are experienced in engaging with and managing suppliers and stakeholders
- Fantastic energy and a can-do attitude
- Diversity of thought and will bring in new ways of thinking
- A solid knowledge of best practice procurement and supplier management processes
- A strong customer service focus and an eye for detail, identifying various value streams
- Excellent w