Category Manager

at Aston Carter in Chicago, Illinois, United States

Job Description

Aston Carter is seeking a Category Manager for one of our top CPG clients in Chicago – you will collaborate extensively with product development, marketing, and supply chain teams, ensuring a seamless translation of category strategies into impactful market realities. You will harness in-depth analyses of market trends to signal buys at the correct time and volume in collaboration with supply/demand planning. Your role will balance creative innovation with analytical rigor and execution, ensuring our raw material strategies drive growth, and optimize margins

Qualifications:

+ Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Supply Chain Management, or a related field (Advanced degrees or certifications in commodities trading or market analysis are a plus)

+ Several years of experience in Category Management, Procurement, or Supply Chain Management, with a focus on ingredient sourcing and management within the confectionery industry, as well as a strong expertise in commodities market analysis and trends

+ Exceptional analytical abilities to interpret commodities market data, analyze trends, and make informed decisions regarding ingredient procurement and management

+ Excellent communication and negotiation skills to effectively collaborate with suppliers, internal teams, and stakeholders. Ability to articulate complex market insights and recommendations

+ Demonstrated experience in project management, with a track record of successfully leading ingredient-related initiatives and projects

+ A commitment to sustainability and corporate social responsibility, with experience implementing sustainable sourcing practices and initiatives within the ingredient supply chain

Job Responsibilities:

+ Develop and implement category strategies specifically related to confectionery ingredients procurement, sourcing, and management.

+ Utilize expertise in the commodities market and trends to analyze market dynamics, anticipate price fluctuations, and identify strategic sourcing opportunities

+ Collaborate with cross-functional teams to identify, source, and procure high-quality ingredients.

+ Cultivate strong relationships with raw material suppliers, leveraging market expertise to negotiate favorable pricing agreements/contracts and supply terms within our network of approved suppliers or vet new suppliers for optimal costing

+ Conduct the RFP process, bid analysis and review, contract negotiations, and blanket purchase agreement creation for managed category

+ Assist Sr. Buyer with purchase order placement for raw material ingredients, considering market trends, pricing forecasts, and inventory management needs

+ Lead ingredient-related projects, utilizing market expertise to anticipate and address potential challenges and opportunities

+ Develop dashboard views, reports, and project plans that incorporate commodities market insights to optimize project timelines, resource allocation, and risk management strategies

+ Provide strategic recommendations based on data-driven insights to optimize ingredient procurement and management processes

+ Drive sustainability efforts within the ingredient category, integrating market expertise to identify sustainable sourcing opportunities and promote ethical supply chain practices

+ Partner with suppliers and internal stakeholders to implement sustainability initiatives that align with corporate values and market trends

Aston Carter provides world-class corporate talent solutions to thousands of clients across the globe. Specialized in accounting, finance, human resources, talent acquisition, procurement, supply chain and select administrative professions, we extend the capabilities of industry-leading companies. We draw on our deep recruiting expertise and expansive network to meet the evolving needs of our clients and talent community with agility and excellence. With offices across the U.S., Canada, Asia Pacific and Europe, Aston Carter serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® double diamond winner for both client and talent service.

At Aston Carter, diversity and inclusion are a bridge towards the equity and success of our people. DE&I are embedded into our culture through:

+ Hiring diverse talent

+ Maintaining an inclusive environment through persistent self-reflection

+ Building a culture of care, engagement, and recognition with clear outcomes

+ Ensuring growth opportunities for our people

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email astoncarteraccommodation@astoncarter.com (%20astoncarteraccommodation@astoncarter.com) for other accommodation options.