Develop and manage multi‑million‑dollar Packaging Category Strategies within Direct Procurement.
Deep expertise in packaging raw materials/substrates/chemicals; leverage market & commodity insights, escalation/de‑escalation mechanisms, and inflation mitigation to inform forecasting, decisions, and competitive pricing.
Provide quarterly updates on cost inflation by category and update quarterly standard costs.
Identify, assess, build business cases for, prioritize, and execute cost savings initiatives (product optimization, service/quality optimization, supplier optimization, process improvement, competitive bidding, should‑cost modeling, joint CI, negotiations).
Partner with suppliers and external category experts to develop robust savings/value pipelines and measurable benefits.
Partner closely with senior leadership across Sales & Marketing, Engineering, Finance, Supply Chain, and Quality to align with business strategy and position Procurement as a strategic partner.
Lead/support commercialization and growth initiatives via strategic sourcing; optimize supplier network in collaboration with cross‑functional teams.
Conduct business reviews with internal stakeholders and suppliers to track goals, surface issues/opportunities, and review category trends.
Establish best practices to develop and execute supplier agreements.
Lead and support Supplier Performance Management—track/analyze Service, Quality, Cost, and Innovation for key Packaging suppliers on a recurring cadence.
Support and implement SRM for assigned suppliers to drive continuous improvement and long‑term, collaborative relationships.
Proactively monitor and manage internal and external risk (market, operational, quality, logistics, financial) to ensure continuity of supply.
Integrate risk considerations into sourcing, supplier selection/segmentation, and contract terms.
Lead sustainability and diversity programs for Packaging suppliers in alignment with Ventura Foods’ priorities.
Embed governance through standardized practices/playbooks and agreement frameworks to ensure compliance and ethical sourcing.
Lead and coordinate cross‑functional teams to manage projects to outcomes (timeline, quality, cost).

Requirements

Bachelor’s Degree in Supply Chain Management, Industrial or Packaging Engineering, Business or equivalent Manufacturing Operations experience, is required.
Packaging procurement experience is required.
5+ years Procurement and/or Strategic Sourcing experience, inclusive of vendor selection, negotiation, commercial agreements, and supplier performance management, is required.
7+ years Purchasing and/or Supply Chain Planning and Management experience, is required.
Ability to travel 15% in North America.
Bachelor's Degree in Supply Chain Management, Industrial or Packaging Engineering or Business is desired.
Masters degree (M.B.A.) beneficial.
CPSM highly desirable.
Experience in food manufacturing environment beneficial.
ERP or MRP experience (Oracle Fusion, JDE, etc.) is strongly helpful.
Knowledge of substrates market indexes, like IHS, etc. is helpful.

Benefits

Medical, Prescription, Dental, & Vision – coverage beginning on your 1st day for eligible employees
Profit Sharing and 401(k) matching (after eligible criteria is met)
Paid Vacation, Sick Time, and Holidays
Employee Appreciation Events
Employee Assistance Programs

Applicant Tracking System Keywords

Tip: use these terms in your resume and cover letter to boost ATS matches.

Hard Skills & Tools

packaging procurementstrategic sourcingvendor selectionnegotiationcommercial agreementssupplier performance managementcost savings initiativesrisk managementsustainability programsprocess improvement

Soft Skills

leadershipcollaborationcommunicationstrategic thinkingproblem-solvingproject managementstakeholder managementanalytical skillsrelationship managementcross-functional teamwork

Certifications

Bachelor's Degree in Supply Chain ManagementBachelor's Degree in Industrial EngineeringBachelor's Degree in Packaging EngineeringBachelor's Degree in BusinessMasters degree (M.B.A.)CPSM