Position: Packaging Category Director
Department: Procurement
Reports To: Chief Procurement Officer
Salary Type: Exempt
Location: Philadelphia, PA Hybrid 4 days in office
Position SummaryThe
Packaging Category Director is responsible for leading the strategic direction, performance management, and continuous improvement of all packaging procurement activities for Bonduelle Americas.
This Director provides strategic expertise on packaging markets, supplier performance, sustainability opportunities, procurement performance processes, and cross-functional alignment with Operations, Quality, R&D, and Finance.
While this position does not have direct reports, it will provide functional leadership, guidance, and strategic oversight to Packaging Category Buyers to ensure execution aligns with long-term business priorities.
Key ResponsibilitiesPackaging Category Strategy & Market Leadership- Develop and lead the packaging category strategy aligned with competitiveness, sustainability, quality, and innovation expectations.
- Translate business needs into sourcing roadmaps and long-term packaging material strategies.
- Conduct and share market intelligence, including material trends, cost drivers, innovation opportunities, and risk exposure.
- Partner with R&D and Operations on packaging innovation, supplier capability assessments, and technical opportunities.
Procurement Performance Leadership- Lead procurement performance processes across Packaging, including KPI governance, reporting, budget alignment, and continuous improvement frameworks.
- Drive Cost-Out and Value-In strategies (COVI) to improve P&L performance and support innovation pipelines.
- Standardize best practices in sourcing, supplier evaluation, and data-driven decision-making.
- Ensure procurement reporting, dashboards, forecasts, and financial performance tools are accurate and actionable.
Supplier Relationship & Risk Management- Support SRM (Supplier Relationship Management) and ensure the application of safety, legal, environmental, and quality requirements.
- Work with Category Buyers to manage key supplier relationships, major negotiations, and strategic contracts.
- Evaluate supplier capacity, operational reliability, and long-term risk.
- Partner with the Market Risk Management (MRM) process to protect P&L exposure and pricing predictability.
Functional Oversight of Packaging Category Execution- Provide direction, expert guidance, and escalation support to Packaging Category Buyers (functional-not HR management).
- Ensure category strategies are executed consistently across facilities and business units.
- Guide complex negotiations, cost models, supplier segmentation, and sourcing decisions.
- Coordinate with peer directors to align procurement standards, processes, and governance across all categories.
Cross-Functional Alignment & Influence- Serve as the procurement expert for packaging, working closely with Operations, Engineering, Quality, Marketing, R&D, Finance, and Supply Chain.
- Influence decision-making by offering data-driven insights, supplier evaluations, sustainability options, and risk scenarios.
- Represent Procurement externally (industry groups, packaging suppliers, associations) as the packaging subject-matter expert.
Sustainability & Innovation Integration- Embed sustainability into packaging sourcing strategies (recyclability, material reduction, circularity, certified suppliers).
- Identify innovative materials, technologies, and supplier capabilities that advance Bonduelle's sustainability commitments.
- Partner with internal sustainability teams to ensure packaging procurement supports ESG objectives and B Corp standards.
Qualifications- Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Engineering, Procurement, Business, or related field; Master's degree preferred.
- 8-12+ years of procurement or category management experience, with strong expertise in packaging procurement.
- Strong financial acumen, cost modeling skills, and market intelligence capabilities.
- Proven ability to lead without authority and influence cross-functional teams.
- Experience collaborating with Operations, R&D, Quality, and Manufacturing environments.
- Strong communication, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills.
- Experience in MRM, SRM, and sustainability-driven procurement preferred.
