Overview

Purpose:

The Sr. Manager, COE & Frozen Category acts as the strategic architect for Dole's frozen fruit portfolio and the Procurement function's intelligence capabilities. This role is responsible for (1) Strategic Sourcing: Leading end-to-end strategy, hedging, and supplier partnerships for the high-volatility frozen fruit category; and (2) Center of Excellence (COE) Leadership: Defining the "Dole Way" of sourcing by establishing market intelligence methodologies, enhancing dashboards, scorecards and strategic tools that empower the entire procurement organization to make faster, data-driven decisions.

This role provides flexibility to work in a hybrid environment of home and our Westlake Village, CA office OR out manufacturing plant in Atwater, CA. (Hybrid is defined as 3 times per week in the office).

Responsibilities

Primary Accountabilities:

Frozen Fruit Category Strategy & Supplier Management (70%)

• Strategic Sourcing & Contracting: Develop and execute long term sourcing strategies for Frozen Fruit, including contracting structures and volatility management (e.g., indexation, hedging/coverage approach, lock/float/split guidance).
• Supplier Partnership & Negotiation: Lead RFQs, negotiations, and supplier selection for Frozen Fruit; manage high stakes supplier relationships and drive performance improvements.
• Supply Agreements: Convert key relationships from seasonal commitments to formal supply agreements where appropriate (SLAs, quality expectations, change control, and risk/BCP requirements).
• SRM/QBR Leadership: Drive SRM for strategic Frozen partners; lead QBRs/JBPs with scorecards, action plans, and continuous improvement.
• Modeling & Insights: Build cost models and "should cost" analyses; translate market signals into contracting timing recommendations and risk mitigation actions.
• Resilience: Lead dual sourcing, contingency planning, and early warning systems for seasonal/volatile crops; coordinate cross functional response plans.

Procurement Center of Excellence (COE): KPIs, Dashboard & Methodology (30%)

• Enterprise Procurement KPI Standardization: Define a standard KPI framework across Procurement (e.g., savings funnel, inflation/deflation, OTIF/service, quality, risk, cycle times). Maintain KPI definitions, owners, and cadence for all direct materials and 3PM categories.
• Dashboard Delivery (IT & Ops Partnership): Own business requirements and calculation logic for Procurement dashboards. Partner with IT/Analytics and Procurement Operations to build, test, and deploy dashboards and self serve views in tools such as Power BI.
• Functional Leadership for COE Analyst: Provide functional direction to the COE Analyst (located in Procurement Operations), ensuring accurate data, on time updates, and reports that support decision making. Prioritize analyst workload across dashboards, KPI packs, savings funnel, and scenario inputs.
• Market Intelligence & Scenario Packs: Publish a periodic Market Brief and scenario templates (best/base/worst) that support category decision making across Procurement, starting with Frozen and scaling to other categories.
• Strategic Toolkit: Build and maintain playbooks/templates: negotiation guidance, index/contracting posture, risk frameworks, QBR pack, action logs, and governance templates.
• Performance Governance: Partner with the Procurement Operations Manager to align on the right performance measures and ensure the COE view focuses on interpretation, insights, and course correction recommendations, not transactional execution.

Cross Functional Partnership

• Partner with Quality, Planning, Operations, Finance, Legal, PDI/R&D, and 3PM teams to align sourcing, supply feasibility, performance management, and commercialization readiness.
• Support innovation projects with Frozen Fruit supply mapping, cost implications, and supplier readiness inputs.
• Align COE outputs and dashboards to S&OP / IBP processes and Brighter Together governance forums.
• Other duties as assigned

Success Metrics:
• Frozen Financial Performance: Measurable cost savings/cost avoidance, budget accuracy, and improved contracting outcomes for the Frozen portfolio.
• Resilience: Dual-source/BCP progress, fewer preventable supply disruptions, improved risk visibility.
• Supplier Value: QBR completion, action closure, improved supplier performance scores (OTIF, quality, yield).
• COE Adoption: KPI dictionary adopted across categories; dashboards used monthly; improved decision speed and reduced "data debates."

Qualifications

Experience, Knowledge, & Skills You Bring:
• 7+ years in strategic sourcing, commodities, or category management (Frozen Fruits strongly preferred).
• Advanced analytical skills (Excel/modeling) and ability to synthesize market data into executive ready insights.
• Experience with a Large Language Model (Co-Pilot, ChatGPT, Claude)
• Proven ability to lead complex RFQs/negotiations and deliver measurable P&L impact.
• Experience defining KPIs and partnering with IT/analytics teams to build dashboards
• Strong influence skills (lead peers without direct authority); able to train and uplift category managers via COE tools.
What You'll Need to Succeed:

• Passionate about a purpose driven career
• Committed to fostering inclusive environments that support employee development and well-being
• Sets clear expectations, encourages innovation, and drives continuous improvement
• Models and coaches towards transparency and integrity in decision-making

• Effectively facilitates cross-team communication and teamwork

Education & Certification:

• Bachelor's degree required.
• Master's degree preferred.

Physical Requirements:

• Ability to sit and use the computer for extended periods of time; ability to answer phones and use a variety of office equipment; ability to lift 15 pounds and reach overhead.

Travel Requirements:

• 20-30% estimated travel; international travel as needed.

Hiring Pay Scale, Premium Geographic Location: $145,000 to $170,000

Dole Packaged Foods is committed to paying our Associates fairly and equitably. The pay rate offered will consider a wide range of factors, including but not limited to experience, education, accomplishments, and location. Pay scales are subject to review on a regular basis and will be updated as appropriate.