SUMMARY
The Global Category Manager – Packaging is a strategic leadership role accountable for developing and executing a 12–36 month worldwide sourcing plan spanning all packaging tiers managing $100 MM in spend. Within a center-led hybrid model, the position drives negotiating power, designs index-based contracting frameworks, and shapes long-term market positioning across the portfolio. This role establishes commercial guardrails for packaging development in close collaboration with R&D and Marketing, optimizing total cost and protecting brand standards, while safeguarding manufacturing locations from commodity price volatility through disciplined, centralized oversight.
RESPONSIBILITIES
•Category Strategy: Develop and deliver a robust, clear and aggressive 12–36 month global category strategy covering flexible, rigid, corrugated, labels, and tertiary packaging. Takes innovation, supply chain resilience, supplier relationships, and commodity volatility to deliver 4-5% cost savings to enable clear commercial advantage.
•Specification Optimization: Proactively works with Marketing and R&D to enhance cost leverage, operational efficiency, and sustainability outcomes before finalization.
•Contracting & Negotiation: Structure and enforce transparent, index-linked agreements, separating material inputs from conversion costs using market benchmarks.
•Cost & TCO Management: Lead value creation through advanced total cost modeling, incorporating yield, throughput, transportation efficiency, and disposal impacts.
Market Insight & Margin Protection: Track raw material trends (pulp, films, resins, and inks) to secure advantageous forward positions and prevent unjustified cost pass-throughs.
•Supplier Strategy & Continuity: Expand and diversify the supplier network to strengthen resilience, reduce risk exposure, and ensure consistent supply.
•Cross-Functional Governance: Align with Marketing, R&D, Operations, and Quality to maintain centralized commercial control while enabling seamless execution at site level.
• Sustainability Leadership: Drive adoption of recycled content, lightweighting,
and simplified material formats to meet ESG objectives without eroding
profitability. Lead a 1-2 person team of packaging adjacent supply spend
• Team Leadership: Lead and coach regional procurement resources, ensuring
strong execution of sourcing strategy an1–2-person engagement.
• Cost Analytics: Build robust total cost models, should-cost models and LPP
modeling techniques incorporating yield, scrap, freight, and quality to
identify, dimension and deliver on savings opportunities.
• Executive Communication: Prepare concise, insight-rich updates for senior
leadership on market dynamics, supplier performance, and risk posture. Lead
senior leader level communication on commodity market impacts, mitigation
strategies, and procurement-driven savings opportunities to deliver business
value.
• Performance Management: Enforce supplier KPIs covering quality, delivery,
emissions, and competitiveness through disciplined tracking systems.
EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE
Required:
• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Packaging Engineering, Business, or a
related highly analytical discipline. (Master’s degree preferred).
• 10+ years of progressive, global procurement experience, with a proven track
record managing highly complex packaging portfolios in the FMCG, chemical,
or manufacturing sectors.
• Deep, structural understanding of packaging manufacturing processes
(extrusion, blow molding, corrugation, printing), raw material index
mechanisms, and advanced strategic sourcing methodologies.
• Advanced capability in should-cost modeling, tooling analysis, and indexbased
contract mechanics.
Preferred:
• Master degree in supply chain management, business, packaging engineering
or in related analytical discipline.
• Multilingual capabilities (e.g., Mandarin, Thai) to facilitate seamless
negotiation and management within the APAC hub.
• Strong negotiation, communication, and interpersonal skills, with the ability
to influence stakeholders at all levels.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, &
ABILITIES
• Demonstrated analytical and problem-solving skills, with proficiency in data
analysis and reporting.
• Strategic Thinking: Ability to synthesize disconnected macroeconomic events
and consumer trends into a cohesive, global sourcing blueprint.
• Data-Driven Decision Making: Relentless focus on quantitative evidence over
qualitative vendor narratives
• Experience with ERP systems (e.g., SAP, Oracle) and e-procurement tools (e.g.
Coupa, Ariba, Rosslyn, others)
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects and priorities in a fastpaced
environment.
• The ability to adapt to changing situations, new information, and unexpected
challenges.
• APICS or ISM certification (e.g., CPIM, CPSM) is a plus.
ADDITIONAL
REQUIREMENTS
• Preferred location: Atlanta, GA; Richmond, VA and US based remote work
• Ability to travel up to 10%.
• No environmental hazards indicated for this classification.
• Remote/Hybrid flexibility offered. The role requires regular alignment with
global time zones to effectively manage the direct report in Thailand and
interface with the global supply base.
If you feel this opportunity could be the next step in your career, we encourage you to apply. This position will accept applications on an ongoing basis.
