Foods people love. Brands people trust. And a career that nourishes your future like no other. If you're driven by the passion to do something meaningful that changes lives, Nestle is the place for you. Nestle USA is one of seven operating companies that make up Nestle's presence in the United States. We're in 97% of American homes, and as the leading food and beverage company, our goals are to continue to deliver quality food and beverage products, strengthen our local communities, and reduce our environmental and climate impact. We're determined to challenge the status quo and be better tomorrow than we are today. As individuals and teams, we embrace our entrepreneurial culture and have created a workplace where collaboration is essential, courage is rewarded, speed is expected, and agility is the norm to delight our consumers every single day. Here, you will find limitless opportunities to learn and advance your career and feel empowered to succeed in the workplace and beyond. Because our focus is not only on nourishing our customers, but also about enriching you. This position is not eligible for Visa Sponsorship. Position Summary As Nestle's Agricultural Ingredient Categories Leader (direct materials), you will oversee $200-250M of spend and manage the agricultural ingredients categories buying team. You will drive a continuous improvement mindset within the team and serve as the escalation point for factories, global category teams, procurement finance, and business partners for the ingredient categories. You will own end-to-end strategy and spend management, including localizing and implementing the Global Sourcing Strategy and overseeing supplier management activities related to ensure supply. This role will participate in senior business leader conversations and strategic planning. Responsibilities: * Manage teams across Direct Materials spend categories in Zone North America - Set the vision for the spend area and foster a category-first mindset, coaching the team in a way that advances their category knowledge and develops the skills needed to improve category strategy - Ensure the team is executing Nestle's 7-Step Strategic Souring Process - Partner with other leaders to shape the vision and culture of the group * Serve as the point of escalation for supply issues arising from suppliers, factories, or other business channels - Proactively communicates unanticipated circumstances and activate resources to mitigate the impacts - Lead mitigation and change management activities that support the sourcing strategy and facilitate execution to drive compliance * Deliver value through cost and process improvement initiatives to multiple businesses - Understand the value chain and risk management scenarios - Define initiatives to minimize and avoid risk - Assist in developing savings initiatives and provide input into overall Procurement value governance model - Lead price variance discussions; develop a clear understanding of market movements, coverages, risks, and mitigation strategies for spend categories - Influence leadership to ensure category constraints and strategic investments are factored into long term business plans * Collaborate with suppliers to develop long-term strategies to elevate and transform ways of working with suppliers and the business Experiences/Education: * Bachelor's degree required; Master's degree preferred * 10+ years of purchasing leadership experience or demonstrated leadership experience in a related operational field such as Agriculture or Logistics * Experience managing multiple direct reports * In-depth knowledge of and experience with global procurement and sourcing processes, legal contract negotiations, and contract management systems * SAP, Ariba, and I-Nexus experience preferred Skills: * Interpersonal skills to effectively build relationships with and influence a dynamic and diverse set of stakeholders * Strategic mindset with quantitative, problem-solving, project management, and negotiation skills and a strong desire for progress and continuous improvement * Proven ability to analyze and present findings in a clear and cohesive manner * Adept at managing change and working through ambiguity to identify and drive to a solution * Excellent communication skills, with the ability to liaise across boundaries and boarders and influence with integrity Req. ID 185115 It is our business imperative to remain a very inclusive workplace. To our veterans and separated service members, you're at the forefront of our minds as we recruit top talent to join Nestle. The skills you've gained while serving our country, such as flexibility, agility, and leadership, are much like the skills that will make you successful in this role. In addition, with our commitment to an inclusive work environment, we recognize the exceptional engagement and innovation displayed by individuals with disabilities. Nestle seeks such skilled and qualified individuals to share our mission where you'll join a cohort of others who have chosen to call Nestle home. The Nestle Companies are an equal employment opportunity and affirmative action employer seeking diversity in qualified applicants for employment. All applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, ethnicity, color, gender, gender identity, age, religion, national origin, ancestry, disability, perceived disability, medical condition, genetic information, veteran status, sexual orientation, or any other protected status, as defined by applicable law. Prior to the next step in the recruiting process, we welcome you to inform us confidentially if you may require any special accommodations in order to participate fully in our recruitment experience. Contact us at accommodations@nestle.com or please dial 711 and provide this number to the operator: 1-800-321-6467. This position is not eligible for Visa Sponsorship.