Global Category Director

Package Description

£75,000 - 80,000 per annum plus £8,000 car allowance, bonus and benefits package

We also offer Sodexo Discounts site promoting discounted mobile phone tariffs, savings across restaurant chains and days out, where you and your family can save money on everything from your weekly food shop to the latest cinema blockbuster and much more

Job Introduction

We have a unique and exciting opportunity to join our Global Supply Management centre of excellence as a Global Category Director, in charge of fresh/frozen vegetables, processed potatoes and dairy products, reporting into the VP for Global Supply Management (Food & Retail). 

For this €1Bln products portfolio you will lead cross functional sourcing teams with joint accountability for technical, and quality and sustainability performance. You will be responsible for designing and implementing category strategies to significantly improve the commercial performance at a group and regional level whilst maintaining continuity, compliance to company policy and mitigating risk. You will actively engage and collaborate with all regions across the organisation to develop category strategies with a global approach and build a strong network within the Supply Management organisation and with key stakeholders. You will take into consideration geographical differences and business needs in a diverse and international environment. Leading innovative and future focused initiatives, you will be capable of developing Global category leadership, leading the sustainability transformation, and achieving high quality performance outcomes for our business whilst growing talents in your team and within the entire Global Supply Management community. 

This is an exciting opportunity which will allow you to showcase your business leadership skills, your strategic category management expertise and your ability to embed and bring to life Sustainability in the way you manage suppliers relationships and you source products. 

The role requires 40% time presence in Stevenage.

Main Responsibilities

• Manage Global categories and develop Global category plans which meet our commercial targets and quality requirements whilst ensuring our CSR commitments are fully achieved.
• Establish a close partnership with the Global Food Platform and agree on priorities
• Develop close relationships with the Supply Management Region Heads and develop a robust and active network of buyers in order to develop international sourcing initiatives across the regions
• Ensure a good alignment and on boarding of the key stakeholders within our Food platforms
• Improve Group profitability by optimising international agreements with global suppliers
• Negotiate international agreements and expand international coverage
• Generate savings and increase international revenues and implement and monitor KPI’s to measure progress
• Set up, initiate and maintain professional relationships with the Global Suppliers network in order to reinforce the image and the credibility of Sodexo and identify the technological developments and innovations from the supplier base
• Working with Supply Management finance teams to ensure robust reporting and measurement of the Global Supply Management performance
• Propose the organisational changes according to the expansion of coverage
• Lead and develop teams to significantly increase our international Sourcing capabilities for food categories

The Ideal Candidate

• Extensive and proven experience in a senior Supply Management / Procurement position including international exposure and collaboration
• Knowledge and experience operating within sustainability and sustainable agriculture
• Team leadership and people management skills and the ability to work collaboratively in a global structure
• Exceptional communication and influencing skills with a proven track records in complex international contract negotiation
• CIPS/ISM or equivalent qualification
• Able to work in a multi-cultural and matrix environment
• Financial acumen and result orientated
• Previous experience managing Supply Management projects and the skills to manage transformational programmes
• Business language is English and French / Spanish language would be an advantage

About The Company

In the UK and Ireland, Sodexo employs around 30,000 people, and partners with clients in many sectors across business and industry; schools and universities; sports and leisure; energy and resources; government and agencies; healthcare; justice and defence.

Sodexo’s connected; people-centric approach brings together a diverse range of expertise. The breadth of services it offers ranges from food and hospitality; cleaning; reception; concierge (Circles); security; property management and technical services through to data driven workplace strategy and design (Wx); employee engagement and recognition services (Sodexo Engage) and personal home services through Prestige Nursing + Care and the Good Care Group.  

Vital Spaces is Sodexo’s value proposition that puts people at the heart of everything we do, bringing together services and solutions and focusing on the productivity and wellbeing of people wherever they are.

Sodexo is committed to being an inclusive employer; we welcome and encourage applications from people with a diverse variety of experiences, backgrounds and identities.

We’re a Disability Confident Leader employer. We’re committed to changing attitudes towards disability, and making sure disabled people have the chance to fulfil their aspirations. 

We are building on our support to the Armed Forces community through the development of specific pathways within our recruitment process to  support ex-forces personnel and reservists, those applying for jobs with us who meet the ideal candidate criteria for the role advertised are guaranteed to progress to the selection process.