Assistant Procurement Manager at LIPTON Teas and Infusions

• The Assistant Procurement Manager seeks to develop a protocol that outlines how the Company purchases goods and services, custodian of all company policies relating to procurement to ensure that purchasing is managed consistently throughout the organization, making it easier to stay on budget and receive budget approval. The Assistant Procurement Manager owns the strategy to find cost-effective deals and suppliers to ensure sustainability.

ACCOUNTABILITIES

• Integrating global / regional sourcing strategies with business and plant demands, balancing timing, and conflicting interests.
• Required breadth of knowledge of a large portfolio of raw and packaging materials, suppliers, and ERP system
• Working in their country of responsibility and East Africa with multiple strategic Procurement teams each with a different culture and processes.
• Implement the Buying Procedure and Ways of Working.
• Maintains supplier relationships by resolving supplier issues such as supplier payment overdues, responds to queries and requisitions for samples and information
• Evaluates, monitors, and communicates to suppliers performance on deliveries, material, or service rejection
• Completes information request sheets such as volumes forecasts for buying contracts, buying form for material forecasts through the buying form to the finance team, provides explanations to price variances.
• Arranges / facilitates supplier review meetings, quality audits and safety evaluations and visits
• Generates and provides reports on supplier spends quarterly, risks on CCFOT (Customer Case Fill on Time) arise from supplier risks to the regional compatibilities team monthly.
• Supports early Procurement involvement in category innovation and supply chain projects (facing & integrating with the Category/Geography, acting as the point of contact in brand / category / Supply Chain teams) within Business Unit of responsibility.
• Understands and collects category program and needs (from category development, brand development and supply chain), subsequently discusses and agrees with Procurement Manager on the procurement activities.
• Acts as a Custodian of the business relationship with Supply Material Managers in particular on innovation project management and customer service
• Ensures alignment between business needs and Supply Markets capabilities
• Enable communication (Project review - Information flow - Target/goals & strategies)
• Supplier Collaboration & Innovation
• Represents Procurement in the category innovation projects meetings (material cost, speed to market, complexity, and coherence with strategy)
• Supports Zero Based Budgeting & Cost optimization programs
• Support the business in working capital management
• Lead transformational digitization projects – smart sourcing, cataloguing, reporting
• Ensure supplier responsible sourcing & quality compliance
• Ensure 100% contract compliance
• Support suppliers selection to be involved in projects.
• Influence Suppliers strategy to fulfil Category business goals
• Support material procurement in leveraging effectively external relationships to support the innovation process
• Supports the Competitor Analysis and Benchmarking to the material network teams
• Provide input to Supply Chain analysis on materials and suppliers drawing on expertise of the Procurement teams facing various supply markets
• Supports implementation and operational execution of Procurement Portfolio sourcing strategies and selected supply base into the category / brand / Research and Development teams and prevents use of non-selected suppliers.
• Supports supplier capacity planning and run strategy development, communication of Company requirements to suppliers and expediting of orders [placed by material managers] as needed.
• Participation in the category / brand / Research and Development innovation projects, cost savings teams as supply project manager and is the communication conduit for e.g., ideas, new technology, material cost, availability, risk, opportunity, supplier capital requirements etc. between the internal procurement groups, business operating teams and supply base.
• Communicates output of Supplier Evaluation Program and develops and follows up corrective action and review process with internal customers, supplier relationship managers and suppliers
• Ensure the satisfaction of the company's internal customers with the services provided by the procurement organization
• Support the periodic executive summary for the Team by consolidating and reporting various KPIs (e.g., ZBB, Payment Terms Tracker, Supplier Performance)
• Handle diverse customer, supplier, or operational issues when they arise.
• Responsible for people management in the unit.

QUALIFICATIONS

• BSc Degree in Procurement, Supply Chain Management, Logistics (or equivalent)
• Extensive experience in Procurement or Supply Chain Management
• CIPS certification will be an added advantage

EXPERIENCE

• A strong background in an operations environment.
• Knowledge of sourcing and procurement techniques and proven skills in “reading the market”.
• Proven track record in negotiations, networking & good knowledge of supplier management.
• Aptitude in decision-making and working with numbers, collecting and analysis of data.
• In-depth knowledge of contracts, invoicing, and negotiation terms.
• Superb communication, interpersonal and leadership skills
• Problem solver with a strong analytical mindset.
• Outstanding organizational and time management skills.
• Excellent customer service skills.
• Negotiation aptitude.