Category Manager

Job Description 

Job Title: Procurement Category Manager 

Division: Member Relations 

Reports to: Procurement Manager 

Location:  Dublin 

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Job Summary: 

The Member Relations & Planning team is responsible for the demand planning, and supply planning and procurement of all dairy products for onward sale by the Ornua Foods and Ingredient Divisions serviced from Ornua headquarters.     

We connect our suppliers with Ornua’s commercial teams and customers around the world to enable good business to happen, with the aim of maximising value and profitability to drive mutual long-term success. Managing the significant financial risk and volatility at play in the global dairy market is a critical part of what we do.  

Key Areas of Responsibility: 

Purchasing of relevant powder categories:  
 

1. To manage the commercial purchasing process for relevant powders with members. 

2. Define ingredient sales availability (monthly) for relevant powders and provide input to commercial strategy, sales & pricing tactics with sales teams to maximize member returns & Ornua profitability, and ensure volume targets are achieved and risks managed.     
    

3. Manage planning to ensure stable supply and relevant pricing for key customers  

4. Key link between Ornua sales teams and members; providing regular market, customer & commercial insights and updates as appropriate. Schedule and attend regular member meetings and attend customer meetings as necessary with sales teams.  

5. Negotiate back-to-back purchases with members for powder.  

6. Putting in place monthly production plans in line with Ornua’s overall forecasting process.   
    

7. Regular communication with finance teams on powder – input to the monthly P+L, settlements and forward book processes.   
    

8. Measure, report and follow-up on production vs forecasted monthly production forecast.  Highlighting surpluses and deficits and amending forward schedules as appropriate. 
    

9. A key stakeholder in the overall Ornua S&OP process. Take part in the monthly forecast cycle to ensure product is planned and purchased in line with best information at hand from demand planning and sales teams, advise of risks, and identify actions to mitigate impact on customer orders.  

10. To ensure that offline powder is managed and updated on a monthly basis. 

stock management:  

1. Analyse monthly stock reconciliation and availability status for all relevant powders in conjunction with partner teams. Make recommendations based on same. 

2. To manage Ornua Ingredients stock in line with best practice.   
    

3. Ensure stock is reserved where appropriate, highlight where stock should be shipped on a FIFO basis and ensure that problem / aged stock is identified and managed as appropriate. 

4. Ensure Ornua achieve monthly and year end closing stock targets for relevant categories. 
    

new product development:  

1. Procurement lead and key point of contact regarding new product development projects relating to relevant powders. 

2. Investigate and develop with members capabilities, capacity and pricing for new products identified in the NPD process. 
    

3. To be responsible for the commercialisation of new ingredients products from a procurement perspective (pricing, production planning and execution). 

Key Competencies:  

• Strong negotiation skills and commercial acumen — proven ability to negotiate positive outcomes whilst building and maintaining strong relationships over the long term.  

• Strong stakeholder relationship management capability 

• Strong purchasing, stock management, planning, forecasting, budgeting and pricing skills 

• Ability to understand and manage risk (commodity market & financial)  

• Strong problem-solving ability 

• Highly driven and motivated, and works well on own initiative 

• Highly flexible and proven ability to adapt to rapidly changing environment 

• Strong communication and interpersonal skills 

• Strong role model of Ornua values and behaviours 

• Flexibility to travel to all relevant locations as required