Category Leader, Procurement- Chicago, Decatur, IL or Erlanger, KY

Category Leader - Corporate Procurement 

The role:
An opportunity based in Decatur, IL, Chicago, IL, or Erlanger, KY has arisen for a Category Leader on the Global Corporate Procurement team. The main purpose of this role is to develop and execute global category strategies in collaboration with stakeholders and in alignment with global and local sourcing requirements in the Global Consulting category at ADM. The successful candidate will work closely with our business unit leaders to develop processes that manage risk, monitor market conditions, maximize returns, and ensure high-quality, on-time supply performance. The successful candidate will work closely with our business unit leaders to understand their requirements & challenges and to develop solutions, through a robust sourcing process, to improve operational excellence, supply quality, and cost efficiency.

Job Responsibilities:
The main duties of this role will include:

• Strategic management of assigned categories in the Consulting Services, Tax & Audit Compliance Services, IT Systems Integration Services, and other categories.
• Develop, lead, and execute a global 5-year category strategy including total cost of ownership model development, fact-based negotiation strategy development & execution, supplier evaluation & selection, and category strategy implementation.
• Leverage ADM’s seven step sourcing process to document category’s procurement activities.
• Monitor market trends and provide updates on the latest category dynamics, trends, and best practices, aiming to drive implementation of continuous improvement opportunities.
• Establish and maintain effective relationships with key suppliers, monitoring performance metrics, driving innovation, and providing high level issue resolution where necessary (quality and service).
• Proactively engage internal stakeholders to align objectives, jointly develop category strategies, and communicate market and sourcing information.
• Develop an annual plan for value delivery based on organizational goals/objectives and marketplace knowledge.
• Drive efforts to understand internal customer needs and summarize business requirements as input into enterprise-wide sourcing efforts.
• Prepare and issue requests for quotes, proposal or information to qualified suppliers.
• Develop and implement contractual frameworks in close cooperation with legal.
• Implement necessary tools and reports to manage categories and supply base e.g., contract management, spend management.
• Provide weekly updates on project status, progress, and anticipated execution dates.
• Ensure contracting and procurement standards, policies and procedures are maintained and followed.
• Act as change agent and advocate for Procurement as a value-added function.
• Establish and evaluate performance metrics for category and own cost saving results.

Required Competencies:

• Education and Experience:
  • Bachelor's Degree preferably in Supply Management, Finance, Business, or a related area
  • Minimum 6 years professional experience with 4 years in Procurement or Strategic Sourcing (preferably in Professional Services or related category)
  • Experience at or working with multinational consulting firms is a strong plus.
  • Experience specifically in the Consulting Services sub-categories including tax/audit compliance services, financial consulting, M&A consulting and other related sub-categories is a strong plus.
  • Certified Professional of Supply Management (CPSM) certification or other Procurement certification, a plus
  • Strong communication skills in English, both verbal and written (fluency in other languages, especially Spanish and Portuguese, a strong plus)
• Skills:
  • Strong interpersonal skills with ability to engage, communicate with and influence mid to senior level stakeholders (internal and external) and establish trust and credibility with business unit leaders and other functional stakeholders.
  • Strong analytical skills with a deep understanding of financial analysis; ability to analyze data as well as draw out and communicate insights.
  • Capable of creating pre-negotiation strategy including company’s Best Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement (BATNA)
  • Experience in negotiation of complex agreements; commercial skills and familiarity with contract law is a must.
  • Familiarity with multiple source-to-pay systems (e.g., COUPA, Ariba, Maximo) and ERP software (JDE, SAP, etc.)
  • Global awareness (culture, currencies, geography, and political)
  • Experience in Food/ Agri-business industry
  • Experience in LEAN Manufacturing, Six Sigma, and/or project management; Strong Project Execution is a must.
  • Familiarity with E-sourcing tools (Ariba, Bravo, etc.)