Food & Packaging Manager | KFC

KFC Careers – Food & Packaging Manager

Are you a seasoned procurement professional looking for a new challenge? KFC South Africa is seeking a dynamic individual to join our team as a Food & Packaging Manager.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Thinking:

• Develop and maintain procurement strategies per sub-category to ensure lowest cost and top performance over the short term and into the long term.
• Provide input into overall SCM strategies and plans, including logistics, planning, projects, and asset procurement/supply.
• Develop existing and new suppliers’ capabilities and capacity to ensure a top-performing supply chain.
• Develop and manage a high-performance team of category managers/buyers, including providing category management and strategic sourcing leadership to the Supply Chain Management (SCM) team members.
• Ensure effective internal and external stakeholder communication, involvement, and buy-in, especially with franchisees.
• Perform medium to long-term planning with suppliers to align their growth with that of KFC.
• Drive the execution of category plans through formal category management and strategic sourcing methods.
• Benchmark suppliers/categories on an ongoing basis to ensure optimal cost and performance.
• Identify supplier and supply chain risks that could jeopardize assured supply at low cost and required quality in the short, medium, and longer term, and develop risk mitigation strategies and plans, including contingency plans for sole suppliers or sole supplying plants, audits, and performance reviews.

Management:

• Coach and support the team members’ capabilities in category management, strategic sourcing, and commercial understanding/negotiation to drive down cost while ensuring reliable supply at the required quality.
• Ensure the effective development, documentation, and implementation of category procurement plans.
• Prioritize the work of team members to ensure focus and the achievement of the SCM strategies, plans, and goals.
• Develop a high-performing team in general terms.
• Develop and maintain a KPI scorecard system to track the performance of the categories and the category management team.
• Support the Supply Chain Director with Supply Chain Council meeting preparation and plans to ensure effective council meetings and involvement.
• Drive strong Franchisee and internal support for the category management team and the broader SCM team through delivering results and performance from the suppliers, supply chain, and team members.
• Foster the HWWT2 and customer mania mindset within the team to ensure teamwork across the entire SCM team, other functions, franchisees, and suppliers.
• Plan career development and growth opportunities with each team member.

Execution:

• Execute the category plans and goal results for categories led, i.e., chicken and beverages.
• Implement appropriate account management practices across the supply base, including audits, management reviews, performance, and risk management.
• Lead strategic SCM projects, such as new chicken supplier development, fresh chicken capabilities, and bakery expansion projects.
• Maintain good franchisor/franchisee/distributor/supplier relationships.
• Ensure all category management-related documentation and records are well maintained for knowledge building/retention and audit purposes.

Stakeholders: Chief Supply Chain Officer, Suppliers, Franchisees, Product Excellence Team, Operations Team, Marketing Team, Development Team, SA Leadership Team & Global SC team.

Working Model: Hybrid working model with 3 days a week in the office.

Requirements:

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Commerce/Business/Industrial Engineering/Supply Chain/Procurement.
• MBA advantageous.

Experience:

• Minimum 8 to 10 years of SCM-related experience with a minimum of 3 years at a senior management level with responsibility for direct reports.
• Experience in strategic sourcing and strategic category management, including understanding technical product complexities, supplier or product cost drivers, and other factors that influence pricing.
• Preferably experience in managing food and packaging categories.
• Ideally possess experience in formal project management.

Knowledge, Skills & Competencies:

• Strong commercial understanding and experience in driving down cost and identifying cost-saving opportunities, with a track record of delivering total cost savings.
• High level of innovation required. Very strategic thinking whilst ability to be in the detail and go deep on operational aspects surrounding Supply Chain.
• Strategic pricing and sourcing strategies. Risk mitigation and contingency execution. Final authority around sourcing and supply at the optimal cost and service resides within this job.
• Excellent negotiating skills obtained from strategic or complex negotiations.
• Demand & supply management.
• Influencing, collaborating.
• Strategic thinking.