Sourcing & Technical Transfer Manager

This role drives the strategic sourcing and contracting of raw materials and services, guaranteeing consistent supply to production facilities and subcontractors. The Sourcing Manager ensures adherence to nutritional quality, food safety, and sustainability standards within a cost-effective and innovative framework. Collaboration with subcontractor purchasing managers is essential, as is the proactive development of new supplier relationships to support the North American business.

Sourcing & Technical transfer Manager

Main purpose

This role drives the strategic sourcing and contracting of raw materials and services, guaranteeing consistent supply to production facilities and subcontractors. The Sourcing Manager ensures adherence to nutritional quality, food safety, and sustainability standards within a cost-effective and innovative framework. Collaboration with subcontractor purchasing managers is essential, as is the proactive development of new supplier relationships to support the North American business.

KNOW-HOW

Category Management

• Develop and implement sourcing strategies to optimize Quality & Food safety, Regularity in quality, Availability and then in competitiveness of raw materials, packaging, and indirect materials. 
• Conduct market research and analysis to identify potential suppliers and assess market trends. 
• Identify and evaluate new suppliers based on quality, cost, reliability, and sustainability criteria.
• Develop and maintain a comprehensive supplier database.
• Execute risk management program for category.
• Ensure vendor compliance with company and regulatory requirements in conjunction with Quality Assurance
• Oversee supply contract reviews and price negotiations with suppliers and manufacturers

​Technical transfer project management

• Coordinate the whole technical transfer project with Global and local team
• Master all finished good specifications and understand the formulation expectations.
• Organize all product trials protocol with the CMO to achievement nutritional, food safety, packaging targets
• Coordinate with R&D all feeding trials needed to qualify each formula
• Coordinate raw materials and finish good analytical program
• Report results of extrusion trials and feeding to define with MSAT and R&D an action plan to make improvement
• Coordinate technical transfer budget with Global MSAT and Mexican finance team

Supplier Management

• Negotiate supply parameters and agreements with suppliers, ensuring favorable terms and conditions.

• Monitor supplier performance and facilitate corrective actions as needed in collaboration with industrial and quality assurance counterparts.

• Manage supplier risk and ensure business continuity.

Cost Optimization

• Actively pursue ideas for cost avoidances and cost savings
• Effectively negotiate for the best overall scenario
• Monitor market prices and trends to identify opportunities for cost optimization.
• Track and monitor savings generated and key performance indicators (KPI’s) for reporting
• Harvest and share supplier innovation with the business to drive process, quality, productivity, and cost improvements
• Assist with local and global reporting requirements.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Regularly participate in internal meetings to keep abreast of the operational plans and objectives
• Serve as the point person in communicating between the business and suppliers, bringing in other internal parties as necessary.
• Participate and collaborate with internal and external stakeholders in developing specifications
• Communicate effectively with suppliers and internal stakeholders.
• Prepare and present reports on sourcing and procurement activities.

COMPETENCIES (Key Skills and Competencies)

• Negotiation and Communication: Strong purchasing process knowledge, problem-solving abilities, and negotiating skills. Excellent negotiation, communication, and interpersonal skills.

• Project Management: The ability to prioritize and manage multiple projects and activities within time, budget and technical constraints.

• Analysis and Problem Solving: Strong analytical and problem-solving skills. The ability to analyze multi-faceted detailed information, evaluate results, and choose the best solution.

• Orientation: Customers Oriented.

• Interpersonal Relations: The ability to develop constructive and cooperative working relationships with others (internal and external parties) and maintain them over time.

• Autonomy: Drive and self-motivation with minimal supervision.

• Business acumen, Continuous Improvement Mindset.

PROFILE (Required Education and Experience)

• A bachelor’s degree in supply chain management, business administration or a related field.

• Proven experience in Sourcing and Procurement, preferably in Food or Pet Nutrition Industry.

• Strong understanding of ingredient, packaging, and manufacturing processes related to pet food.

• Knowledge of Raw Material process.

• Experience with supplier audits on the field (process, Risk analysis) and evaluations.

• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and Google Suite.

• English and Spanish is a must. French is a plus.