Procurement Category Manager – Droitwich

Müller UK & Ireland, part of Unternehmensgruppe Theo Müller, employs over 31,000 people across Europe and is a leading producer of dairy products in the UK. The company sources milk from 1,300 British farmers and features prominently in The Grocer’s Top 100 list. Müller UK & Ireland encompasses various divisions, including Müller Milk & Ingredients and Müller Yogurt & Desserts, which offer a range of branded products. The company is currently seeking a Procurement Category Manager to oversee complex spend categories, develop strategies, and manage stakeholder relationships, with roles available in several UK locations.

Müller UK & Ireland is wholly owned by Unternehmensgruppe Theo Müller which employs over 31,000 people throughout Europe. In the UK, Müller develops, manufactures and markets a wide range of branded and private label dairy products made with milk from 1,300 farmers in Britain.Müller is ranked within the top 20 in The Grocer’s Top 100 list of Britain’s Biggest Brands and is picked from shelves millions of times each year. Müller UK & Ireland includes:

Müller Milk & Ingredients which aims to be Britain’s private label dairy leader and produces branded and private label fresh milk, cream, butter and ingredients products. It boasts a network of dairies and depots servicing customers throughout the country.

Müller Yogurt & Desserts which is the UK’s leading yogurt manufacturer which aims to create millions more Müller moments for its consumers. It is responsible for major brands like Müller Corner, Müllerlight, Müller Bliss, Müller Rice, FRijj and Müller Kefir Smoothie and produces chilled desserts under licence from Mondelez International. It also supplies the UK private label yogurt market from a dedicated, state of the art yogurt facility.

Procurement Category Manager

Full-time / Permanent

Hybrid Working

We are recruiting for a Procurement Category Manager (Energy, Gas, Water Services, Chemicals, Co-Packing & Capex) to manage an area of spend of high complexity; creating robust spend category strategies and active business partnering with key stakeholders. This role can be based out of our Market Drayton, Telford, Droitwich or Manchester site.

Key Responsibilities:

Managing spend area

• Create and implement category strategies for key spend areas aligned with the Business Units and Group Service functions
• Ensure procurement policy, processes and spend compliance rules are in place
• Support new product launches within the Business Units (involvement in strategic projects)

Stakeholder Management

• Create and present recommendations to the business units
• Present key insight/updates to the key stakeholders covering data analysis & market insight in order to ensure effective planning and decision making

Supplier Management

• Implement a supplier relationship strategy to achieve the agreed KPIs and to develop sustainable added value potential

Subject matter expertise

• Significant experience in Utilities procurement or other similarly heavily data-driven procurement categories. Experience in Food stuffs, FMCG or similar operational procurement. Clear understanding of requirements to support business but also what drives costs, able to challenge specifications and operational methods in working with stakeholders to drive value for the business from a procurement perspective.
• A capable project manager in their own right, able to drive action from a project team and deliver sourcing events to a defined and sometimes challenging timescale

Continuous Improvement

• Carry out continuous improvement and efficiency reviews within the function and business units with defined action plans detailing accountabilities and timelines

Key Skills and Experience:

• Minimum 5 years experience in a category manager role
• Specialist knowledge & experience in the defined categories of Energy, Gas, Water Services, Chemicals, Co-Packing & Capex is desirable
• Ability to turn strategies and decisions into action
• Strong communication skills at all levels within a business
• Excellent data interpretation & analysis skills
• Moderation/presentation skills
• Competent project management skills
• Can participate in and lead project teams as required
• Advanced Project Management skills would be desirable

Benefits:

• Up to 15% annual bonus
• 4 x Life Assurance policy
• £550 Car Allowance or Company Car
• Partner Private Medical Insurance
• 25 days holiday plus bank holidays (rising with service)
• Enhanced Maternity & Paternity Family Leave
• Enhanced Bereavement Leave
• Pension Employer Contribution Scheme (matched up to 8%)
• Exclusive access to Müller Rewards, offering a variety of online and in-store discounts