Manager, Ingredients - Cheese & Dairy (Canada)

Role purpose. The Manager, Canada Cheese & Dairy will lead the procurement strategy and commercial management for the full Canadian Business Unit portfolio of Cheese, Dairy Powders, Cheese Powders and Cream Mix. The role is accountable for category value delivery, supplier strategy, supply continuity, cost competitiveness, cross-border compliance and cross-functional execution across maintenance, productivity and innovation workstreams. The Manager will connect the Canadian Business Unit with North American category experts, translate market and business requirements into a Canada-specific sourcing strategy, and ensure clear information flow between Procurement and Canadian Business Unit leadership.
## Job Description
Primary Responsibilities:
Strategic Sourcing & Commercial Management • Own and execute end-to-end sourcing strategies for the Canadian Cheese and Dairy portfolio, including market analysis, supplier segmentation, sourcing events, negotiations, contracting, implementation and ongoing commercial governance. • Develop and maintain a multi-year Canada sourcing strategy aligned with North American category strategies while reflecting Canadian market dynamics, business priorities, regulatory requirements and supply-chain constraints. • Partner closely with North American category experts to leverage market intelligence, supplier relationships, sourcing scale and best practices, while maintaining clear accountability for Canadian Business Unit outcomes. • Lead complex and high-value negotiations, supplier award recommendations and contracting, ensuring appropriate cost, service, quality, capacity, flexibility and risk protections. • Develop and communicate a strong point of view on Canadian and North American cheese and dairy markets, including commodity drivers, manufacturing economics, capacity, trade flows, tariffs and regional supply-demand dynamics. • Ensure pricing, contracts, specifications, supplier records and sourcing decisions are accurate, current and compliant within relevant source-to-pay and business systems.
Canada Cheese & Dairy Portfolio Responsibilities • Lead procurement for Cheese, Dairy Powders, Cheese Powders and Cream Mix across the Canadian Business Unit, balancing cost, functionality, specification, service and supply requirements. • Provide portfolio-level governance across maintenance, productivity, innovation, reformulation, promotions, plant transitions, capacity changes and new business opportunities. • Partner with R&D, Quality, Manufacturing, Commercial, Finance, Materials Management and the Canadian Business Unit to define requirements, technical specifications, project economics and implementation timing. • Lead supplier and procurement readiness for innovations, renovations, reformulations, promotions, plant transitions, product maintenance and business continuity initiatives. • Assess and manage category complexity, including product specifications, lead times, minimum order quantities, yields, conversion economics, supplier capacity and cross-border supply lanes. • Build and maintain contingency strategies for critical materials, suppliers, manufacturing locations and logistics routes serving Canada.
Cross-Border, Quota, Tariff & CDC Managemen t • Own procurement coordination for cross-border cheese and dairy flows into and out of Canada, ensuring commercial plans reflect applicable quotas, tariffs, customs requirements and regulatory obligations. • Lead procurement management of Canadian Dairy Commission (CDC) requirements and related processes, working with internal and external experts to support compliant and cost-effective execution. • Monitor quota availability, tariff exposure and cross-border cost implications, incorporating these factors into sourcing decisions, budgets, supplier negotiations and risk assessments. • Coordinate with Trade Compliance, Legal, Finance, Logistics, customs brokers, suppliers and category experts to resolve cross-border issues and maintain continuity of supply. • Maintain clear governance, documentation and escalation paths for quota, tariff and CDC activities affecting the Canadian portfolio.
Forecasting, Inventory & Materials Management • Provide leadership and governance for coordination with Materials Management on forecasts, inventory policies, material requirements, lead times, capacity and availability across the Canadian portfolio. • Lead cross-functional resolution of supply disruptions, delivery issues, allocation constraints and inventory imbalances, with clear escalation, ownership and recovery plans. • Drive improvements in forecasting discipline, inventory visibility, supplier communication and working-capital performance in partnership with Mount Royal Planners, Materials Management and Finance.
Supplier Relationship & Performance Management • Own strategic relationships with key Cheese and Dairy suppliers serving the Canadian market. • Support the management of key Canadian Semi-Finished Goods suppliers, including Agropur and other strategic partners, in close alignment with the relevant North American category owners. • Define supplier strategies and performance expectations across cost, quality, service, delivery, capacity, innovation, sustainability and risk. • Lead strategic business reviews, negotiations, performance interventions, improvement plans and resolution of escalated commercial or supply issues. • Establish fit-for-purpose supply agreements, pricing mechanisms, service commitments, capacity protections and risk mitigations. • Develop a resilient, competitive and capable Canadian supply base, including qualification of alternatives and management of supplier concentration or dependency risks. • Build collaborative supplier relationships that enable innovation, continuous improvement, transparency and long-term value creation.
Canadian Business Unit Leadership & Stakeholder Management • Act as the principal Procurement partner for Cheese & Dairy within the Canadian Business Unit, aligning category strategies and sourcing actions with Business Unit priorities. • Participate in Canadian Business Unit Leadership Team sessions as the Cheese & Dairy Procurement representative. • Cascade relevant market, supplier, cost, supply, policy and project information into the Canadian Business Unit Leadership Team, and communicate decisions, priorities, risks and required actions back to Procurement and North American category teams. • Influence senior cross-functional stakeholders and resolve competing priorities across Procurement, Materials Management, Manufacturing, R&D, Quality, Finance, Commercial and the Canadian Business Unit. • Prepare and deliver monthly business updates to the Associate Director, Cheese & Dairy, covering market developments, category performance, productivity, supplier performance, inventory and supply risks, strategic decisions and next steps. • Represent the category in annual planning, productivity, innovation, risk and business review forums.
Project Management & Continuous Improvement • Lead cross-functional programmes related to productivity, innovation, portfolio maintenance, supplier transitions, specification changes, risk mitigation, supply continuity and process improvement for Canada. • Establish governance, milestones, resources, decision forums and escalation paths for priority category initiatives. • Drive improvements in procurement processes, category analytics, supplier performance management, contracting, forecasting, inventory coordination and cross-border execution. • Ensure compliance with procurement policies, sourcing governance, approval requirements, contracting standards, supplier due diligence and internal controls.
Expected Experience & Required Skills • Bachelor's degree in supply chain, operations management, finance, business, food science or a related field, or equivalent relevant experience. • 4-6 years of progressive experience in procurement, strategic sourcing, category management, supply chain or a related commercial discipline; dairy, cheese, food ingredients, commodity or external manufacturing experience is strongly preferred. • Proven experience developing category strategies, leading complex sourcing events and negotiations, and managing high-value supplier relationships and long-term agreements. • Strong understanding of Canadian dairy or food ingredient markets, commodity and conversion cost drivers, supplier capacity, forecasting, inventory, working capital and supply risk management. • Knowledge of Canadian dairy trade and regulatory considerations, including quotas, tariffs, cross-border processes and CDC requirements, is ideal. • Demonstrated ability to translate broader regional or global category strategies into market-specific sourcing and execution plans. • Strong commercial and financial acumen, strategic judgement and analytical problem-solving capability. • Ability to influence senior stakeholders, lead cross-functional teams and communicate complex category, market and supply dynamics clearly to executive audiences. • Proven ability to manage multiple high-impact priorities in a fast-paced environment, with strong governance, accountability and execution discipline. • Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office and familiarity with source-to-pay and enterprise systems such as SAP and Ariba. Our Total Rewards philosophy is to provide a meaningful and flexible spectrum of programs that equitably support our diverse workforce and their families and complement Kraft Heinz’ strategy and values. New Hire Base Salary Range: $104,200.00 - $130,200.00 Bonus: This position is eligible for a performance-based bonus as provided by the plan terms and governing documents. The compensation offered will take into account internal equity and may vary depending on the candidate's geographic region, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience among other factors Benefits: Coverage for employees (and their eligible dependents) through affordable access to healthcare, protection, and saving for the future, we offer plans tailored to meet you and your family’s needs. Coverage for benefits will be in accordance with the terms and conditions of the applicable plans and associated governing plan documents. Wellbeing: We offer events, resources, and learning opportunities that inspire a physical, social, emotional, and financial well-being lifestyle for our employees and their families. You’ll be able to participate in a variety of benefits and wellbeing programs that may vary by role, country, region, union status, and other employment status factors, for example:
- Physical - Medical, Prescription Drug, Dental, Vision, Screenings/Assessments
- Social - Paid Time Off, Company Holidays, Leave of Absence, Flexible Work Arrangements, Recognition, Training
- Emotional – Employee Assistance Program , Wellbeing Programs, Family Support Programs
- Financial – 401k, Life, Accidental Death & Dismemberment, Disability
Location(s) Chicago/Aon Center Toronto - Queens Quay Kraft Heinz is an Equal Opportunity Employer – Underrepresented Ethnic Minority Groups/Women/Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity and other protected classes. In order to ensure reasonable accommodation for protected individuals, applicants that require accommodation in the job application process may contact [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) for assistance.