Category Manager, Strategic Sourcing, F&B

We are seeking a high-impact Category Manager, Strategic Sourcing – Food & Beverage to lead sourcing strategies across key global categories. This role serves as the commercial owner for assigned categories, accountable for delivering value through cost optimization, supplier performance, innovation, and supply continuity. You will partner with cross‑functional stakeholders across culinary, operations, finance, and supply chain to develop and execute data‑driven sourcing strategies that support business objectives and enhance the guest experience across multiple brands.

This is a highly visible role with direct influence on enterprise‑level procurement outcomes, requiring a blend of strategic thinking, commercial acumen, and execution excellence.

• Development of an effective long‑term strategic sourcing plan for highly complex categories and projects that create long‑term value while meeting brand objectives, including value creation, supply continuity, risk mitigation, and innovation. Effective collaboration on strategic sourcing categories and projects within the organization and stakeholders; developing relationships to become a trusted sourcing partner. Ensuring cross‑functional engagement and support of category projects and initiatives.
• Apply category management best practices, tools and techniques in the development and implementation of an integrated strategic sourcing strategy to assess the overall opportunity within the categories for projects. Serving as a subject matter expert on strategic sourcing categories with the stakeholders and fostering effective relationships.
• Maintain focus on project timelines and deliverables to ensure business goals and objectives are met. Strong partnership with Finance team to accurately forecast impacts of category strategy, including scenario modeling.
• Researching best practices and conducting baseline due diligence to best understand opportunities for savings, reducing TCO, improving efficiencies, quality improvement and service of the sourcing teams. Lead supplier qualification, segmentation and certification programs.
• Effective supplier relationship management; leveraging data, metrics, and internal feedback. Providing and reviewing score cards to improve supplier results. Developing early supplier involvement to ensure suppliers are utilized to their full capabilities and proactively providing input to provide low cost, efficient, and quality goods and services. Effectively influencing change and buy‑in across the stakeholder group and leadership. Implement gold‑standard contracts across the strategic supplier base;
  
  negotiate strategic supplier contracts and develop innovative pricing models and agreements to deliver value to brands.
• Education:
  
  Bachelor’s Degree required – in Supply Chain, Business Administration, Finance, or a related field. MBA preferred.
  
  Certifications:
  
  CPSM, CPM, APICS preferred.
• Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:
  Strong negotiation and commercial contract management skills, with ability to structure complex supplier agreements. Advanced analytical capability including spend analysis, cost modeling, and market intelligence interpretation. Ability to develop and execute category strategies based on data insights, market trends, and business requirements. Strong understanding of total cost of ownership (TCO), cost drivers, and supplier economics. Strong problem‑solving skills with sound business judgment.
  
  Ability to manage multiple high‑impact initiatives and priorities simultaneously, with strong attention to detail and a disciplined, process‑oriented approach. Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint; experience with sourcing tools (e.g., Coupa, Ariba) and analytics platforms preferred. Excellent written, verbal, and presentation skills with ability to communicate insights to senior stakeholders.
• Leadership & Engagement:
  Strategic Thinking, Commercial Acumen, Data‑Driven Decision Making, Stakeholder Influence, Execution Discipline, Relationship Management, and an Adaptability & Ownership Mindset.

• 4–8+ years of experience in strategic sourcing, procurement, or category management,…