Role Summary:

The Director of Procurement will work closely with Sales & Marketing and warehouse leadership to grow vendor revenue and category revenue on an annual basis while supporting Capital Foodservice's Sales & Marketing strategies and plans. They will support vendor negotiations and management, while leading in strategic category development, and demand planning/replenishment initiatives in the development, implementation and continuous improvement of purchasing policies, processes and practices to ensure profitable and efficient strategic purchasing activities.

Specific Responsibilities:

CATEGORY MANAGEMENT

• Assess category opportunities through tools such as category analysis, category mapping, SWOT analysis, RFPs etc.;
• Compare Vendors with other Vendors in the category and approve the one(s) that offers the best opportunity for profitable growth; rationalize SKUs accordingly;
• Provide overall direction for product life-cycle management from introduction to discontinuance;
• Define/source/approve new/preferred vendors and products;
• Provide updates of internal product information - GS1 / ECCnet;
• Act as Process Owner for Master Product File.

VENDOR MANAGEMENT

• Ensure all Vendors adhere to the Company's Vendor Policies and accept their "Conditions of doing Business";
• Use Vendor Scorecard to evaluate Vendor performance during Vendor Business Reviews including: Product Quality, Product Mix and Velocity, Price Competitiveness, Support/Street Representation, Reliability - Fill Rate and Delivery, Selling Strategy/Marketing, Sales Increase or Decrease.

CATEGORY DEVELOPMENT

• Develop category and annual plans that meet channel and brand objectives and grow overall gross margin and profitability;
• Maintain knowledge of customer and consumer trends and insights as well as product development and innovation in all categories;
• Identify, measure and quantify marketplace trends and opportunities;
• Promote and enhance the relevance of categories within a constantly evolving world of Brand choices; revive mature and declining categories, accelerate penetration and consumption of new and emerging categories;
• Serve as category expert to support Branch and Central Office with selling ideas and new business opportunities;
• Recommend pricing strategies to the field based on category strategy and market insights. Manage Vendor price changes;
• Work with Marketing to develop and initiate the Vendor/Category Marketing Plan as they relate to the overall company marketing plan.

STRATEGIC BUYING

• Make Commodity, forward and contract opportunity buys to maximize gross margin opportunities;
• Approve Contract quote pricing that require volume commodity purchases.

PEOPLE LEADERSHIP

• Continue to develop the Capital Foodservice culture by being strongly committed to the Company's Vision, Mission and Values and by being a role model that exhibits the right behaviours and champions them;
• Lead and optimize the engagement and effectiveness of the Purchasing team by directing, implementing and continuously improving work processes and practices; establishing and communicating performance expectations; providing ongoing performance feedback, coaching and mentoring; ensuring the development of the team consistent with business strategy through succession and talent planning and by rewarding and recognizing staff.

Required Qualifications:

• A Bachelor's degree (or college diploma equivalent) in business or equivalent experience;

• At least 5-7 years of proven experience in all aspects of procurement, product category management, supply chain management, and inside monies programs;
• A demonstrated successful track record of achieving results including revenues, gross margin, net profit, positive vendor relations and customer satisfaction.

Demonstrated Competencies:

• Demonstrated ability to think strategically and critically and identify and align purchasing practices, processes and policies with the organization's overall business strategy;
• Proven success defining problems, collecting data, establishing facts, analyzing data, drawing valid conclusions, recommending courses of action and making sound decisions, based on calculated risks and defined ROI criteria;
• Demonstrated success meeting or exceeding customer expectations;
• Recognized ability to build win-win relationships and alliances and work well cross functionally by engaging all areas of the business;
• Known ability to negotiate and effectively manage conflict and influence others;
• Expertise planning, designing and implementing multiple projects/tasks within budget and on schedule;
• Able to continuously improve core processes and drive change;
• Demonstrates integrity and a positive attitude, strong work ethic and resiliency.

Decision-making:

• Independently makes a variety of significant decisions which impact business success and organizational efficiencies;
• Seeks guidance from senior leadership when necessary, on issues related to purchasing practices and processes;
• Influences decisions regarding key vendor relationships, especially those involved in our Preferred Vendor Programs and those impacting key areas of category development.

Key Relationships:

KEY EXTERNAL CONTACTS: Suppliers, distributor buying groups, and Multi-unit and independent customers;

KEY INTERNAL CONTACTS: Senior Leadership Team, Sales and Warehouse Leadership;

REPORTING RELATIONSHIPS: Category Managers, Product Specialists, and Administrative staff

Organizational Impact and Challenges:

• Leading in a matrix organization where it is imperative that functional teams and leaders and Branch executives understand and appreciate the reason for and value of the initiatives and practices being introduced;
• Influencing and motivating leaders and teams that have no direct reporting relationship to this role;
• Managing change effectively to ensure minimal disruption to business operations and positive impact to operational successes.

Unique Requirements:

• Will be expected to travel to meet with vendors as required;
• Must have valid driver's license and own vehicle which can be used for business purposes as required.