Logistics Procurement Specialist - NA

JOB PURPOSE

If you are dedicated to implementing Procurement Strategies in various areas like Competitive Buying, Sustainable Sourcing, and building partnerships for Logistics Procurement across North America, this role is perfect for you.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Manage relationships, negotiations, and allocations with warehouse and pallet suppliers. Accountable for relationships with multiple suppliers, focusing on responsible sourcing, quality, performance management, continuous improvement, resilience, segmentation, contractual models, strategies, and 3PL negotiations

• Support North America region with competitive buying initiatives for transportation. 

• Lead/ assist as appropriate in the tender process for the transportation portfolio. 

• Assist in the strategic sourcing process and contract management for transportation services.  

• Accountable for maintaining contract systems with appropriate documents and master necessary for audit purposes. 

• Contribute to sustainability projects and initiatives such as energy-efficient warehouse operations, zero-emission technologies, and automation. 

• Implement and execute the Ice Cream Logistics Procurement Strategy for transportation.

• Serve as a subject-matter expert across various other portfolios on logistics topics and foster value creation opportunities.

• Analyse data for trends, patterns, anomalies, and insights beneficial to business.

• Lead cross-regional projects or activities as directed by the line manager.

WHAT YOU NEED TO SUCCEED: 

SKILLS & LEADERSHIP BEHAVIORS REQUIRED:

• Critical SOL (Standards of Leadership) Behaviors

• PERSONAL MASTERY: Sets high standards for themselves. Has emotional intelligence to take feedback, manage mood and motivations, and build empathy for others.

• PASSION FOR HIGH PERFORMANCE: Generates intensity and focus to motivate people to deliver results at speed. Takes personal responsibility and accountability for execution and results.

• PURPOSE & SERVICE: Has humility, understanding that leadership is service to others, inside and outside Unilever.

• BUSINESS ACUMEN: Creates sustainable growth with purpose, engaging different partners across the system for change.

EXPERIENCES & QUALIFICATIONS: 

• A Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited university, preferably in Logistics, Supply Chain, or Business.

• A minimum of 5 years (1D) experience in Procurement or Logistics is essential, with a preference for 7 years. Experience should be within Unilever, the FMCG industry, or a large, complex organization with significant portfolio and market knowledge.

• The ability to work in a fast-paced business environment, demonstrating flexibility and adaptability by managing numerous priorities concurrently; organizational and time-management abilities. 

• Proficiency in Supply Market Intelligence, Analysis, Competitiveness, and identifying Value Chain opportunities within logistics industry. 

• Self-motivated with the capability to work independently.

• Experience collaborating within cross-functional teams in a matrix environment, both in-person and virtually.

• Experience managing supplier relationships to create value in a mutual beneficial way

SKILLS:

• Experience negotiating cost variables with warehouse providers leading to successful outcomes,

• Advanced interpersonal and communication skills including stakeholder management,

• A strong command of the English language with excellent oral and written communication skills are necessary to effectively interact with all levels of management.

• Strong analytical aptitude with a validated ability to analyze/interpret data, with an emphasis on warehouse cost modelling for fixed and variables items, 

• Proficient operational skills with computer applications (MS Office) and advanced expertise in MS Excel,

• Financial knowledge to offer insights on market trends, supplier financial statements, savings & inflation calculation, and determining cash flow benefits. 

• Knowledge of sustainability technologies in warehousing and logistics. 

• Strong business awareness to translate into commercial strategy,

• Problem-solving aptitude, particularly for independently addressing complex issues in uncertain environments under dynamic conditions and time constraints,

• Data-driven decision making, including advanced analytics and visualization

• Proven abilities in stakeholder management, with an emphasis on listening and influencing.