Central Procurement Manager

Refresco is the bottling company behind many leading retailers and A-brands. In over 20 years, the Dutch company has grown to become the undisputed market leader in Europe and North America. The Central Procurement Manager will oversee the procurement process for the Juices category from start to finish.

About Refresco

Many major international FMCG brands have their (soft) drinks bottled by Refresco. The Dutch company, founded in 2000, has experienced impressive growth over the past twenty years. In 2022, KKR acquired a majority stake in Refresco fueling the next phase of growth of the company. At present, Refresco has 74 factories on three continents and bottles billions of liters of soft drinks per year for leading brands.

Refresco is a highly decentralized organization. At the HQ in Rotterdam, there are about 150 employees from thirty different nationalities. Elsewhere in the world, the company employs over 12,000 employees. The company’s approach is characterized by its trust in the strength of good local teams. These local teams have full accountability for their own budget, while adhering to the strategy set by the global head office in Rotterdam. Fostering synergy among the different teams is an important part of the company’s strategy.

The desire to continue growing is evident at all levels of the organization. This results in an enormously entrepreneurial and ambitious group of people, constantly pushing things and each other forward, and wanting to make an impact. Refresco places a great deal of emphasis on personal growth and development. Global Procurement Central Procurement leverages Refresco’s global scale to optimize stock and delivery management, focusing on ensuring the best possible quality, quantity, and pricing in the market. This team comprises 45 individuals and is split into four different categories, each led by a Head of Procurement. The Juices team covers a yearly spend of 700 million euros in citrus, tropicals, fruit blends, apple, stone fruits, grapes, and vegetables. The team consists of 14 employees: four CPMs, two Team Coordinators, and eight Contract Officers supporting the category. It is a highly diverse and international team, boasting strong skillsets and capabilities, and team members complementing each other to successfully drive towards challenging objectives. This team will soon be joined by the new Central Procurement Manager.

Job description: Central Procurement Manager

Refresco recently developed a 3-year plan for Central Procurement, outlining a clear ambition for continuous improvement in key areas such as cost reduction, sustainability, business development, and risk management. The Central Procurement Manager ensures that the organization’s procurement activities in the Juices category are effective, efficient, reach the targets as set in the 3-year plan, and are aligned with the organization’s mission and values. Reporting to the Head of Procurement, the Central Procurement Manager will develop procurement strategies, manage supplier relationships, and negotiate (long-term) contracts to ensure the organization produces high-quality juices at competitive prices.

The Central Procurement Manager will follow supply and demand within relevant markets and industries across the value chain. They will identify opportunities and trends in the market that may have an impact on the purchasing of goods and services, indicate risks which could influence the availability and/or price movements of products, and adequately assess the potential consequences.

Data management
Data analysis is an important aspect of the role. The Central Procurement Manager will be responsible for analyzing procurement data and identifying areas for improvement in the procurement process to increase efficiency and reduce costs, as well as analyzing different markets, export volumes, and global production. To achieve this, the Central Procurement Manager should have strong analytical skills and be comfortable working with data.

In terms of stakeholder management, the Central Procurement Manager must ensure regular communication with stakeholders and maintain alignment regarding strategic and tactical procurement issues. They must also deliver information on suppliers, market developments, and procurement agreements to Group Director Purchasing, BU Purchasing Managers, BU Management Team Members, and Executive Board members.

Suppliers in the (tropical) Juices category are located around the world, often in Spanish-speaking countries. Spanish language skills and knowledge of South- and Central American culture are certainly an advantage in this role. The Central Procurement Manager occasionally visits suppliers in Peru, Brazil, and Costa Rica, as well as suppliers in Thailand and India.

“Refresco is an incredible organization to be a part of. We have made significant strides in recent years, but we are just getting started. Our goal is to double the company within the next four years. Your role as Central Procurement Manager is essential in helping us achieve our targets and aspirations.” – Tom Vermaesen, Head of Procurement

The Central Procurement Manager for Juices at Refresco is an exciting opportunity for a procurement professional with a strategic mindset, excellent stakeholder management skills, and a track record of delivering results. The successful candidate will join a dynamic, international team, and have the opportunity to drive change and make a real impact on the procurement activities for the Juices subcategory at Refresco.

Interested?

Refresco is working with Top of Minds to fill this vacancy.
To express your interest, please contact Vivian Linker at vivian.linker@topofminds.com.