Category Specialist - Logistics & Packaging

Louis Dreyfus Company (LDC) is a leading merchant and processor of agricultural goods and plant-based ingredients. Our activities span the entire value chain from farm to fork, across a broad range of business lines, we leverage our global reach and extensive asset network to serve our customers and consumers around the world.  

Structured as a matrix organization of six geographical regions and ten platforms, LDC is active in over 100 countries and employs approximately 18,000 people globally. 

You will be part of LDC Bulgaria in Sofia, with approximatively 340 employees, and within our Shared Business Service (SBS) team which employs over 120 collaborators. 

SBS Sofia, as a key hub of LDC, is part of a world-class Global Business Service (GBS) organization, focusing on Finance, Trading, and Procurement. This structure is a strategic asset, more than a service provider, and aims to build a dynamic practice of over 1,000 professionals worldwide, driving the group's activities and contributing to the overall success of the organization. It focuses on improving service delivery and customer satisfaction at a global scale. 

LDC recently acquired a new company in Germany through an industrial asset integration to diversify its activities as manufacturer of food and health performance ingredients. In addition to our regular SBS activities at a global level, you will also work closely with Germany, with a focus on supporting our new colleagues and business stakeholders. 

Main Responsibilities:

The Category Specialist, Logistics and Packaging, will be responsible for leading the assigned spend categories and operating the entire source to contract processes, especially but not only for the Germany based assets, so as to enable the key value pillars of procurement at LDC : Operations continuity, End to End efficiency, Control and Savings.

The categories at stake include various indirect goods and services required to run the industrial assets such as Logistics (warehousing, sea and road freight) and Packaging (paper bags, drums, plastic bottles, labels, pallets).

The Category Specialist, Logistics and Packaging will be accountable for the following

• Business Partners relationship management : manage relationships with internal Business Partners so as understand and contribute to the definition of their vision of strategic plan as well as understand and support the articulation of business requirements and provide visibility and collect feedback on the ongoing sourcing activities. Such BP management shall happen with stakeholders at various levels and from various departments of the organization, both on the supported plants and within the central offices, across several countries in the region and globally.
• Sourcing strategy definition and planning : define the category strategy for the spend at stake, in line with the guidelines and visions defined by the global sourcing teams and articulate the yearly sourcing plan accordingly. Such sourcing plan aims at being proactive (strategic and tactical sourcing), based on spend analysis, category strategies, stakeholder management, supplier management and contract management.
• Strategic sourcing definition and execution, contract negotiation : Execute sourcing initiatives, as per the plan throughout all of the steps of the process from strategy to contract implementation and management. This shall include analyzing pre-existing situation, articulating and/or supporting the articulation of requirements, evaluating market (trends, data, suppliers…), defining sourcing strategy, selecting suppliers, negotiating, implementing and managing contracts. Defines KPIs to track the strategy realization and close the loop between objectives and realization.
• Supplier strategy definition and key supplier governance : Define supplier strategy in line with category strategy and manage suppliers and supplier pools accordingly. Set up / run company to company governance with suppliers as appropriate.
• Supplier Performance Management : Where appropriate, measure supplier performance and manage supplier performance. This shall include the definition / execution of joint performance improvement plans with suppliers.
• Category Policies management: Define, implement, monitor and adjust specific category policies to support the categories strategies.

All the above shall be performed with an active contribute to the identification and execution of possible synergies across LDC regions and countries, in relation with LDC Industry and Procurement peers, where such synergies can be based on best practice definition, consistent sourcing strategy deployment and/or enforcement or frame conditions negotiations with key international technology providers.

The initial focus will be for the support of a plant located in Germany by then the ambition will be to grow the service so as to support efficiently the growth of the company in the EMEA region.

Required experience and technical skills:

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or Business Administration (A minor in procurement or supply chain management will be a nice to have)
• 10 years in procurement with at least 5 years in a sourcing role
• Minimum of 3 years’ exposure to indirect procurement in an industrial context
• Advanced use of an eProcurement solution (ideally SAP Ariba) is a nice to have
• Proficiency of the Source to Contract processes, across all the steps and proficiency of commercial and contractual negotiations
• Leadership experience in sourcing the relevant category

Languages:

• English – fluent verbal and written communication. 
• German – will be considered as an advantage. 

Soft skills:

• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with passion for internal and external stakeholder management
• Strong critical thinking and analytical skills
• Extensive experience in cross-cultural stakeholder management
• Ability to collaborate in global virtual teams within a matrix structure
• Understanding of agro or food industries, including food ingredient production and procurement, is preferred

Additional Information for the job

Diversity & Inclusion

LDC is driven by a set of shared values and high ethical standards, with diversity and inclusion being part of our DNA. LDC is an equal opportunity employer committed to providing a working environment that embraces and values diversity, equity and inclusion.

LDC encourages diversity, supports local communities and environmental initiatives. We encourage people of all backgrounds to apply.

Sustainability

Sustainable value is at the heart of our purpose as a company.

We are passionate about creating fair and sustainable value, both for our business and for other value chain stakeholders: our people, our business partners, the communities we touch and the environment around us

What We Offer

We provide a dynamic and stimulating international environment, which will stretch and develop your abilities and channel your skills and expertise with outstanding career development opportunities in one of the largest and most solid private companies in the world.

Our Benefits

• 25 annual paid leave
   
• Flexible working hours
   
• Food vouchers
   
• Transportation allowance
   
• Additional medical & dental insurance
   
• Life insurance
   
• Sports card with 90/10 coverage
   
• Various learning & development opportunities
   
• Yearly performance evaluation plans
   
• Social clubs & Wellbeing initiatives
   
• Team buildings & social events
   
• Employee Referral Program