Group Lead, Supply Chain Development – Easy Ready Meals

Job Description

Responsibilities

• This Group Lead role in Supply Chain Development is focused on end-to-end delivery and execution of Easy Ready Meals innovation, capacity, growth, cost savings and supply continuity projects.
• Execute major manufacturing cost improvement initiatives through cross functional collaboration and provide timely updates to senior leaders.
• Lead technical and supply chain readiness to support commercialization activity.  The individuals will lead using tools that prepare the supply chain and manufacturing facilities for successful start- ups for growth, capacity, supply continuity and cost out initiatives (including manufacturing asset optimization).
• Lead network capacity assessment and E2E loss analysis with business partners. Ensure appropriate capacity for new business initiatives and growth plans across product life cycle. Develop and recommend alternatives as needed. Provide updates to senior leadership, project sponsors and stakeholders as needed on key initiatives, including progress against deliverables, cost management, next steps and needs from sponsors to alleviate hurdles. Escalate concerns and issues, report project fact base, define options/trade-offs, and provide team recommendation.
• Be the liaison between the business team (EM Manufacturing, EM Procurement, Marketing, Product Supply, Quality, Engineering and Finance, etc.) and the co-manufacturer when it comes to providing an avenue for communication.
• Develop capital business cases in conjunction with finance and project teams to support business growth initiatives and lead capital associated with developing such capability.  Identify impact across the supply chain with regard to cost of goods sold e.g. route to market, capacity utilization, inventory, manufacturing efficiency, quality, safety.
• Partner with External Manufacturing managers and EM procurement to deliver against commercialization activities outside of current Kraft Heinz capabilities as well as drive cost out of the external manufacturing networks.
• Manage and deliver assigned financial targets, to include the delivery of capital projects, trial activity and start-up expenses while leading resource & funding prioritization. Drive development of COGS, ensure alignment between category team and operations. Engage and support productivity agenda to deliver cost reduction targets.
• Provide cross functional leadership for the PCM organization, Plant Operations and Engineering.
• Support Business and Manufacturing Systems initiatives as required and support the continuous improvement of the commercialization process through collaboration with key stakeholders and best practice sharing.
• Lead and/or participate in various stakeholder governance forums (i.e. Stage gate/Leadership teams)
• Partner with the Business Units/ Manufacturing/ Supply Chain/ Engineering to develop a 5 year strategic capacity plan. Create innovative solutions to address GAPs/ Constraints.
• Manage and develop with the collaboration of marketing/sales the growth and innovation pipeline requests ensuring that proper financial and capability hurdles are properly met.
• Be the conduit and voice between the 3rd party vendors and KHC when it comes to driving NPDs or cost out initiatives at a co-manufacturing site.
• Lead all communications relative to identifying risks and provide solutions to capacity constraint assets – focused on productivity and NPD initiatives.
• Lead the manufacturing element of commercialization as it relates to NPDs and any Cost Out changes.
• Provide input and solutions in commercialization meetings as they relate to manufacturing solutions.  
• Support the SCL team during project scoping to align on MOQs for materials and production and support the launch of NPDs post launch to mitigate SCL.
• Partner with EM Quality and to ensure that any NPDs targeted to be produced at comanufacturers are compliant with KHC golden rule requirements.

Requirements:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering, Operations Management, Food Science, Chemistry, or other related field
• Minimum of 5 years combined experience in manufacturing, supply chain development or HQ business team experience.
• Minimum 3 years’ experience in Project Management for Consumer Products
• Minimum 1 years’ experience in Basic Marketing/Finance Principles
• Minimum  2 year of Plant Manufacturing experience (preferred)

Competencies/Abilities:

• Strategic capabilities/business acumen
• Drive for results
• Customer Focus
• Deep Cross Functional Knowledge
• Building and strengthening relationships
• Managing through ambiguity
• Communication-Written and Presentation

Location(s)

Chicago/Aon Center

Kraft Heinz is an Equal Opportunity Employer that prohibits discrimination or harassment of any type. All qualified applicants are considered for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Applicants who require an accommodation to participate in the job application or hiring process should contact NATAI@kraftheinz.com .