Commercial Operations Specialist

Job Purpose

The Jobholder is responsible for overall management of the MEA supplier base of specific categories. He/she will be ensuring excellent execution of the Global / Regional Category strategy and lead the COGs programs regionally. The job holder will handle the day-to-day management of his/her materials supply base including supplier performance.  He/she is responsible for ensuring that materials for the factories are delivered as per the established KPIs by the relevant internal stakeholders.

Key Responsibilities

Maximize value for money

o   Gain alignment on the category strategy with regional stakeholders and drive actions to implement strategy and deliver against cost saving activities.

o   Lead the development and execution of Cost of Goods Sold (COGS) initiatives and specification changes in coordination with the relevant stakeholders.

o   Own Resilience program in MEA in collaboration with SQA & R&D driving dual sourcing target, Non- bespoke target, as well as RMS VL in MEA under RMS deliverables.

o   Participate in building the annual operating plan for the region and Ensure that the global/regional sourcing manager operating plan input is executed within the region.

o   Ensure contractual allocation made by the sourcing manager.

o   Negotiate and challenge supplier's quality, price (where appropriate, non-regional/global category materials), service, lead times, minimum order quantities & payment terms in order to get the best value for every dollar spent.

o   Provide categories regional management for PPV.

o   Provide the necessary support to MEA sites planning and logistics in ensuring supply continuity.

o   Provide regional expertise and market intelligence for the Regional category teams.

o   Provide Commercial leadership for new supplier introductions and approvals.

o   Manage and provide input to the Strategic Sourcing on overall primes’ suppliers’ performance (quality and service).

o   Provide the Commercial support to the activity management work streams.

o   Provide Commercial leadership to help resolve supplier issues and non-conformance when site logistics are unable to.

o   Accountable for new supplier and specification introduction/changes including supplier screening, selection and follow up on validation with Supplier Quality Assurance (SQA) and R&D

Optimize and protect the supply chain

o   Contribute to World-class management of Working Capital through Day Raws and Packs Outstanding (DRPO) initiatives (e.g. stock reductions)

o   Provide local/regional management of Purchase Price Variance (PPV) and buying performance metrics

o   Manage the contracting process including request for quotation (RFQs) & tenders (where appropriate, non-regional/global category materials) and contract creation & PO issuance (samples) in line with the Mars policies and procedures.

o   Manage Mars Intellectual Property with the support of the regional IP Commercial representatives, using the appropriate Confidentiality agreements and supply contracts in order to ensure Mars is protected. Ensure timely renewal of such agreements

Ensure responsible and continuous supply

o   Provide necessary support to sites planning and logistics in ensuring supply continuity, managing stocks and pipelines.

o   Ensure zero run-outs due to materials availability

o   Accountable to ensure that supplier performance reviews are conducted bi-annually in coordination with SQA.

o   Support SQA in developing supplier performance scorecards and provide commercial leadership for the proactive measurement of supplier performance (Supplier compliance scorecards)

o   Provide input to the sourcing manager on overall supplier performance.

o   Ensures that Continuous Improvement plans are in place and followed through with major suppliers.

o   Manage & develop day to day relationship with suppliers and Provide commercial leadership to resolve disputes, supplier issues and non-conformance when site logistics and planning /SQA are unable to during the contractual period.

o   Support SQA/Site Logistics and planning to ensure raw suppliers commit to resolving all reported non-conformances (quality or service)

o   Provide information on volume forecast to global sourcing managers

o   Monitor commodity trends periodically and provide local expertise and market intelligence for the Global category teams in order to anticipate future risks/opportunities

o   Lead new supplier and specification introduction/changes including supplier screening, selection and follow up on validation with SQA and R&D

o   Responsible, in alignment with SQA, to ensure that specifications are industry appropriate and can be efficiently delivered by potential suppliers

o   provide support to sustainability initiatives (local/regional/global) to ensure compliance to targets in relation to raw materials

o   Interact with R&D and ATG as needed in order to support the introduction of new raw materials &packaging materials

o   Work closely with internal stakeholders & SQA in order to minimize the risks on the factory by developing backups for all raw materials

o   Work closely with SQA in order to drive the local supplier development programs

o   Work closely with internal stakeholders & suppliers to ensure the right specifications are purchased

o   Ensure successful execution MEA packaging strategies for Paper, Flexibles and Rigids to ensure we have a long-term supply base.

o   Implement Simply Brilliant initiatives for MEA to pilot all initiatives with the global lead.

Leverage External Capabilities

o   Provide local expertise and market intelligence for the global category teams

o   Provide Commercial leadership for new supplier introductions and approvals

o   Support other functions in organizing supplier days

o   Attend external forums and maintain market knowledge on new trends

Job Specifications/Qualifications

- Bachelor Degree

- 3-5 years of procurement experience preferably in the Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) field

- Fluent in English