Westrock Coffee Looking for Director of Co-Manufacturing in Little Rock AR Full Time

The Director of Co-Manufacturing will be responsible for the strategic procurement and management of external manufacturing suppliers. The role will work cross-functionally with Sales, R&D, Commercialization, Operations, Quality Assurance and Finance to assess and execute opportunities, delivering them on-time and at target landed cost. The ideal candidate will be a dynamic, self-motivated and results-oriented leader with a proven track record of generating and building co-manufacturing relationships, managing complex projects from concept to completion, and demonstrating exceptional communication skills.

Reporting to the Sr. Vice President of Procurement & Co-Manufacturing, this position will develop and mentor a team of approximately 3 direct reports focused on all aspects of managing co-manufacturing supplier relationships and supply chains.

Job Responsibilities:

• Work with leadership, peers and colleagues to understand needs and opportunities related to co-manufacturing
• Develop, implement and continuously improve processes needed to procure, qualify, implement and manage co-manufacturing supplier relationships
• Manage complex projects to commercialize new products and/or co-manufacturers from inception to close
• Procure and assess trustworthy partners
• Ensure quality, price, delivery and service. Establish metrics and perform regular reviews to ensure compliance to agreed-upon terms & conditions
• Establish guidelines and practices to achieve cost-effective and efficient movement of goods while maintaining minimum inventory investment and reducing transportation and warehousing costs
• Execute RFI’s/RFP’s and supplier agreements/contracts, checking for legal compliance, total cost of ownership and acceptability of items to specifications
• Work with the Director of Planning & Scheduling to develop and implement a robust planning process for co-manufacturers
• Align and interface with Quality Assurance to ensure specifications and standards are consistently met
• Provide leadership in developing team members, including talent management, succession planning and professional education
• Anticipate and communicate current and potential problems and opportunities to Senior Management
• Develop and refine work processes, metrics, and communication flows to address gaps and opportunities for improvement and best practice sharing. Improvement topics will include use of system data to present information and drive decisions
• Drives improvements in Free Cash Flow via payment terms, discounts, rebates and other opportunities to improve cash management
• Ensure SOX compliance with processes and procedures within area of responsibility

Qualification

Qualifications:

• B.S. in Supply Chain, Procurement, Business, Food Science, Engineering or related technical field
• 10+ years of experience in managing Co-Manufacturing relationships, Category Management/Procurement, or Supply Chain Management, strong preference in the food and beverage manufacturing space or other consumer packaged goods
• APICS or NAPM Certifications a plus
• Experience managing a diverse set of external suppliers, including sourcing, managing contracts, risk management, forecasting, developing category strategies, and manufacturing relationships
• Project management experience
• Strong computer skills (Word, Excel, Outlook, Oracle Netsuite or other similar ERP systems)
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, high-pressure environment where change is constant and needs to be managed with internal and external customers
• Financial understanding of P&L and ability to drive results for bottom line profit
• Excellent analytical, business and communication skills
• Experience with productivity/continuous improvement methodology in previous positions
• Experience working across the depth of the organization from senior management to shop floor personnel
• Collaborative leadership style

Equal Opportunity Employer / Vets / Disabled