Procurement Category Manager - Packaging & Finished Goods
Our client is a leading Australian FMCG business behind a portfolio of well-known consumer brands, and part of a larger listed Australasian group. The business is entrepreneurial and quick to move, with a strong innovation pipeline and long-standing partnerships with manufacturers across Asia and New Zealand. It's an environment where good commercial thinking gets noticed and acted on quickly.
About the Role
This is a newly shaped, individual contributor role owning the category strategy, commercial negotiation and supplier management for externally manufactured finished products and packaging. You'll manage a base of around 30 contract manufacturers and packaging suppliers (the top 10 represent roughly 80% of volume) across China, Thailand and New Zealand.
Many of these supplier relationships go back 20 years or more, so there's a real opportunity to bring structure, contracts and fresh commercial rigour to the category. You'll partner closely with R&D, Marketing, Quality, Supply Chain, Sales and Finance, with genuine visibility to the senior leadership team.
Key Responsibilities
- Develop and execute category strategies for externally manufactured finished products and packaging
- Lead pricing, terms and contract negotiations, formalising agreements with long-standing strategic suppliers
- Build total landed cost models and deliver savings, cost avoidance and value against budget and forecast
- Assess and mitigate supplier, country and geopolitical risk, balancing cost against supply resilience across multiple sourcing regions
- Identify, assess and onboard new manufacturers and packaging suppliers to support growth and innovation
- Partner with R&D and Marketing on New Product Development (NPD), aligning supplier capacity, lead times and costs to launch milestones
- Run structured supplier performance reviews, joint business plans and corrective action plans
- Work with Sales and Supply Chain on forecasting and continuous improvement
- Ensure suppliers meet ethical sourcing, quality and regulatory requirements
About You
- Strategic sourcing or category management experience within FMCG, food & beverage, consumer goods or contract manufacturing
- Proven track record negotiating finished goods and/or packaging supply agreements
- Hands-on overseas sourcing experience, ideally with suppliers in China and/or South East Asia
- The commercial confidence and gravitas to hold your own with experienced, long-tenured suppliers
- Strong grasp of Incoterms, landed cost drivers and currency considerations
- Experience supporting NPD and working alongside technical, marketing and operations teams
- Ability to influence cross-functionally without direct authority
- Willing to travel internationally to visit suppliers in Asia
- Tertiary qualification in Procurement, Supply Chain, Business or related discipline
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Procurement Category Manager - Packaging & Finished Goods in Sydney employer: Sigma Search
Join a well-established technical manufacturer in south Canberra, where you'll be part of a dynamic team dedicated to delivering high-specification products. The company fosters a collaborative work culture that values employee growth and offers opportunities for skill development in procurement and supply chain management. With a focus on operational excellence and a commitment to supporting production schedules, this role provides a meaningful chance to contribute to both local and international projects.
