Assoc Mgr Category Procurement

How will you fit in the big picture?

This role organizes and executes procurement work that often spans multiple teams or functional areas. The role independently manages defined workstreams or projects within an assigned area of responsibility, applying intermediate procurement knowledge to support category strategies and sourcing activities. It influences procurement outcomes through subject matter expertise, problem resolution, and coordination with internal stakeholders. The position increasingly engages and influences stakeholders while driving improvements that enhance operational efficiency and overall business performance. 

What will you do?

• Manage Procurement Projects or Processes: Independently manages procurement projects or owned processes within a defined area. Ensures work is completed with accuracy, appropriate stakeholder engagement, and alignment to procurement policies. Identifies opportunities to enhance the efficiency or quality of the assigned process. 
• Conduct Supplier and Market Analysis: Performs research, supplier assessments, and baseline market analysis to inform category strategies. Synthesizes data into actionable insights and communicates implications clearly. Identifies emerging risks, opportunities, or supplier performance issues requiring escalation. 
• Support Contracting and Negotiation Activities: Prepares documents, gathers inputs, and coordinates contract reviews to support negotiation cycles. Ensures alignment to templates, policies, and compliance requirements. Identifies contractual inconsistencies and engages category owners to address them. 
• Collaborate Across Functions to Resolve Issues: Works with functions such as Planning, Finance, Quality, and Engineering to resolve procurement-related challenges. Gathers information systematically to understand root causes and impacts. Recommends practical solutions leveraging best practices and past precedents. 
• Deliver Continuous Improvement in Procurement Processes: Identifies inefficiencies, proposes enhancements, and participates in implementation of improved procurement processes. Applies subject matter knowledge to streamline workflows or clarify requirements. Ensures that changes are communicated effectively and adopted within assigned areas. Organize and execute procurement activities that impact multiple teams or functions. Manage projects or processes within the procurement area to ensure effective outcomes. Apply subject matter expertise to identify and implement improvements in procurement practices. Communicate effectively with internal and external stakeholders to support procurement objectives. Conduct research and analyze complex issues to develop well-informed solutions. Leverage best practices and past precedents to drive transformation and elevate procurement results. 
• Lead and execute Request for Proposal (RFP) and other competitive bidding events including conducting due diligence on suppliers, contacting suppliers to communicate requirements, evaluating bids received and summarizing findings with the Business Owner. 
• Works with Project Managers and Engineering team to understand sourcing needs and inform sourcing project plan and support longer term strategy. 

Minimum Requirements

• Experience: A minimum of 3 years of progressive experience in procurement, with at least 2 years in an indirect procurement role, preferably experience with Capital procurement capacity. Experience in the consumer packaged goods industry is highly preferred. 
• Education: A bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Business Administration, or a related field is typically required. 

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities 

• Procurement Process: Understanding of the theory, practices and consequences of purchasing and acquiring products and services for the organization. 
• Data Analysis: Data Analysis is the process of identifying, evaluating, interpreting and organizing data so that it can be used for business decisions. It includes sorting through data to identify patterns and establish relationships. Includes knowledge of Structured Data, information with a high degree of organization, such that inclusion in a relational database is seamless and readily searchable by simple, straightforward search engine algorithms or other search operations. As well as, knowledge of Unstructured data (or unstructured information), information that either does not have a pre-defined data model or is not organized in a pre-defined manner. Unstructured information is typically text-heavy, but may contain data such as dates, numbers, and facts as well. 
• Supplier Management: The process of managing vendors and suppliers who provide products and services to the company. Understanding the process through which software and hardware products, as well as consulting and training services, are purchased for use in the corporation. This pertains to the development of RFI's and RFP's and understanding the roles each department plays in the process. It includes being able to incorporate necessary technical requirements into contracts. ( 
• Compliance Management: The supervision and observation regarding the organization's conformity to various standards, procedures, rules and regulations. 
• Work Order Management: Order Management is the administration of business processes related to orders for goods or services. An order management system (OMS) automates and streamlines order processing for businesses 

Benefits and Perks

At Hershey, we offer competitive pay and a comprehensive total rewards package designed to support your wellbeing, financial security, and life outside of work. 

• Health & Wellbeing: Medical, dental, and vision coverage, plus wellness programs that support your physical and mental health 
• Financial Security: Competitive pay, annual incentive opportunities, and a 401(k) with company match 
• Time Off & Flexibility: Paid time off, company holidays, and flexible ways of working where applicable 
• Growth & Development: Career development programs, learning opportunities, and internal mobility 

Benefits may vary based on role, location, and eligibility.