Manager, EMI - AFH

Key Responsibilities · Lead project-level procurement support for assigned innovation initiatives across the business unit portfolio · Partner with brand and cross-functional teams to understand pipeline priorities, product requirements, timing, and supplier capability needs · Serve as the primary procurement point of contact for assigned innovation initiatives, ensuring strong coordination across stakeholders and timely execution of procurement deliverables External Manufacturing Innovation · Lead the end-to-end sourcing process for innovation projects that will be commercialized through an external manufacturer · Identify and assess external manufacturing partners with the capabilities required to enable innovation strategy, commercialization goals, and long-term growth opportunities · Manage sourcing execution for externally manufactured innovation, including supplier identification, RFP development and execution, supplier evaluation, CAPEX and IP considerations, commercial negotiations, contracting coordination, onboarding, launch preparation and early innovation lifecycle support · Act as the key procurement interface between the business unit, cross-functional team, and external manufacturing partner through development, commercialization, launch, and early lifecycle support · Conduct supplier and market landscape analysis to identify new partners, innovation opportunities, and competitive advantages · Bring forward innovation concepts, supplier capabilities, and emerging technologies by building strong external partnerships and staying connected to market developments · Support innovation supplier sourcing strategy with the base business procurement lead to enable pipeline and enable broader category strategy · Establish effective supplier ways of working, governance routines, and readiness plans to support successful commercialization and launch execution · Drive commercialization excellence for externally manufactured innovation by managing supplier readiness, risk mitigation, issue resolution, escalation, launch support, and steady-state stabilization · Transition supplier relationship ownership, portfolio management, and ongoing supplier lifecycle management to the base external manufacturing procurement team once the innovation is stabilized in steady state Internal Kraft Heinz Plant Innovation · Embed within business unit routines and strategy discussions to ensure procurement is engaged early and effectively in internal innovation planning · Act as the procurement integration lead for internal innovation initiatives, ensuring the right procurement resources are engaged at the right time to support business unit priorities · Coordinate engagement with Ingredients, Packaging, and other relevant procurement teams where needed to support internal innovation execution · Serve as a point of connection and escalation between the business unit and the relevant procurement category teams to help resolve issues related to timing, lead times, supplier readiness, and execution dependencies Both External and Internal Innovation · Surface supplier-enabled innovation opportunities by identifying capabilities, technologies, and partnership ideas relevant to business and brand needs · Anticipate and escalate project risks, capacity constraints, timing issues, and supplier readiness concerns early · Use structured problem solving and scenario thinking to work through sourcing, commercialization, and supplier challenges · Contribute to continuous improvement in innovation procurement tools, routines, and ways of working to improve speed, visibility, and execution quality · Maintain clear visibility to project status, open issues, risks, and next steps across assigned initiatives · Partner with broader procurement organization to ensure alignment to portfolio priorities and innovation strategy and other responsibilities as assigned · Drive continuous improvement, process efficiency, and best