Our purpose is to bring happiness with every bite. It’s a commitment shared by every pladis colleague, all around the world.

Our story

Family and ideas have always been our ingredients. Our founding families believed biscuits and chocolates could bring moments of happiness to the world. Their ideas have stood the test of time. Their spirit continues to inspire our future. It’s in the care and the craft we bake into biscuits and chocolates that have been loved for generations. And it’s in the fresh ideas, the new twists, flavours and textures we add to old and new favourites.

A global community

Our 16,000 colleagues, in every corner of the world, bring their own experience of happiness to pladis. Each of us is unique but coming together as one family of bakers and chocolatiers working hard, with pride and with purpose. Because after all these years, we still believe biscuits and chocolates bring people together. We are pladis. We bake happiness. Happiness with every bite.

Inspired by you

Our founders didn’t follow rules and recipes, they created them. We’re looking for fresh thinkers to help us create the next chapter for pladis.

pladis succeeds because of people like you. People who wake up in the morning excited to get to work. Who believe in themselves and their potential. Who want to grow as part of a global community of like-minded colleagues.

Because growth is our oxygen and our fuel. And it’s our deep and abiding belief that growth comes from working together, helping each other out, always passionate about our purpose to bring happiness with every bite.

pladis colleagues care deeply about being the best. About winning, staying the course and never giving up. Whichever part of the world we’re in, whatever our role. Whether we’re baking, working in HR, finance, marketing or many other areas – we win as one pladis team.

And while we’re all unique, we share something in common. It’s the code by which we live and work. We call it our ‘Winning Traits & Behaviours’: Purpose Led, Agile, Collaborative, Positive and Resilient. Five aspects of pladis life that define who we are, how we interact and get things done.

Why join our team?

The role of the Regional Category Lead – Manufacturing is to lead and manage the procurement of our manufacturing goods and services, procurement operations, maintain and develop the supplier base, drive strategic relationships, innovation and develop and implement category strategies for the UK and Europe regions!

What will this role achieve?

You will be responsible for circa c.£50 million of annual co-manufacturing and co-packing commercial spend.

Key member of the UK & Europe Procurement Leadership Team with accountability for managing UK&I & Europe Co-Manufacturing and Co-Packing portfolio and commercial vendor relationships.

You will also be encouraged to lead additional co-manufacturing activity for other regions within pladis Global as required, building relationships with Regional Leads and their teams, and ensuring there is ongoing alignment with the Global Supply Chain Officer.

The role works with a diverse range of senior partners in order to ensure the success of third-party manufacturing: Head of Procurement – UK & Europe, UK & Europe Procurement Leadership Team, Global Procurement Officer, Global Supply Chain Officer, UK&I and Europe Supply Chain teams, UK&I and Europe Commercial and Marketing teams. In addition, Supply Chain and Commercial teams in other regions dependent on specific projects!

The role is integral to new product development, business innovation plans and prioritisation activity.

You will be leading the development of the supply base and vendor commercial relationships which will support the delivery of innovation and new product development in chosen markets, delivery of CBR, cost improvement and vendor performance.

These commercial relationships will be deemed successful by the business if they achieve the desired speed to market at the budgeted (or better) cost and volume.

What will be your key deliverables?

• Development and implement the pladis sourcing strategy for Co-Manufacturing and Co-Packing for the UK&I and Europe regions
• Maintain a team of procurement professional who have the experience and capability to implement the sourcing strategy and meet the business needs.
• Develop and maintain a portfolio of high-performance suppliers who are capable in terms of cost, quality, service and innovation.
• Develop a supply base where we have options and capability to implement innovation which will drive competitive advantage and generate budgeted revenue.
• Build expert market knowledge and understanding across the team including competitor activity, emerging markets and technologies to ensure continuity of supply, ensure the best value is achieved and keep pladis Global ahead of the competition.
• Develop and maintain a unique insight into other businesses of a similar size and capability to UB pladis UK&I and therefore benchmark and ensure sharing is a key activity.
• Deliver business targets by employing a robust budgeting process and setting ambitious team targets.
• Provide expertise and lead the development and implementation of Co-Manufacturing and Co-Packing plans for other regions across pladis Global, as required
• Provide excellent governance processes, which has 100% contractual compliance for all Co-Manufacturing and Co-Packing relationships.
• Supporting and building Annual Procurement Operating Plans
• Managing monthly Price Variance and forecasts

What do you need for this role?

• Procurement category management experience
• Experience of managing partners at all levels, including senior director level and C-suite
• Demonstrable track record of leading Procurement and cross functional teams
• Proven delivery in category management, partner management and project management are essential.
• FMCG or manufacturing industry background
• Track record of collaborating with Marketing and Commercial teams
• Demonstrate ability to craft and build product briefs
• Experience of defining and managing cost models

Desirable

• Experience of working in a co-manufacturing environment (customer or supplier side)
• Regional purchasing in Europe

Our winning traits and behaviours

• Purpose-Led – Energised by our promise to deliver happiness to the world with every bite
• Agile – Ever evolving, never satisfied and never standing still
• Collaborative – Willing to work with others for mutual success, transparent
• Resilient – Quick to adapt to change, fast learner and persistent in the face of setbacks
• Positive – Self-motivated, optimistic, adventurous, and inspiring

Link to Apply : https://pladis.wd3.myworkdayjobs.com/pladis_Careers/job/Chiswick-Park/Regional-Category-Lead-Co-Manufacturing_JR17971-3

Diversity and inclusion is central to everything we do and is reflected across our business. pladis brings together brands and people from around the globe – and this diversity is our great strength.

We’re an equal opportunities employer and believe in encouraging an inclusive environment where we celebrate diversity of thinking and respect everyone’s distinctive qualities and perspectives.

We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform key job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation

pladis, Building 3, Chiswick Park, 566 Chiswick High Rd, Chiswick, London, W4 5YA

T 0208 234 5000    www.pladisglobal.com    pladis is the trading name of United Biscuits (UK) Limited, registered in England number 2506007, registered address as above