Category Manager, Strategic Sourcing - F&B

We are seeking a high-impact Category Manager, Strategic Sourcing – Food & Beverage to lead sourcing strategies across key global categories. This role serves as the commercial owner for assigned categories, accountable for delivering value through cost optimization, supplier performance, innovation, and supply continuity. You will partner with cross-functional stakeholders across culinary, operations, finance, and supply chain to develop and execute data-driven sourcing strategies that support business objectives and enhance the guest experience across multiple brands. This is a highly visible role with direct influence on enterprise-level procurement outcomes, requiring a blend of strategic thinking, commercial acumen, and execution excellence. Essential Functions Development of an effective long-term strategic sourcing plan for highly complex categories and projects that create long-term value while meeting brand objectives, including value creation, supply continuity, risk mitigation, and innovation. Effective collaboration on strategic sourcing categories and projects within the organization and stakeholders; developing relationships to become a trusted sourcing partner. Ensuring cross-functional engagement and support of category projects and initiatives. Apply category management best practices, tools and techniques in the development and implementation of an integrated strategic sourcing strategy to assess the overall opportunity within the categories for projects. Serving as a subject matter expert on strategic sourcing categories with the stakeholders and fostering effective relationships. Maintain focus on project timelines and deliverables to ensure business goals and objectives are met. Strong partnership with Finance team to accurately forecast impacts of category strategy, including scenario modeling. Researching best practices and conducting baseline due diligence to best understand opportunities for savings, reducing TCO, improving efficiencies, quality improvement and service of the sourcing teams. Lead supplier qualification, segmentation and certification programs. Effective supplier relationship management; leveraging data, metrics, and internal feedback. Providing and reviewing score cards to improve supplier results. Developing early supplier involvement to ensure suppliers are utilized to their full capabilities and proactively providing input to provide low cost, efficient, and quality goods and services. Effectively influencing change and buy-in across the stakeholder group and leadership. Implement gold-standard contracts across the strategic supplier base; negotiate strategic supplier contracts and develop innovative pricing models and agreements to deliver value to brands. Knowledge, Skills & Abilities Scope: Serves as the commercial owner for assigned global Food & Beverage categories, with direct influence on enterprise-level procurement outcomes across multiple brands. Owns the full category lifecycle including market analysis, sourcing, contracting, and supplier performance management, and establishes multi-year sourcing roadmaps. Partners with cross-functional stakeholders across culinary, operations, finance, legal, and supply chain, and drives alignment across brands and regions to capture global sourcing synergies (North America, Europe, APAC). Partners with shipboard personnel and collaborates across both shoreside and shipboard operations. Problem Solving:Analyzes global market trends, commodity dynamics, and supplier landscapes to inform sourcing strategies. Conducts advanced spend analysis, cost modeling, and market intelligence interpretation to identify opportunities for cost savings, cost avoidance, and total cost of ownership (TCO) optimization. Proactively identifies and mitigates supply chain risks including disruption, inflation, and supplier concentration, ensuring continuity of supply across geographically diverse and complex sourcing networks. Decision making is primarily operational, focused on day-to-day sourcing activities. Impact: Delivers measurable value through cost savings, cost avoidance, and TCO optimization, improving cost, quality, service, and working capital performance. Develops and manages category budgets, forecasts, and savings pipelines. A highly visible role with direct influence on enterprise-level procurement outcomes, supporting business objectives and enhancing the guest experience across multiple brands. Leadership: No direct reports (0). Leads sourcing events including RFPs, supplier selection, and contract execution, and leads complex negotiations to secure favorable commercial terms and contractual protections. Serves as a trusted advisor to stakeholders across culinary, operations, finance, and legal teams, translating stakeholder requirements into sourcing strategies. Engages, influences, and aligns senior business leaders, building strategic partnerships with key suppliers to drive innovation and continuous cost reduction. Essential/Minimum qualifications Education: Bachelor’s Degree required – in Supply Chain, Business Administration, Finance, or a related field. MBA preferred. Certifications: CPSM, CPM, APICS preferred. Knowledge, Skills & Abilities: Strong negotiation and commercial contract management skills, with ability to structure complex supplier agreements. Advanced analytical capability including spend analysis, cost modeling, and market intelligence interpretation. Ability to develop and execute category strategies based on data insights, market trends, and business requirements. Strong understanding of total cost of ownership (TCO), cost drivers, and supplier economics. Strong problem-solving skills with sound business judgment. Ability to manage multiple high-impact initiatives and priorities simultaneously, with strong attention to detail and a disciplined, process-oriented approach. Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint; experience with sourcing tools (e.g., Coupa, Ariba) and analytics platforms preferred. Excellent written, verbal, and presentation skills with ability to communicate insights to senior stakeholders. Leadership & Engagement: Strategic Thinking, Commercial Acumen, Data-Driven Decision Making, Stakeholder Influence, Execution Discipline, Relationship Management, and an Adaptability & Ownership Mindset. Essential experience required 4–8+ years of experience in strategic sourcing, procurement, or category management, with demonstrated ownership of sourcing initiatives. Proven track record of delivering measurable cost savings, cost avoidance, and supplier performance improvements. Experience leading supplier negotiations, contract execution, and sourcing events (RFP/RFQ). Experience working in cross-functional, matrixed organizations influencing business stakeholders. Preferred: Experience working in cruise, hotel, or foodservice industries; exposure to global sourcing environments (North America, Europe, APAC); experience in Food & Beverage sourcing or related commodity categories; and experience managing complex, high-value or high-risk categories. Travel: Less than 25% with shipboard travel likely; Less than 25% non-shipboard travel likely Work Conditions:Work primarily in a climate-controlled environment with minimal safety/health hazard potential. Work beyond normal business hours or on weekends may be required occasionally to support business needs, projects, or operations.. Physical Demands. Must be able to remain in a stationary position at a desk and/or computer for extended periods of time.. This position is classified as “in-office.” As an in-office role, it requires employees to work from a designated Carnival office in South Florida Monday through Thursday each week. Employees may work from their homes on Fridays. Candidates must be located in (or willing to relocate to) the Miami/Ft. Lauderdale area. Offers to selected candidates will be made on a fair and equitable basis, taking into account specific job-related skills and experience. At Carnival, your total rewards package is much more than your base salary. All non-sales roles participate in an annual cash bonus program, while sales roles have an incentive plan. Director and above roles may also be eligible to participate in Carnival’s discretionary equity incentive plan.Plus, Carnival provides comprehensive and innovative benefits to meet your needs, including: Health Benefits: Cost-effective medical, dental and vision plans Employee Assistance Program and other mental health resources Additional programs include company paid term life insurance and disability coverage Financial Benefits: 401(k) plan that includes a company match Employee Stock Purchase plan Paid Time Off Holidays – All full-time and part-time with benefits employees receive days off for 8 company-wide holidays, plus 2 additional floating holidays to be taken at the employee’s discretion. Vacation Time – All full-time employees at the manager and below level start with 14 days/year; director and above level start with 19 days/year. Part-time with benefits employees receive time off based on the number of hours they work, with a minimum of 84 hours/year. All employees gain additional vacation time with further tenure. Sick Time – All full-time employees receive 80 hours of sick time each year. Part-time with benefits employees receive time off based on the number of hours they work, with a minimum of 60 hours each year. Other Benefits Complementary stand-by cruises, employee discounts on confirmed cruises, plus special rates for family and friends Personal and professional learning and development resources including tuition reimbursement On-site Fitness center at our Miami campus About Us Carnival Corporation & plc is the world’s largest leisure travel company, our mission to deliver unforgettable happiness to our guest through our diverse portfolio of leading cruise brands and island destinations, including Carnival Cruise Line, Holland America Line, Princess Cruises, and Seabourn in North America and Australia; P&O Cruises and Cunard Line in the United Kingdom; AIDA in Germany; Costa Cruises in Southern Europe. Join us and embark on a career that offers not only the chance to grow professionally but also the opportunity to be part of a global community that makes a difference. In addition to other duties/functions, this position requires full commitment and support for promoting ethical and compliant culture. More specifically, this position requires integrity, honesty, and respectful treatment of others, as well as a willingness to speak up when they see misconduct or have concerns. Carnival Corporation & plc and Carnival Cruise Line is an equal employment opportunity/affirmative action employer. In this regard, it does not discriminate against any qualified individual on the basis of sex, race, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status, mental, physical or sensory disability, or any other classification protected by applicable local, state, federal, and/or international law. #J-18808-Ljbffr Carnival Cruise Line