Manager, Procurement - Innovation (HDM) (Chicago, Illinois)

This job is with Kraft Heinz, an inclusive employer and a member of myGwork – the largest global platform for the LGBTQ+ business community. Please do not contact the recruiter directly.​The Procurement Manager for Innovation connects Kraft Heinz business strategy, brand ambition, and supplier capability to bring new products to life. This role sits at the center of innovation, partnering across the business and with external suppliers to identify new concepts, unlock emerging technologies, and enable strong commercialization outcomes. This innovation procurement role is designed to embed procurement early in the innovation process, anticipate future supplier capabilities, and translate business and brand strategy into scalable supplier solutions. The role also connects business unit innovation with core procurement teams - including Ingredients, Packaging, and External Manufacturing - to ensure preferred supplier alignment, supplier readiness, contracting, and seamless launch execution. For externally manufactured innovation, this role leads end-to-end sourcing and commercialization support, from supplier selection and contracting through onboarding, development, launch, and early lifecycle management. After launch, the role ensures a smooth transition to the appropriate base business procurement team. The ideal candidate is strategic, collaborative, digitally savvy, and energized by the opportunity to shape what's next. They are curious by nature, strong in influence and storytelling, comfortable navigating ambiguity, and passionate about building supplier partnerships that accelerate innovation and drive growth.

Job Description

Primary Responsibilities   

• ​​Partner with brand, business, and cross-functional teams to understand innovation strategy, pipeline priorities, and future capability requirements 

• ​Identify and develop supplier partners that can enable innovation strategy, conduct continuous landscape assessments for the category, elevate commercialization, and unlock new growth opportunities through proactively shaping supplier partnerships to meet business needs

• ​Bring forward innovation concepts, supplier capabilities, and emerging technologies by building strong external partnerships and staying connected to market developments 

• ​Serve as a key connector between business unit innovation and core procurement teams, including Ingredients, Packaging, and External Manufacturing, to align preferred suppliers, supplier readiness, contracting, and launch support for internally manufactured innovation

• ​Support internal innovation commercialization by ensuring procurement readiness and strong coordination across the relevant procurement categories and stakeholders 

• ​Lead external manufacturing sourcing and commercialization activities for applicable innovation projects, including supplier identification, strategic sourcing, commercial negotiation, IP and CAPEX considerations, contracting, onboarding, and supplier ways-of-working setup 

• ​Act as the primary point of contact for external manufacturing innovation partners through development, commercialization, launch, and early lifecycle support 

• ​Drive supplier relationship management for innovation partners, including performance management, collaboration routines, issue resolution, and launch readiness 

• ​Lead problem solving during commercialization and launch to ensure speed, continuity, and strong cross-functional execution 

• ​Transition launched products, supplier relationships, and contract ownership to the appropriate business procurement team after stabilization 

• ​Conduct supplier and market landscape analysis to identify new partners, innovation opportunities, and competitive advantages 

• ​Drive continuous improvement, process efficiency, and best practices across innovation sourcing, supplier collaboration, and commercialization processes 

• ​Facilitate cross-functional forums (working with finance, operations, marketing, sales, legal, quality, R&D) and lead working sessions that strengthen alignment, simplify complexity, and improve procurement's impact on innovation delivery 

• ​Execute supplier segmentation and supplier relationship management routines in line with Kraft Heinz principles, including business reviews and continuous improvement across quality, service, sustainability, cost, and performance 

• ​Execute supplier led innovation through Supplier relationships and internal stakeholder management aligning capabilities and technology with the needs of the business. Foster collaboration between Kraft Heinz and external partners to unlock growth and value and manage additional responsibilities as assigned. ​ 

Expected Experience & Required Skills  

• ​​Bachelor's degree in supply chain, operations, finance, business, engineering, or a related field; MBA and/or advanced procurement qualifications preferred 

• ​Experience in Procurement, including areas such as Ingredients, Packaging, CAPEX, External Manufacturing, or related categories; Finance or process engineering experience is also valued 

• ​Knowledge of food or beverage manufacturing processes and commercialization environments 

• ​Strong negotiation and influence skills, with the ability to shape decisions and build alignment across internal and external stakeholders 

• ​Strong collaboration skills and the ability to work effectively across matrixed teams, functions, and supplier networks 

• ​Adaptability and resilience through change, with the ability to stay effective in fast-moving and evolving environments 

• ​Digital savviness and basic knowledge of business intelligence tools such as Tableau and Power BI 

• ​Literacy in and curiosity about AI solutions, with interest in how they can improve insight generation, decision making, and ways of working 

• ​Strong strategic thinking and business acumen, with the ability to connect procurement decisions to brand, category, and business strategy 

• ​Passion for developing new products and partnering with suppliers on new technologies and innovation opportunities 

• ​Ability to prioritize effectively, balance competing priorities, assess trade-offs, and focus time and resources on the highest-value work to deliver innovation with speed and rigor 

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• ​Intellectual curiosity and a growth mindset, with a willingness to challenge assumptions and embrace the art of the possible 

• ​Advanced storytelling and communication skills, with the ability to turn complex ideas into clear, compelling messages for different audiences. Strong written, verbal, and analytical skills, as well as interpersonal and presentation skills.  

• ​Change leadership capability, including the ability to influence adoption, align stakeholders, and move work from concept to execution 

• ​Risk sensing and scenario planning capability, with the ability to anticipate issues, evaluate alternatives, and build practical paths forward 

• ​Strong process orientation and continuous improvement mindset, with the ability to drive efficiencies, simplify complexity, and establish scalable best practices 

• ​Strong analytical, planning, and execution skills, with attention to detail across multiple priorities and projects 

• ​Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook) and have an understanding for source-to-pay tools (SAP, Ariba, etc.). ​  

• ​Ability to quickly develop a level of organizational agility, i.e., know how to get things done both through formal and informal channels. ​ 

Work Environment & Schedule  

This position is considered a  ​Normal office environment with limited travel or visits to external locations; offices are open workspaces​  To create a more agile and modern workplace, we allow Chicago/Aon Center based employees to work virtually for up to two days each week and expect them to work in-person during the defined core days at their assigned work location at least three days per workweek. 

Our Total Rewards philosophy is to provide a meaningful and flexible spectrum of programs that equitably support our diverse workforce and their families and complement Kraft Heinz' strategy and values.

New Hire Base Salary Range:

Bonus: This position is eligible for a performance-based bonus as provided by the plan terms and governing documents.

The compensation offered will take into account internal equity and may vary depending on the candidate's geographic region, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience among other factors

Benefits: Coverage for employees (and their eligible dependents) through affordable access to healthcare, protection, and saving for the future, we offer plans tailored to meet you and your family's needs. Coverage for benefits will be in accordance with the terms and conditions of the applicable plans and associated governing plan documents.

Wellbeing: We offer events, resources, and learning opportunities that inspire a physical, social, emotional, and financial well-being lifestyle]]> <