Category Sourcing Manager Indeed

Category Sourcing Manager: Fresh Products (Proteins and Produce) 
Conexus Food Solutions - Chicago, IL - Full Time  
Site Address : 6500 W. 51st Street, Chicago, IL 60638
Who We Are  
Conexus Food Solutions is a leader in the Asian food service industry, bringing a diverse range of ethnic cuisines, such as Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Thai, to the table. Our corporate headquarters in Chicago is where we house our fully integrated food processing, manufacturing, logistics, and worldwide supply chain services all under one roof. With distribution centers spanning the US, over 2 million square feet of warehousing space, and a fleet of more than 1,000 trucks, we're the go-to when it comes to reliable delivery services.  

At Conexus Food Solutions, we believe that teamwork and collaboration are the keys to success. We pride ourselves on maintaining the highest standards of integrity and honesty in everything we do and building strong relationships with our clients. We're looking for individuals who share our values and are committed to excellence. Join our team and contribute to our culture of collaboration and integrity while growing your own skills and expertise. Together, we'll deliver high-quality products and exceptional service to our clients and achieve great things. 
Position Summary:
The Category Manager for Fresh Proteins and Produce is a critical role within our Strategic Sourcing team, responsible for overseeing and optimizing the procurement of fresh poultry, beef, pork and a wide range of fresh fruits and vegetables. This position requires an expert understanding of the unique challenges and opportunities within these categories, including commodity market volatility, seasonality, food safety, and sustainability. The ideal candidate will have a trading mentality, bringing a proactive, risk-aware, and opportunistic approach to sourcing. They will be a highly skilled negotiator and a proactive problem-solver who can develop and execute strategic sourcing plans to ensure supply continuity, manage risk, and deliver exceptional value.
Key Responsibilities:

• Category Strategy & Market Expertise:
  • Develop and execute comprehensive sourcing strategies for fresh proteins (beef, pork, poultry) and fresh produce that align with business goals for quality, cost, and risk management.
  • Continuously monitor and analyze global and domestic commodity markets, futures pricing, and seasonal trends for assigned categories to inform strategic decisions and identify commitment opportunities.
  • Act as the subject matter expert for fresh proteins and produce, providing timely market insights and recommendations to internal stakeholders.
• Supplier & Supply Chain Management:
  • Lead the entire sourcing lifecycle, from identifying new suppliers to managing ongoing relationships.
  • Build and maintain strong, collaborative partnerships with farmers, growers, processors, and distributors to ensure a reliable and high-quality supply chain.
  • Negotiate contracts that address key risks specific to fresh products, including terms for quality standards, food safety compliance, and supply chain flexibility.
  • Develop and manage supplier performance metrics (KPIs) to drive continuous improvement in quality, service, and cost.
• Cost Management & Risk Mitigation:
  • Proactively identify and implement cost-saving initiatives and value-add opportunities within the categories.
  • Develop and execute risk mitigation strategies to address market volatility, natural disasters, and other potential disruptions to the fresh supply chain. This includes a trader's mindset for making forward-looking decisions.
  • Manage and forecast category spend, providing detailed analysis and reporting on savings and budget performance.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration & Compliance:
  • Collaborate closely with internal teams, including Quality Assurance, Operations, R&D, and Marketing, to ensure product specifications and sourcing strategies meet business needs.
  • Ensure all sourcing activities and suppliers adhere to strict food safety regulations (e.g., USDA, FDA), sustainability standards, and company-specific ethical sourcing policies.