Sr. Category Manager, Sugar

Work Location: ​Chicago​

Due to the highly interactive and team-based nature of this role, in-person attendance for most of the workweek (i.e., 3 days or more) is essential for: effective communication including during in-person meetings, strong supervision, real-time problem-solving, and participation in cross-functional initiatives.

Want to make an impact?

The Sr. Manager of Procurement will support the Sweeteners Sugar Procurement category with analytics and reporting. This role reports to the Sr. Director of Procurement Sweeteners and partners with the Procurement Analytics team, collaborates with external supplier community as well as internal cross functional teams to ensure data accuracy, increase forecast accuracy, drive audit compliance, and arrive at practical solutions for business challenges.

Ways you will make a difference

• Solid understanding of Sugar #16 & #11 futures markets, specialty sweeteners (tapioca, tapioca starch, art sweeteners, honey); economics & markets.
• Manages sweetener supply to meet customer demand metrics, including optimizing cash prices, futures, tolling cost formulas, bulk tanker and rail freight markets, and rebalancing commodity coverage based on changing demand dynamics.
• Manages manufacturing facility supply above the standard “frozen” planning fence. Partners with Sr. Procurement Specialist and Material Planners at manufacturing sites to coordinate sequential activities to limit financial risk.
• Creates managerial decision-making tools for the category director. Refines historical data, Annual Operating Plan (budget), latest demand forecast estimations and calculates PPV forecasts. Provides financial KPIs including RFX savings, contract sequencing, and allocation.
• Supports Sr. Director with strategy development, tactical, and transactional responsibilities for sweetener procurement categories valued at $150MM+ and delivers required procurement reporting by deadlines.
• Manages Re-export Sugar Credits and USDA monthly submissions—converting credits into physical sugar as needed.
• Updates monthly Global Commodity Board slides and presents during monthly meetings.
• Leads the financial budget and forecast process for sugar while maintaining contract management compliance with supplier partners.
• Ensures contract depletion and forward projection of TDC (Total Delivered Cost) by item and plant, including co-manufacturing vendors and future acquisitions.
• Coordinates Purchase Price Variance (PPV) explanations for major variances, categorizes reason codes, and follows direction from category management to avoid future variances. Assists in correcting purchase orders with variance/payment issues.
• Coordinates with Legal and COE teams on all Supplier Terms & Conditions Agreements (MSAs) in enterprise systems.
• Develops ERP Outline Agreements to ensure PO-to-contract compliance while maintaining category source lists.
• Reconciles monthly contract balances with supplier partners and supports all internal/external audit requirements for ingredient categories for Ferrara and Nestlé businesses. Completes monthly/YTD contract balance reports by the second business day of each month.
• Clarifies variances in the procure-to-pay cycle between Purchase Records (PO), Receipt Records (Goods Receipt), and Supplier Invoices (Invoice Receipt) to reconcile reserved goods value vs. supplier-submitted quantity/price, ensuring accurate Profit & Loss delivery.
• Acts as liaison between finance/AP, warehouse management, and procurement to define tolerance and resolve invoice issues to limit financial exposure.
• Develops custom reports for sweetener-sugar material groups, providing timely and accurate data for key initiatives and metrics.
• Maintains monthly cost savings, DTV, and rebate trackers for assigned categories. Notifies Procurement Analytics team of new or updated projects. Reporting due by the 5th business day of each month.
• Works with COE/Procurement Analytics to maintain the monthly Major Commodity Market analysis file.
• Supports creation and maintenance of SAP material contracts and purchase info records. Enters monthly service agreements for outside service payments.
• Supports R&D and creates purchase orders for requested samples.
• Leads by example in demonstrating the Company’s values.
• Adheres to all company policies, GMP, and safety standards.
• Performs other duties as assigned to support Ferrara Candy Company business objectives.

Skills that will make you successful

• Must have strong negotiation skills
• Ability to work independently on complex analytical issues
• Can create competitive and breakthrough strategies and plans
• Accurately scopes out length and