About the Opportunity

The Senior Director, Strategic Sourcing and Procurement is responsible for leading the development and execution of enterprise-wide sourcing strategies, procurement, supplier performance, risk management and cost optimization activities across both direct and indirect categories for Driscoll’s of the Americas, covering operations in the United States, Mexico, and Canada.

This role oversees procurement activities spanning packaging materials (e.g., thermoform plastics, corrugate, labels, pallets) and a wide range of indirect categories, including travel, facilities, office and field supplies, equipment, capital goods, and professional services. The Senior Director will be a key architect of a centralized procurement operating model, tasked with establishing standardized processes, strong governance and internal controls, spend visibility, and best-in-class supplier performance across the Americas region.

 

Responsibilities

•    Develop and implement strategic sourcing strategies across direct and indirect categories to support innovation, quality, service levels, and cost optimization, aligning with business objectives and growth plans
•    Lead the centralization of key procurement activities, including process standardization, policy development, spend analytics, and category governance
•    Conduct financial and business analysis (e.g., data mining, spend analysis, cost modeling) to inform strategic decision-making
•    Drive supplier relationship management, including selection, performance monitoring, capability development, and risk mitigation
•    Oversee contract development and negotiation processes to ensure favorable terms, compliance, and long-term supplier value
•    Collaborate with cross-functional teams including Regional Business Units, Operations, Supply Chain, IT, Finance, Legal, Facilities, and other internal stakeholders
•    Lead the execution of value creation initiatives through competitive sourcing, supplier innovation, and operational efficiency
•    Promote a culture of continuous improvement, integrity, and collaboration across the procurement function
•    Benchmark packaging industry best practices, capacities with suppliers, business awards, contractual awards analysis to ensure suppliers are aligned within acceptable range
•    Ensure packaging supply continuity across all operational regions while proactively identifying risks and developing contingency strategies
•    Knowledge of sustainability principles and regulatory requirements as they relate to responsible sourcing practices
•    Represents Driscoll’s in an ethical and business-like professional manner in all interactions with growers, co-workers, suppliers, customers and the business community at large
•    Ensure the security of Driscoll’s confidential and proprietary information and materials
•    Domestic and international travel required up to 15%

   

Candidate Profile

Requirements
•    Bachelor’s degree in Business, Supply Chain, Engineering, Agribusiness, or related field; MBA or advanced degree preferred
•    15+ years of progressive strategic sourcing and procurement experience, including senior leadership roles within agriculture, CPG, or food-related industries
•    Deep understanding of sourcing methodologies, category and risk management, and supplier relationship management
•    Proven track record of designing, implementing, or transforming a centralized procurement function, including the development of organizational models, governance frameworks, standardized processes and leading organizational change and alignment, and stakeholder management
•    Demonstrated ability to lead procurement transformation and organizational change in complex, matrixed environments
•    Proven success managing both direct and indirect spend across multiple regions
•    Strong negotiation skills and management of multi-year supply contracts and Service Level Agreements (SLAs) across multiple commodities, categories, countries, and regions
•    Proficient in ERP and procurement platforms (e.g., Oracle, SAP, Coupa, Ariba) and business intelligence tools (e.g. Tableau, Power BI)
•    Excellent communication, collaboration, and stakeholder engagement skills

Preferred Qualifications & Leadership Competencies
•    Bilingual (English/Spanish) strongly preferred, given cross-border operations
•    Strong leadership and people management skills, with the ability to inspire, engage, and develop talent
•    Strong leadership and decision-making ability
•    Strong organizational and project management skills to coordinate and drive projects to successful completion
•    Demonstrated success on a global basis, working across cultures and time-zones 
•    California driver