Strategic Sourcing

About Us: Welcome to Lactalis Canada – recognized as one of 2025 GTA's Top Employers As well as Forbes Canada, Top Canadian Employers for 2025 Our journey revolves around enhancing the lives of Canadians through a rich variety of dairy delights, including some of Canadian’s favourite dairy brands such as Black Diamond Cheese, Lactantia Milk, Astro Yogurt, Balderson Cheese, and Cheestrings. Our products grace the shelves of an incredible 94% of Canadian households With a 140-year legacy driven by innovation and unwavering quality, we’re seeking like-minded individuals to join us in shaping our next chapter. Our flexible hybrid work model accommodates 40% remote work and offers free parking, endless coffee, Lactalis snacks, an on‑site gym, and more. About the opportunity: Working with our co‑manufacturing partners, the Strategic Sourcing Category Manager is an active member of the (direct) Purchasing Team North America (NA), sharing purchasing excellence and strategies and supporting teamwork and learning initiatives. The incumbent will lead the North American sourcing strategy initiatives for an assigned Category (co‑manufacturing). The attributes we are looking for: Develop local/regional sourcing strategies for the Category, using detailed analysis of historical and current spend data and research of new suppliers. Achieve budget objectives by identifying and supporting North American sourcing strategy initiatives for the assigned Category. Lead the implementation and management of the strategy for the Category, ensuring business unit needs and specifications are considered. Take ownership of the bid process: qualifying vendors, tendering, negotiating, implementing, and managing all contracts related to the category. Support global negotiation initiatives led by Lactalis’s senior global procurement team, providing pricing specifications, vendor listings, and negotiating locally and globally. Lead cross‑functional teams with internal stakeholders to design and implement sourcing strategies. Identify and execute negotiation cost‑saving initiatives. Act as a subject‑matter expert, providing insight to key functional areas for effective project execution, including pricing, process improvement ideas from vendors, and portfolio insights. Develop supplier relationships to optimize quality, performance, and reduce total cost of ownership, ensuring quality and contract compliance. Perform administrative duties: tracking cost savings, providing monthly status reports, validating pricing, and communicating pricing to master data for upload. Provide market insights and risk & opportunity forecasts to divisions. Participate as an active member of the Strategic Sourcing team, sharing purchasing strategies, teamwork, and learning initiatives. What you will bring: Bachelor’s degree in business, Supply Chain, Procurement or another appropriate discipline. Five (5) to ten (10) years’ experience in a Procurement function, preferably at a food company. Industrial and/or Supply Chain Purchasing experience preferred. Initiative and strong interpersonal skills. Ability to positively influence others. Comfort presenting to small–to–medium groups and leadership. Consultative, customer‑centric approach that nurtures interest, engagement, and idea sharing. Highly focused and proactive. Strong planning, project‑management, and execution skills. Rigorous data‑driven/analytical capability and ability to present data to leadership. Proficient with Microsoft Office, especially advanced Excel and PowerPoint. Ability to prioritize and meet deadlines within specified constraints. Ability to adapt in a changing work environment. Bilingual (French/English) is an asset. What Lactalis will offer: A Performance‑Based Bonus System. 4 weeks of vacation. A pension program with an employer match of 100% up to 6%. Tuition reimbursement up to $3,000/year. Volunteer day to give back to your community. Learning and development opportunities. A commitment to internal career advancement with potential for international mobility. Our ESG commitment: Our ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) roadmap drives our sustainability mission. We aim to positively impact communities and the planet by enabling stakeholders—including our people, consumers, customers, suppliers, dairy farmers, government, and industry partners—to have a positive impact on the wellbeing of our communities and the planet through all that we do. At Lactalis Canada, we value our employees as catalysts for positive change. Together, we will create a sustainable future, promote belonging, and make a lasting impact on the world. Our commitment to DEI: Fuel Our Culture with Your Uniqueness Lactalis thrives on the value each person brings. We're dedicated to amplifying diverse voices, inviting personal and professional growth, and embracing everyone's true selves. We're committed to crafting an environment that genuinely welcomes all, reflecting the richness of our people and communities. Our promise extends to accessible processes and spaces. If you require accommodation due to a disability (visible or invisible, temporary or permanent), please inform our Talent Acquisition team – confidentiality will be maintained. Please note: Lactalis Canada does not conduct credit or background checks through LinkedIn. If required, we'll contact you after signing a job offer. Compensation: Base salary range: $99,100 – $123,900+ (the actual base salary will be fair, competitive, and based on your skills, experience, and qualifications). Seniority level Associate Employment type Full‑time Job function Purchasing and Supply Chain Industries Dairy Product Manufacturing Location: Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada #J-18808-Ljbffr