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LIPTON Teas and Infusions · 9 hours ago

Head of Procurement – Focus Markets

Hoboken, NJ

Full-time

Onsite

Director/Executive

LIPTON Teas and Infusions is the largest tea business globally, known for brands like Lipton and PG Tips. As the Head of Procurement – Focus Markets, you will oversee strategic procurement across tea, raw materials, and packaging, ensuring product excellence and managing supplier relationships to drive business growth.

Food and BeverageManufacturingTea

Responsibilities

Develop regional sourcing strategies (where it is required), aligned with global procurement objectives and goals

Co-create and execute global material sourcing strategies in your regions

Lead cost optimization, cash improvement, supplier consolidation, and value engineering initiatives

Bring market, supplier, and competitor insight into the business units, providing optimum forecast pricing and trends while supporting strategic stocking decisions for both tea buying and blending

Lead the team in weekly correct tasting and classification of Teas in relevant channels, including executing buying plans to deliver efficiency as per plan

Build and maintain strong relationships with strategic suppliers to ensure consistent quality, service, and innovation

Negotiate contracts and terms with key regional and local suppliers

Ensure supplier compliance with food safety, regulations, sustainability, and ethical sourcing standards

Collaborate with operations, R&I, Supply Chain, and Finance teams to align procurement plans with production, innovation, and financial targets

Be the key decision-maker and advisor, serving as the primary point of contact for direct procurement in the North American market

Collaborate with the Global Tea, Herbal, and Packaging network to provide demand requirements for raw and packaging materials, working with relevant SAP/Icron tools

Identify and mitigate supply risks (e.g., geopolitical, climate, commodity price volatility)

Lead business continuity planning and supplier diversification strategies

Ensure inventory optimization and OTIF (On Time In Full) delivery performance

Lead and develop regional procurement teams; foster talent development, build an inclusive culture, and create an engaged, high-performing function

Lead the team for correct tasting and classification of Teas and categorization as per Tea Lingo for all channels

Lead discussions with Co-ordination and align buying solutions proposed by Icron

Drive responsible sourcing and sustainability targets in procurement practices

Ensure compliance with food safety, ESG, and regulatory standards across the supply base

Manage the blending team in weekly tea tasting, blend issuance OTIF and on spec (PBBS)

Support Blend Demand requirements enabling 98.5% Customer Service delivery against forecast

Provide full Market input into all R&I black and green tea development projects within the region in collaboration with the Tea Expertise manager in R&I

Propose, agree, and deliver stock norms

Own and ensure all master data for Tea-specific SAP and Icron systems is updated on time and in full

Qualification

Tea procurementSupplier managementCost optimizationSustainability practicesSAP/Icron proficiencyCross-functional leadershipStakeholder managementPeople developmentCommunication skills