Head - Procurement - FMCG (12-15 yrs)

FMCG (Food & Home Care) | Zimbabwe

Role Summary:

We are looking for a seasoned Head of Procurement to lead the group's end-to-end procurement function for our FMCG business. Our portfolio spans food and home care categories including tomato ketchup, margarine, mayonnaise, cooking condiments, and soaps & personal care products. The successful candidate will own the sourcing of all raw materials, ingredients, and packaging that go into these products.

This is a senior, group-level position. The role covers the full procurement scope of the group with the exception of the agri-commodities trading business (soya bean / soya meal), which is managed separately. The Head of Procurement will build a robust supplier ecosystem, drive cost efficiency, ensure supply continuity, and embed FMCG best-practice procurement disciplines across the organisation.

Scope of Procurement Categories:

Food Ingredients & Raw Materials:

- Tomato paste / concentrate, edible oils, refined fats, vinegar, sugar, salt, starches, and stabilisers.

- Egg products, dairy derivatives, spices, flavours, colours, preservatives, and emulsifiers.

- Bulk commodities and specialty ingredients required for ketchup, margarine, mayonnaise, and related condiments.

Home & Personal Care Raw Materials:

- Soap noodles, tallow, palm-based fats, caustic soda, surfactants, glycerine, fragrances, and colourants.

- Chemicals, additives, and functional ingredients for soap and personal care formulations.

Packaging Materials:

- Primary packaging: PET/HDPE bottles, glass jars, closures, caps, tubs, sachets, laminates, and wraps.

- Secondary packaging: cartons, corrugated boxes, shrink film, labels, sleeves, and printed materials.

- Tertiary packaging: pallets, stretch film, and logistics-grade materials.

Indirect & Supporting Categories:

- MRO (maintenance, repair, and operations), spare parts, engineering consumables, and factory supplies.

- Logistics, warehousing, capex procurement, services, and general indirects across group entities.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Procurement Strategy & Category Management:

- Design and execute the group's procurement strategy across raw materials, packaging, and indirects.

- Build category strategies for each major spend area with clear cost, quality, and continuity targets.

- Consolidate group spend to leverage volumes and unlock better commercial terms with strategic suppliers.

2. Supplier Sourcing, Negotiation & Contracting:

- Identify, qualify, and onboard local, regional, and international suppliers for all in-scope categories.

- Lead high-value negotiations on price, payment terms, lead times, MOQ, and service-level agreements.

- Draft and manage supply contracts, framework agreements, and long-term partnerships with key vendors.

3. Cost, Margin & Working Capital Management:

- Deliver year-on-year procurement savings and protect gross margin against input-cost volatility.

- Track commodity price movements (edible oils, tomato paste, chemicals, resins, paper) and time purchases accordingly.

- Optimise inventory, MOQs, and credit terms in coordination with finance and supply chain to protect working capital.

4. Quality, Compliance & Risk:

- Ensure all raw materials and packaging meet food-safety, regulatory, and internal QA specifications.

- Partner with QA/R&D on supplier audits, material approvals, and specification management.

- Manage supply-chain risk: dual-sourcing, business continuity, FX exposure, and geopolitical/import risks.

5. Supply Continuity & Import Management:

- Guarantee uninterrupted supply of critical raw materials and packaging to production lines.

- Manage international sourcing, imports, freight, customs clearance, and duties (in coordination with logistics).

- Handle FX planning and payment scheduling for imported inputs in line with treasury policy.

6. Systems, Processes & Governance:

- Implement and enforce procurement policies, approval matrices, and internal controls.

- Drive digitisation of procurement - ERP utilisation, e-sourcing, vendor master data, and spend analytics.

- Produce monthly reporting on savings, PPV, supplier performance, and category dashboards for leadership.

7. Team Leadership & Cross-Functional Partnership:

- Lead, structure, and develop the group procurement team across categories and business units.

- Partner closely with Production, R&D, QA, Finance, Marketing, and Supply Chain to align procurement with business needs.

- Set KPIs, coach the team, and build a high-performance procurement culture.

Required Qualifications & Experience:

- Education: Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Engineering, Business, Commerce, or a related field. MBA or CIPS qualification is a strong advantage.

- Industry Experience: Minimum 10-12 years of progressive procurement experience, with at least 4-5 years in a senior/head-of-function role.

- Mandatory FMCG background - proven experience in a food, condiments, edible oils, personal care, or home care company.

- Hands-on experience procuring the specific categories relevant to this role: food ingredients (tomato paste, edible oils, dairy/egg derivatives), soap/personal care raw materials, and packaging (rigid, flexible, and cartons).

- Strong track record of delivering measurable savings, supplier consolidation, and supply-security wins in a multi-category environment.

- Solid understanding of international sourcing, Incoterms, imports, FX, and commodity price dynamics.

Preferred (Not Essential):

- Prior exposure to Zimbabwean or wider African FMCG supply chains, import regulations, and local supplier base.

- Experience implementing or optimising ERP-based procurement modules (SAP MM, Microsoft Dynamics, Oracle, or similar).

- Familiarity with sustainability and responsible-sourcing frameworks (e.g., RSPO for palm oil).

- Experience managing capex procurement and greenfield / factory-expansion sourcing programmes.

Key Skills & Attributes:

- Exceptional negotiator with a strong commercial and analytical mindset.

- Deep category knowledge across FMCG raw materials and packaging.

- Strategic thinker with a strong bias for action and hands-on execution - comfortable operating at both board level and shop-floor level.

- High integrity and strong governance mindset - able to build transparent supplier processes and control frameworks.

- Strong leadership, communication, and stakeholder-management skills.

- Proficiency in Excel, procurement/ERP systems, and spend-analytics tools.

Compensation & Benefits:

- Benefits: Company vehicle / travel allowance, fuel, phone, medical aid contribution, and statutory benefits (pension, NSSA) as per Zimbabwean labour law.

- Relocation: Support available for the right candidate relocating to Zimbabwe.

How to Apply:

Interested candidates should submit a detailed CV