Head of Procurement

HEAD OF PROCUREMENT
FMCG (Food & Home Care) | Group Procurement (excl. Agri Trade) | Zimbabwe

Department Group Procurement / Supply Chain Location Zimbabwe (regional travel)
Reports To Managing Director / Group CEO Industry FMCG – Food & Home Care
Employment
Type Full-Time, Permanent Compensation USD 6,000 – 7,000 / month +

bonus

Scope All group procurement excluding

agri-commodities trade (soya) Categories Raw materials, packaging,
ingredients, indirects

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.

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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.

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• 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
Base Salary USD 6,000 – 7,000 per month (negotiable for exceptionally qualified candidates).
Performance
Bonus

Annual incentive linked to savings delivered, supplier performance, and
business-unit margin protection.

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.