Procurement Manager & SCM-Kenya at Varun Beverages Limited in Kenya

Job Purpose

To lead and manage the end-to-end supply chain and procurement function for the dairy and beverage business, ensuring uninterrupted availability of raw materials, packaging materials, engineering spares and other operational requirements at the right quality, quantity, cost and time.

The role is responsible for developing an efficient and cost-effective supply chain covering demand planning, procurement, imports, supplier management, inventory management, warehousing, logistics and distribution, while maintaining strong internal controls and compliance with company policies and applicable Kenyan laws and regulations.

Role & responsibilities

A. Supply Chain Planning & S&OP

• Develop and maintain an integrated Supply Chain Plan aligned with sales forecasts, production capacity and inventory targets.
• Lead the Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) process with Sales, Finance, Production and other relevant departments.
• Translate sales forecasts into material requirements and procurement plans.
• Ensure availability of raw materials, packaging materials and other inputs to support uninterrupted production.
• Monitor forecast accuracy and identify supply-demand gaps.
• Develop appropriate inventory strategies for fast-moving, slow-moving and seasonal products.
• Coordinate production planning with procurement and inventory availability.
• Identify supply risks and develop contingency plans for critical materials.

B. Procurement Management:

• Develop and implement the annual procurement strategy for raw materials, packaging materials, engineering spares, consumables and services.
• Ensure procurement is conducted in accordance with approved budgets, policies and delegated authority limits.
• Obtain and evaluate competitive quotations from approved suppliers.
• Negotiate pricing, payment terms, lead times, minimum order quantities and other commercial terms.
• Ensure purchase orders are issued based on approved purchase requisitions and agreed procurement procedures.
• Develop long-term sourcing arrangements and framework agreements for strategic materials.
• Identify opportunities for cost reduction, value engineering and alternative sourcing.
• Ensure procurement decisions consider total landed cost rather than purchase price alone.
• Maintain adequate alternate suppliers for critical materials to mitigate supply disruption.

C. Raw Material & Packaging Procurement:

Ensure timely procurement of key dairy and beverage inputs including, as applicable:

• Milk and dairy raw materials
• Sugar and sweeteners
• Flavors and concentrates
• Acids and food additives
• Colors
• Stabilizers and emulsifiers
• Water-treatment chemicals
• PET preforms and bottles
• Caps and closures
• Labels and sleeves
• Cartons and corrugated packaging
• Shrink film and stretch film
• Aluminum foil and other packaging materials
• Cleaning and sanitation materials
• Engineering spares and consumables

D. Import Procurement & International Logistics:

• Manage international procurement of raw materials, packaging and other imported items.
• Coordinate with suppliers, freight forwarders, clearing agents, banks and internal stakeholders.
• Monitor the complete import cycle from purchase order to delivery at the factory/warehouse.
• Review and control freight, insurance, customs clearance and other import-related costs.
• Ensure proper documentation including:

a) Commercial invoice

b) Packing list

c) Bill of Lading / Airway Bill

d) Certificate of Origin

e) Health / quality certificates where applicable

f) Import permits and regulatory documentation

g) Customs documentation

• Monitor customs clearance and port/airport dwell time.
• Ensure correct tariff classification and landed-cost computation in coordination with Finance and clearing agents.
• Identify opportunities to optimize container utilization, freight rates and shipment frequency.
• Monitor demurrage, detention and other avoidable import costs.

E. Supplier Management:

• Develop and maintain a robust Approved Supplier List.
• Conduct supplier evaluation and periodic performance reviews.
• Monitor supplier performance against:

a) Price

b) Quality

c) Delivery

d) Lead time

e) Service levels

f) Payment terms

g) Compliance

• Develop supplier scorecards and corrective action plans.
• Conduct supplier negotiations and annual price reviews.
• Develop strategic partnerships with key suppliers.
• Identify alternate suppliers for high-risk or single-source materials.
• Work with Quality Assurance to conduct supplier audits where required.
• Ensure suppliers comply with company ethical, quality, food safety and sustainability standards.

F. Inventory Management:

• Establish optimum inventory levels for raw materials, packaging and consumables.
• Monitor minimum, maximum, reorder and safety stock levels.
• Reduce excess, obsolete, slow-moving and non-moving inventory.
• Monitor inventory ageing and take corrective action.
• Ensure adequate stock availability without unnecessarily locking up working capital.
• Review inventory days and inventory carrying costs.
• Coordinate monthly inventory reconciliation with Finance and Warehouse.
• Investigate and resolve inventory variances.
• Ensure proper controls over batch, expiry and shelf-life-sensitive materials.
• Implement FEFO (First Expiry, First Out) principles wherever applicable.
• Develop action plans for near-expiry and obsolete materials.

G. Logistics & Distribution:

• Manage inbound and outbound logistics activities.
• Optimize transportation costs and vehicle utilization.
• Coordinate delivery schedules with Sales, Production and Warehouse.
• Monitor transporter performance.
• Negotiate transport rates and service agreements.
• Monitor vehicle turnaround time, loading time and delivery performance.
• Reduce empty return trips and transportation inefficiencies.
• Monitor fuel consumption and other logistics costs where applicable.
• Ensure proper documentation for dispatches and deliveries.
• Track and resolve delivery delays, shortages, damages and customer claims.

H. Cost Optimization & Working Capital:

• Develop and implement initiatives to reduce total supply chain costs.
• Monitor:

a) Purchase price variance

b) Freight costs

c) Customs and clearance costs

d) Warehousing costs

e) Transport costs

f) Inventory carrying costs

g) Obsolescence

h) Expiry losses

• Support Finance in preparation of annual procurement and supply chain budgets.
• Monitor actual spend against budget.
• Identify opportunities for supplier consolidation and volume-based negotiation.
• Optimize order quantities and shipment frequency.
• Improve working capital through reduction in inventory days and better supplier payment terms.

I. Quality, Food Safety & Regulatory Compliance:

• Ensure procurement of only approved food-grade raw materials and packaging materials.
• Work closely with Quality Assurance, Production and R&D on material specifications.
• Ensure suppliers provide required certificates of analysis and quality documentation.
• Ensure adherence to applicable Kenyan food safety, quality and regulatory requirements.
• Ensure proper traceability of raw materials and packaging materials.
• Participate in supplier quality audits and corrective action programs.
• Ensure compliance with company HACCP, GMP and other food safety requirements.

J. ERP / SAP & Supply Chain Systems:

• Ensure accurate and timely transactions in SAP/ERP systems.
• Maintain accurate supplier, material and purchasing master data.
• Ensure proper controls over:

a) Purchase Requisitions

b) Purchase Orders

c) Goods Receipts

d) Stock Transfers

e) Inventory Adjustments

f) Vendor Master Data

• Monitor system-generated purchase requirements and MRP outputs.
• Ensure proper segregation of duties within procurement and inventory processes.
• Identify opportunities for automation and digitization of supply chain processes.
• Generate periodic supply chain and procurement reports for management.

K. Internal Controls & Governance:

• Ensure procurement is conducted through approved processes.
• Maintain proper segregation between requisitioning, sourcing, approval, purchasing, receiving and payment.
• Ensure three-way matching of PO, Goods Receipt and Supplier Invoice in coordination with Finance.
• Prevent unauthorized purchases and supplier-related fraud risks.
• Maintain appropriate documentation and audit trails.
• Ensure periodic review of supplier master data.
• Participate in internal and external audits.
• Implement corrective actions arising from audit findings.
• Ensure compliance with company procurement policies and approval limits.

Preferred candidate profile

• Bachelor's / Master's degree in Supply Chain Management, Procurement, Business Administration, Logistics, Operations Management or related field.
• Professional qualification such as CIPS, CSCP, CPSM or equivalent will be an advantage.
• Membership of a relevant professional body where applicable.
• Strong knowledge of procurement, logistics, inventory and supply chain management.
• Knowledge of Kenyan procurement, import and customs processes.
• Strong ERP/SAP experience.

Experience:

• 812 years of relevant experience in supply chain, procurement, logistics or manufacturing.
• At least 3–5 years in a managerial role.
• Experience in FMCG, dairy, beverages, food manufacturing or a similar fast-moving manufacturing environment preferred.
• Demonstrated experience in local and international procurement.
• Strong experience in managing imported raw materials and packaging.
• Experience in S&OP, MRP and inventory planning.
• Experience in supplier negotiations and strategic sourcing.
• Experience managing warehouse and logistics operations.
• Strong understanding of working capital and supply chain cost optimization.