Procurement Category Manager - Packaging

About GBfoods Africa

GBfoods Africa provides culinary solutions across more than 24 countries, with its regional office based in Accra, Ghana. The company is driven by a purpose of celebrating local flavours and supporting the communities it serves. Several of its local brands have been part of household kitchens for over 100 years and are strongly connected to local culture.

Role Summary

Reporting to the Procurement Director, Africa, this position is responsible for building, communicating, and rolling out the packaging category strategy across short-, medium-, and long-term horizons. The role focuses on creating business value through smart procurement practices, including market insight, cost optimization, scale advantages, supply risk control, supplier collaboration, and packaging innovation and sustainability.

Key Responsibilities

• Build packaging sourcing plans for the short, medium, and long term using category management principles and business priorities.
• Track worldwide trends in packaging raw materials such as paper, plastics, aluminium, glass, resins, and additives.
• Create models that improve visibility on supply and cost for packaging materials.
• Set the sourcing approach and market plan across local, regional, import, and mixed supply options.
• Align procurement coverage with key internal stakeholders.
• Own category budgets, savings targets, and variance monitoring.
• Maintain full total cost of ownership visibility for all packaging materials.
• Prepare for and respond to regulatory shifts, import restrictions, duties, market changes, and force majeure events to protect supply continuity and competitiveness.
• Partner closely with internal teams to align packaging strategy with overall business strategy and value creation plans.
• Work with suppliers and R&D to advance packaging innovation and sustainability through eco-design, downgauging, recyclability, and mono-material solutions.
• Lead supplier relationship management for strategic and critical suppliers.
• Set up governance and control processes that ensure transparency, compliance, and strong procurement execution across Africa, in coordination with the group.
• Negotiate with suppliers and put in place contracts and commercial agreements for packaging categories.
• Support rollout of category strategies with country procurement teams.
• Assist with new product development, renovation, and value creation projects from a packaging sourcing standpoint.
• Manage critical suppliers and help maintain operational continuity together with local teams.

What You Can Expect

You will join a distinctive company at an exciting stage of growth, as it evolves into a more consolidated multinational within the FMCG food sector, supported by a portfolio of strong brands.

What the Company Is Looking For

The ideal candidate is committed, action-oriented, solution-focused, strong in relationship building, detail-conscious, and ready to take on the opportunities and challenges of the role.

Requirements

• A bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Supply Chain, Materials Science, Economics, or a related discipline is required.
• At least 8 years of experience in a similar position, preferably within FMCG.
• Strong experience in packaging procurement, covering both primary and secondary packaging.
• Experience working with regional or global suppliers and import-related processes.
• Good understanding of packaging cost structures and technical specifications.
• Knowledge of SAP and SAP Ariba is essential.
• Proven background in category management.
• A strategic, commercially minded approach with a strong focus on cost and supply continuity.
• Well-developed negotiation and influencing abilities.
• Strong analytical thinking and fact-based decision-making skills.
• A mindset geared toward transformation and continuous improvement.
• Strong leadership and stakeholder management capabilities.
• High ownership, accountability, and the ability to adjust proactively to evolving business needs and challenges.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.

Additional Information

This opportunity is based in Accra, Greater Accra Region, Ghana and is a full-time, onsite position. The role is focused on procurement category management for packaging within a multinational FMCG environment.