Category Manager – Packaging & Indirect

Gaia Herbs•Mills River, NC

7h•Onsite

About The Position

The Category Manager – Packaging & Indirect owns the sourcing strategy and commercial performance of Gaia Herbs’ packaging and indirect spend categories. This role leads supplier selection, strategic sourcing initiatives, contract management, and supplier performance oversight to ensure reliable supply, competitive pricing, and alignment with Gaia’s sustainability and operational objectives. The Category Manager partners closely with all relevant business functions to manage supplier relationships, mitigate supply risk, and support the successful commercialization of packaging and indirect materials. This role focuses primarily on strategic supplier management and sourcing governance while coordinating closely with supply planning and materials teams responsible for purchase order execution. Occasional purchase order placement may be required to support operational continuity.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in supply chain, business, packaging science, or related field and three (3) years of strategic sourcing experience, or
Associate’s degree and five (5) years of sourcing or procurement experience, or
Seven (7) years of relevant experience in procurement, packaging sourcing, or supply chain within consumer-packaged goods, food, natural products, or similar industries.
Strong understanding of strategic sourcing and category management principles
Ability to analyze spend data, supplier performance, and market trends
Experience leading supplier negotiations and commercial agreements
Ability to manage multiple cross-functional projects and priorities
Strong communication and stakeholder management skills
Proficiency in Microsoft Office and data analysis tools
Understanding of sustainability and sourcing compliance considerations

Nice To Haves

Experience in packaging procurement within consumer packaged goods
Experience with international sourcing and supplier relationship management
Experience working within ERP/MRP systems, preferably IFS
Experience negotiating supplier contracts and supply agreements
Familiarity with Power BI or similar reporting platforms preferred

Responsibilities

Develop and maintain sourcing strategies for packaging components and assigned indirect spend categories.
Lead competitive sourcing events including RFIs, RFPs, and supplier bidding processes.
Evaluate supplier capabilities, cost structures, geographic risk exposure, and capacity alignment.
Maintain visibility into category spend, supplier concentration, cost drivers, and supply risk, and develop strategies to optimize cost, resilience, supplier leverage, and performance.
Research and develop secondary sourcing options to mitigate supply risk.
Establish and manage strategic supplier relationships for packaging and indirect categories.
Lead supplier onboarding in partnership with Quality, Regulatory, and Operations teams.
Maintain strong supplier communication and act as primary commercial point of contact.
Monitor supplier performance metrics including cost, quality, sustainability, and service levels.
Lead supplier performance reviews and annual supplier scorecard processes.
Coordinate closely with Supply Planning and Materials Management teams responsible for purchase order execution and supplier delivery performance.
Occasionally place purchase orders as needed to support operational continuity or during supply disruptions.
Negotiate and manage strategic supply agreements in partnership with Legal and Regulatory teams.
Ensure pricing, terms, lead times, and service expectations are clearly defined in contracts.
Identify opportunities for long-term supply agreements or strategic partnerships.
Support contract compliance and cost governance across assigned categories.
Work closely with Marketing, Creative, and R&D teams on packaging component development and supplier coordination.
Support commercialization of new packaging components and supplier transitions.
Collaborate with Supply Planning and Materials Management teams to ensure supplier commitments support operational needs.
Assist in managing change control processes for packaging specifications, suppliers, or materials.
Identify and manage risks related to supply availability, cost volatility, sustainability requirements, and regulatory considerations.
Lead root cause analysis and supplier corrective actions for performance issues.
Support initiatives to improve sourcing discipline, supplier transparency, and operational resilience.
Participate in continuous improvement initiatives within supply chain processes and systems.
Maintain accurate supplier and category data within ERP systems to support planning and purchasing activities.
Support reporting related to supplier performance, spend analysis, and sourcing initiatives.
Assist in developing tools and dashboards that improve sourcing visibility and decision making.