Supplier Engagement Specialist - Direct Materials

Build your career at Sazerac! With almost 400 years of rich history, Sazerac Company has thrived as an independent, American family-owned company with operations in the United States and around the world. Since the 2000s, Sazerac has averaged double digit growth every year! Sazerac Company produces and markets the most award-winning bourbons and whiskeys in the world, including Buffalo Trace, Pappy Van Winkle, Eagle Rare, Blanton’s, and Sazerac Rye. Additionally, Sazerac owns many popular brands across a range of spirits, including Fireball, Southern Comfort, Seagram’s V.O., Myers’s, Goldschläger, Parrot Bay, 99 Brand, and Platinum Vodka. 

We’re proud of our award-winning culture and distilleries. Our Louisville office has been named one of the “Best Places to Work in Kentucky” four times, and our Buffalo Trace Distillery has earned the title of “world’s most award-winning distillery” through the dedication of our craftsmen for well over 200 years. Whether you’re a recent graduate or an experienced professional, Sazerac provides extraordinary opportunities for growth with competitive salaries and benefits in an exciting, entrepreneurial industry.

The Supplier Engagement Specialist will work with the Procurement Category Managers to execute on category strategies and engage on supplier management.  This will include working with suppliers to drive the best total cost while helping to deliver a competitive advantage for Sazerac.  The incumbent will serve as liaison between the brand managers, marketing teams, plant personnel, and suppliers to ensure successful completion of NBD projects. 

• Support Procurement Category Managers with supplier selection and management. Assist in supplier development and performance management.  Negotiate business terms with suppliers as needed to drive total cast and deliver a competitive advantage for Sazerac.  Act as primary point of contact with suppliers on NBD projects to ensure timelines are met.  Coordinate activity with brand managers, project managers, suppliers, and senior managers to ensure projects are launched efficiently. 
• Utilize internal resources to help maximize efficiency and output. Develop a plan to prioritize tasks based on urgency and value and streamline process to achieve the highest level of output.
• Utilize the PPT system to provide timely updates on projects and allow other team members to be notified of progress, next steps and timing.
• Achieve department NBD goals of on-time and error free. Accountable for system and process utilization to drive consistent and effective project management by component.
• Leverage internal systems including PPT and the NBD GUI to provide project updates to internal stakeholders to confirm project status and alert to actions needed. Maintain necessary updates with external stakeholders to ensure project timelines are staying on track and escalation occurs as needed.
• Assist the plants and accounting teams to assure that bill of materials are developed accurately and that information is supplied as needed to stakeholders to assure data integrity.
• Engage in career development discussions with manager to communicate career aspirations and identify skill development needs to achieve career goals.
• Develop a PDS plan with clear tangible signs and measurement tools in place to assess personal progress. Make regular skill development updates in the system to document learning and development.
• Utilize procurement focused KPIs to create position specific goals to track performance and efficacy in role.
• Strive to meet and exceed expectations for internal and external customer service. Consistently solicit feedback on customer service and leverage feedback to improve performance.

MUST

• Bachelor's Degree
• Excellent oral & written communication skills
• Strong analytical and technical skills
• Ability to handle multiple tasks at one time
• Self-motivated, innovative and solution-oriented mindset
• Ability to quickly learn new systems/processes
• Detail Oriented
• Strong planning and organizational skills
• 1 year relevant experience (minimum)

PREFERRED

• 2 years implementation or project management experience.
• 2 years experience in purchasing materials for food/beverage/ or packaged goods manufacturing

Physical Requirements

• Ability to pick up and/or move objects up to 10 pounds without assistance
• Ability to work overtime if necessary
• Ability to work hybrid from the Louisville office.

A career at Sazerac offers you the opportunity to reach your full potential as part of a creative, decisive, high-performance team. Sazerac values the needs and wants of our team members and offers inclusive benefits to attract and retain the best talent. Our culture is built upon the values of hard work, diligence and personal responsibility.

Why Sazerac?

✨Innovative and Forward-Thinking: Join a company that values innovation and excellence and is driving the future of the beverage industry.

✨Rich Tradition: Join a team with a strong heritage of craftsmanship and quality, creating memorable experiences for our customers.

✨Collaborative Environment: Work in an inclusive, collaborative atmosphere where your ideas and expertise are valued.

✨Growth Focused: Join an industry leader that has a reputation for continuous growth.

Sazerac Team Members enjoy:

• Competitive Pay
• Comprehensive Benefits from Day One including medical, dental, vision, disability, and life insurance.
• Family Coverage: Options to cover family members, including domestic partners.
• 401(k) Plan: Immediate access to a matching 401(k) plan.
• Flexible Time Away: Enjoy paid time off (PTO), holidays, and parental leave.
• Mental Health and Wellness: Access to mental health care and wellness incentive programs.
• Educational Support: Benefit from tuition reimbursement and our scholarship program for dependents of Sazerac team members.
• Fun Extras: Enjoy branded apparel, fun events, and a team member bottle purchase program.
• Worksite Flexibility: Options for flexible work arrangements (vary by role).
• Training and Development: Opportunities for professional growth and development.

Benefits, salary range, and programs may vary by role or location. For roles within our commercial team - the Salary range refers to base salary only and does not include car allowance, annual bonus, fuel or cell phone reimbursement. Please ask your Talent Acquisition Partner for more information about our total rewards package. Sazerac is committed to equality of opportunity without regard to race, color, religion, national or ethnic origin, veteran status, age, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, genetic information, physical or mental disability or any other legally protected status.

#LI-TH1

#LI-Hybrid

Placement within the salary range is calculated based upon years of directly relatable experience for the position.