Senior International Category Manager (m/f/x)

About the Role

As the Senior International Category Manager for Fresh Produce (PHF), you will be a strategic leader steering our 2026+ "Refresh" strategy across international markets. You will own a complex, high-impact portfolio, designing long-term sourcing strategies that elevate product quality, scale our weekly menu, and drive structural ingredient variety.

You will be a standard-bearer for our PHF vision— to source Produce that meets customer expectations of quality & convenience at the best cost. In this senior role, you will go beyond execution to focus on mentorship, matrix leadership, and fundamentally transforming the agricultural supply chain.

What You'll Do

• Lead Portfolio Strategy & Value Creation: Define and execute the multi-year sourcing strategy for a complex produce portfolio. Unlock macro-level sourcing opportunities and drive systemic cost efficiencies, optimizing the total cost of ownership across the global network.
• Drive "Direct-to-Grower" Transformation: Lead complex, high-stakes negotiations and forge long-term strategic partnerships to rapidly scale our Direct-to-Grower models. Design and optimize supply chain structures utilizing central cross-docking platforms to revolutionize freshness and speed-to-market.
• Spearhead Matrix Leadership & Trust: Act as a senior leader and mentor within the PHF team, upskilling junior buyers and regional teams. Cultivate deep trust with executive stakeholders and lead alignment with FSQA and SCO leadership to ensure our "One Team" mentality scales across the business.
• Master Strategic Risk Management: Design the overarching strategy for agricultural risk management, climate adaptation, and complex multi-region seasonality planning. Build highly resilient supply chains capable of weathering macroeconomic and environmental shifts.
• Champion NID & Menu Expansion: Partner strategically with culinary and product leadership to integrate New Ingredient Development (NID) at a portfolio level, ensuring our international supply base is equipped to support HelloFresh’s future menu complexity.
• Execute Complex Contracts: Lead the drafting, negotiation, and execution of complex, high-value supplier agreements and long-term Joint Business Plans (JBPs).
• Deliver Market Intelligence: Serve as the internal subject matter expert on global agricultural macro-trends, currency impacts, and climate shifts, translating insights into actionable procurement and pricing strategies.

What You'll Bring

• Experience: 6–8+ years of strategic procurement or sourcing experience, with a proven track record specifically in fresh produce, agriculture, or highly perishable food categories.
• Strategic Vision: Experience designing and executing multi-year category strategies and transforming supply chains (e.g., transitioning from wholesale to direct-to-grower/cross-docking models).
• Advanced Negotiation: Expert-level negotiation skills, with experience managing multi-million-euro portfolios and closing complex, long-term international contracts.
• Leadership Presence: Demonstrated ability to influence at the executive level and lead complex matrix teams. You are a natural mentor who elevates the performance of those around you.
• Deep Subject Matter Expertise: Deep, systemic understanding of global agricultural supply chains, cold-chain logistics, agronomic risk management, and market economics.
• Data-Driven Mindset: Ability to synthesize complex macro-data into clear, strategic roadmaps and business cases.

Location

• Prinzenstraße 89, 10969 Berlin

Hybrid Working Policy

We offer a hybrid working policy for eligible roles, allowing flexibility to work from home and in the office. For more details on eligibility and how this applies to the role you’re applying for, please consult with your recruiter.

Next Steps

Your application will be reviewed, and if successful, a member of the Talent Acquisition Team will be in touch within 2 weeks.