WELCOME TO CLYDE’S DONUTS!

Over a century ago, the Bickford family took ownership of Clyde’s Delicious Donuts. Since 1920, our company has grown to become a beloved name, known for our innovative and high-quality donuts that delight taste buds of all ages. Today, Clyde’s is a thriving, high growth, 4th generation family-owned food manufacturer and a leading national supplier of donuts to the largest global retailers in mass grocery, convenience stores, and food service. Our Company is financially strong with a consistent track record of stability and growth under the careful leadership of the Bickford family. We invite you to consider a career with our special company.

SUMMARY OF POSITION

The Category Manager will lead sourcing and procurement strategies for both direct commodities - including key baking ingredients (grains, sweeteners, oils, dairy) - and indirect procurement categories, such as business services and packaging materials. This role is critical to driving cost competitiveness, ensuring supply continuity, and aligning supplier performance with business goals in a fast-paced food manufacturing environment. The Category Manager will collaborate closely with Operations, R&D, Finance, Quality, and other stakeholders to deliver value, manage supplier relationships, and drive innovation across both direct and indirect spend areas.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Procurement, Business, Economics, or related field.
• 5+ years of combined category management and buying experience, with exposure to both direct (ingredients) and indirect procurement.
• Proven track record managing food-related ingredients and commodities (e.g., flour, oils/shortenings, sweeteners/ flavors, active ingredients) and indirect spend areas (packaging, services).
• Strong negotiation and contract management skills with demonstrated ability to deliver cost savings and strategic value.
• Solid understanding of commodity markets, indirect spend levers, pricing structures, and cost modeling.
• Experience working cross-functionally in a manufacturing environment with Operations, Quality, R&D, and Finance.
• Proficiency with ERP systems (Oracle, SAP, or similar) and Microsoft Office Suite (Excel expertise required).
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

• Develop and execute sourcing strategies for baking ingredients and commodities (e.g., flour, oils/shortenings, sweeteners/ flavors, active ingredients) and indirect categories (e.g., business services, packaging).
• Monitor commodity markets and indirect spend trends to identify risks, cost-saving opportunities, and supplier innovation potential.
• Negotiate supplier contracts and long-term agreements for both direct and indirect categories, ensuring competitive pricing, favorable terms, and performance accountability.
• Build and maintain strong supplier relationships, addressing performance issues and ensuring compliance with quality, safety, and ethical sourcing standards.
• Serve as point of escalation for supplier-related challenges across all assigned categories impacting cost, quality, delivery, or capacity.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams - including Operations, Quality, R&D, and Finance - to align sourcing decisions with production schedules, food safety requirements, and budget goals.
• Deliver measurable cost savings and value creation initiatives through strategic negotiations, market analysis, and supplier-driven innovation.
• Lead supplier performance reviews for both direct and indirect categories, implementing corrective actions or continuous improvement programs as needed.
• Evaluate supplier capacity and capability to support forecasted demand and business expansion.
• Ensure compliance with company procurement policies, industry regulations, sustainability goals, and ethical sourcing standards.
• Complies with all Food Safety Requirements including GMPs when in production areas and reports all food safety or quality issues to the production supervisor.