Associate Director, Commercial Procurement, Market Research & Competitive Intelligence

Role Summary

The Associate Director will serve as a strategic procurement leader for Primary Market Research (PMR) and Competitive Intelligence (CI) categories. This role combines business partnering, category strategy development, and supplier relationship management to optimize procurement processes and deliver measurable value across Commercial and Insights organizations. You will design and execute a multi-year category strategy that governs purchasing channels, compliance policies, and supplier engagement models. The position requires strong collaboration with cross-functional teams, leveraging market intelligence to drive innovation and ensure alignment with business priorities.

Responsibilities

• Define buying channels, compliance frameworks, and governance for PMR & CI procurement.
• Develop and maintain a 3-year strategic roadmap with clear KPIs and value targets.
• Conduct make vs. buy analysis, risk assessments, and cost optimization initiatives.
• Implement supplier segmentation and preferred supplier programs to enhance efficiency.
• Stay ahead of industry trends, emerging methodologies, and supplier innovations.
• Provide market intelligence reports to inform sourcing decisions and stakeholder strategies.
• Benchmark supplier capabilities and pricing models to ensure competitive advantage.
• Establish strategic partnerships with global/regional suppliers.
• Implement performance scorecards, compliance monitoring, and continuous improvement plans.
• Negotiate contracts that balance cost, quality, and innovation.
• Act as a trusted advisor to Commercial Insights & Brand Teams.
• Internal stakeholders: Commercial Insights, Brand Teams, Strategic Sourcing, Analytics.
• External stakeholders: Global and regional suppliers, market research agencies, CI vendors.
• Digital procurement tools and automation for sourcing and contracting.
• Optimize Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) through process re-engineering and analytics.
• Lead innovation workshops with suppliers and internal teams to identify new value levers.

Qualifications

• Minimum education of a BA/BS in Business, Marketing, Procurement, or related field is required. MBA or advanced degree is preferred.
• Seven (7) years of procurement, category management or Market Research/Competitive Intelligence experience is required. Market Research/Competitive Intelligence Category Management is preferred.
• Proven experience in supplier management, contract negotiation, and strategic sourcing.
• Strong stakeholder management, data-driven decision-making, and project leadership skills.
• Experience leading global cross-functional teams and managing complex budgets.
• Familiarity with market research methodologies, competitive intelligence practices, and procurement technology platforms is preferred.

Skills

• Strategic thinking and category management
• Supplier relationship management
• Contract negotiation and vendor governance
• Market intelligence and competitive analysis
• Data analysis and decision making
• Cross-functional collaboration
• Digital procurement tools and automation

Education

• BA/BS in Business, Marketing, Procurement, or related field (MBA preferred)

Additional Requirements

• None specified beyond roles and qualifications.