Director of Stategic Sourcing - Direct Commodities en Lyons Magnus LLC

Description

Lyons Magnus leads the food industry with creativity and innovation, crafting top-quality products across all manufacturing phases, from raw materials to marketing. With over 2,000 diverse items for industrial ingredient and food service sectors, Lyons caters to leading restaurant chains nationally and internationally.

At Lyons, our diverse and talented staff is the heart of our organization. We foster a thriving work environment where employees are engaged in shaping both the company's and their own future.

The Director of Strategic Sourcing will lead the procurement and sourcing strategy for fruits, juices, and other assigned commodities critical to the company’s operations. This role will be responsible for building and executing category strategies, managing supplier partnerships, mitigating risk, and ensuring competitive costs while maintaining the highest standards of quality, supply assurance, and sustainability. The Director will collaborate cross-functionally with R&D, Operations, Finance, and Sales to support growth, profitability, and innovation.

Hours: 8:00am – 5:00pm

Schedule: Monday – Friday

Location: Hybrid (based in Walton, KY)

Travel Requirements: 15%

Work Environment: Office

Core Responsibilities:

• Category Strategy & Execution
  • Develop and implement global category strategies for fruits, juices, and assigned commodities.
  • Drive value creation through cost optimization, quality improvements, risk mitigation, and sustainability initiatives.
  • Monitor global commodity markets, supply/demand trends, and tariff/trade developments to inform sourcing strategies.
• Supplier & Relationship Management
  • Identify, negotiate, and contract with best-in-class suppliers, co-packers, and growers.
  • Build long-term supplier partnerships that ensure security of supply, quality, and innovation.
  • Lead supplier performance reviews and implement corrective actions as necessary.
• Financial & Risk Management
  • Own category budgets and deliver cost savings targets while balancing risk and service levels.
  • Partner with Finance to forecast commodity inflation, FX, and tariff impacts; build mitigation strategies.
  • Lead scenario planning and hedge strategies (where applicable).
• Cross-Functional Collaboration
  • Partner with R&D and Innovation teams to identify new sourcing opportunities that support product launches.
  • Work closely with Operations and Quality to ensure suppliers meet technical specifications and regulatory requirements.
  • Support Sales and Customer teams with insights on market dynamics and supply availability.
• Leadership & Team Development
  • Provide leadership, coaching, and development to sourcing/procurement team members.
  • Champion a high-performance culture of accountability, innovation, and collaboration.

Requirements

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Skilled in negotiation, contract oversight, and building strategic partnerships with suppliers.
• Track record of achieving cost efficiencies, mitigating risks, and ensuring reliable supply.
• Strong analytical and financial expertise with hands-on experience in commodity risk modeling and ERP-based procurement tools.
• Experienced leader with success in managing teams and engaging with senior stakeholders to drive results.
• Adaptable and effective in dynamic, high-growth environments where priorities evolve quickly.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Business, Food Science, Agriculture, or related field
• 10+ years of progressive experience in strategic sourcing, procurement, or supply chain within food & beverage or agriculture.
• Deep knowledge of fruit, juice, and agricultural commodity markets, including seasonal and global supply dynamics.
• Strong negotiation, contract management, and supplier relationship management skills.
• Proven ability to deliver cost savings, risk management, and supply assurance.
• Excellent analytical and financial acumen; experience with commodity risk models and ERP procurement systems.
• Demonstrated leadership experience managing teams and influencing at senior levels.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment with shifting priorities.

Preferred Qualifications:

• MBA or advanced degree preferred.