What’s Our Dish

Announced in May 2018, Peapod Digital Labs (PDL) is an Ahold Delhaize USA company that powers the eCommerce and digital strategies for the Great Local Brands of Ahold Delhaize USA. Accelerating growth in digital and personalization capabilities, PDL is an innovation lab focused on meeting the changing needs of customers, regardless of when, where, and how consumers choose to shop.

Browse the Aisles

Leads the Fresh Sourcing team responsible for reviewing & assessing ADUSA Fresh COGS of approximately $8.3B/annually.  Responsible for determining the appropriate avenue to achieve optimal value (cost + quality) for the category assortment.  Responsible for delivering all corporate wide Fresh COGs and savings  budget planning and execution. Ensures that cross brand Fresh Category teams are aligned with end-to-end cost and supplier selection strategies.  Accountable for leading a team responsible for driving connectivity across Fresh Category for all ADUSA brands, PDL, and internal & external partners (including suppliers, Supply Chain, Finance, Economists, Sustainability, NFR, etc.) to leverage size and scale and optimize performance & savings opportunities.

Recipe for Success - What's “in store” for the role

• Responsible for developing sourcing strategies, best practice sharing, innovation and managing financial (savings and operational) targets for all Great Local Brands.
• Extends reach beyond core areas of responsibility and ownership by engaging teams from across the organization to accelerate innovation & drive change to enhance the overall company performance.
• Builds the capability of Fresh Sourcing through effective execution of team talents & strategies.  Reinforces the sense of purpose within the team and actively engages in ongoing conversations to connect individual and team purpose across functions.
• Partner with brand leadership to leverage size and scale, driving value across all Great Local Brands within assigned categories
• Accountable for negotiating and collaborating across all Great Local Brands to facilitate sales; driving discussions, evaluating and negotiating supplier proposals, assisting brand leadership teams to develop plans to execute and evaluating the success/outcome of these plans.

            Examples:

• Partners with the Category teams across all Brands to deliver the Fresh Category strategy at the Category level ensuring the brand integrity is upheld.
• Represents all brands in business meetings with suppliers to negotiate costs, performance metrics, long-range plans and collaborative opportunities.
• Accountable to monitor/oversee and influence all vendor-level aspects related to Fresh across all Brands, including but not limited to product quality, service level thresholds and financial performance.
• Develop in-depth Category knowledge and fully understand and  incorporate individual Brand & Category strategy in all Sourcing-related activities.
• Thought partner with Category teams across all brands on assortment, specs, supplier selection, packaging & supply chain implications, and margin management.
• Interpret Commodity Market impacts and partner with the Commodity Strategists on relevant impacts to current contracts and/or upcoming RFPs.
• Accountable for channeling and analyzing cost changes and supporting the negotiations across all impacted brands to align on a response to the supplier, responsible for escalated supplier relationship needs. ?

            Examples:

• Serve as a point of escalation/oversight for (a) cost change analysis & resolution using Should Cost process.  Follow up across all impacted brands as needed to troubleshoot, educate on commodity market drivers, align on a response & negotiate outcome w/supplier & (b) contractual red-lines, payment terms negotiations/escalations, etc.
• Negotiate supplier costs, performance metrics, long-range plans and pursue supplier partnership opportunities.
• Maintain market surveillance and develop plans to maintain and/or gain competitive advantages thru appropriate timing and execution of Sourcing events.
• Negotiate business terms, new item cost negotiation, Supply Chain interaction, NFR coordination, & logistical coordination.
• Challenge brands on strategy / specification / vendor selection / scale and collaboration opportunities.
• Lead role in driving key ADUSA initiatives impacting Fresh  - specific to supplier selection, costs negotiations, (ex - Central Fresh Kitchen, Sustainability, Private Brands Clean Label, Fresh Meat Facility).
• Accountable to lead and develop sourcing teams; that build consensus and drive discussions at the brand leadership level and above. Build the capabilities of Sourcing through effective execution of team talents & strategies.  Reinforces the sense of purpose within the team and actively engages in ongoing conversations to connect individual and team purpose across functions.

            Examples:

• Hires, trains, & develops Fresh Sourcing team members. 
• Ensures teams are assembled with priority on diverse thinking, abilities, and perspectives.

The Essentials In Your Cart - The required ingredients

• 10+ years of related Sourcing, Negotiating, Category, & vendor management experience (preferred).  4+ years demonstrated success leading people/teams (preferred).
• Fluency with both financial acumen (P&L management) & understanding & interpreting commodity markets.  Demonstrated success with educating others on these topics.
• Successful track record of independently influencing others without authority.  Independent interaction and leadership with senior leadership levels across the organization.
• Sourcing, Negotiation.
• Project Management/Facilitation.
• Change Management.
• Presentation skills (both developing & delivering).
• Demonstrated facilitation skills over multiple media types (video conferences, TEAMS, Skype, conference calls, in-person meetings, etc.) with varying size groups (typically 5-25).
• Mastery of Microsoft suite, Strong communication & presentation skills (verbal and written), Ability to interpret and react to syndicated data reports (e.g. IRI, etc.), Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Conflict management skills & general knowledge of industry and suppliers.

Join Us at Our Table

Peapod Digital Labs is a forward-thinking company with a strong legacy of innovation. We recognize who powers our progress – our people! We offer a great variety of benefits and perks to our employees, including: great health care options, including PPO and HSA plans (with company contributions), dental, vision, flexible spending accounts, a 401k with strong company match and immediate vesting, and generous and flexible paid time off.

We are an equal opportunity employer. We comply with all applicable federal, state and local laws. Qualified applicants are considered without regard to sex, race, color, ancestry, national origin, citizenship status, religion, age, marital status (including civil unions), military service, veteran status, pregnancy (including childbirth and related medical conditions), genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity, legally recognized disability, domestic violence victim status or any other characteristic protected by law.