Category Head - Flavors & Fragrances (Naturals)

As a highly driven and experienced professional, you will be leading the Flavors & Fragrances Naturals category at Scimplify, a specialty chemicals manufacturing company based in Bengaluru, India. Your role will involve the following key responsibilities: - **Category Strategy & Management:** - Define and execute sourcing strategy aligned with business objectives. - Monitor global and domestic market trends, price movements, and supply chain risks. - Identify new suppliers, natural extracts, and sustainable alternatives for category innovation. - **Supplier Relationship Management:** - Develop strong partnerships with domestic and international suppliers. - Negotiate long-term contracts focusing on cost-effectiveness, quality, and reliability. - Regularly evaluate supplier performance on quality, compliance, sustainability, and service levels. - **Operational Excellence:** - Ensure uninterrupted supply of naturals for production needs. - Collaborate with R&D, Quality, and Manufacturing for new product development. - Implement cost savings, value engineering, and risk mitigation initiatives. - **Compliance & Sustainability:** - Ensure adherence to regulatory, food safety, and sustainability standards. - Promote ethical sourcing practices and traceability across the supply chain. - **Team Leadership & Stakeholder Management:** - Lead and mentor a team of category managers/associates. - Align strategies with cross-functional teams like R&D, Finance, Supply Chain, and Business Heads. - Present category performance, risk outlook, and strategic plans to leadership. **Qualifications Required:** - 10-15 years of experience in sourcing/category management within Flavors & Fragrances (Naturals) or related industries. - Strong exposure to global supplier markets and natural raw materials. **Technical/Functional Skills:** - Knowledge of essential oils, botanical extracts, oleoresins, and natural aroma chemicals. - Strong negotiation, contract management, and vendor development skills. - Familiarity with REACH, IFRA, FSSAI, FDA, and global compliance norms. - Ability to drive sustainability and traceability initiatives. **Leadership Skills:** - Proven track record of leading teams and influencing cross-functional stakeholders. - Strong analytical, commercial, and strategic thinking skills. About the company, Scimplify is a specialty chemicals manufacturing company providing full-stack solutions from R&D to doorstep delivery. With a team of 250+ professionals and entities in multiple countries, Scimplify has raised over $54 million from top-tier investors like Accel and Bertelsmann. Forbes recognizes Scimplify as one of the top 100 startups in Asia. To learn more about Scimplify, visit their [official website](https://www.scimplify.com/).,