Category Leader 

My current role is Advisor, Global Procurement – Logistics and Tolling. I have been in this role since mid-April 2009. I am responsible for managing commercial relationships with the Transportation and Service providers that serve Infineum’s needs across the Supply Chain function. I support the Americas region for many modes of transport. Additionally, I am responsible for the global commercial relationship with the key IsoTank (BLC) service providers.

In my role I have the ability to:

• Help control and strengthen the relationship with key vendors
• Assist in delivering savings and synergy to our operation, and ideally
• Use my Supply Chain background to bring new perspectives to how we approach business

There is no ‘typical’ workday. I might find myself meeting with vendors to discuss existing relationships or to discuss the potential to enter a commercial relationship. I might be working within the system to ensure that payment terms and conditions agreed with vendors are being translated into reality. I often am involved in stewardship and review, to ensure the actual spend is in line with the contracts we have established. I may also be developing strategy for our upcoming contracts, reviewing market conditions, seeking alternate vendors and helping guide our longer term approach to logistics.

My most enjoyable part (so far) has been the opportunity to work on new contracts, and negotiate Infineum’s needs with both new and existing vendors. I have been able to align service levels and manage overall spend, and to work with our internal clients (the Logistics team).   

This is my tenth year with Infineum, after career tracks with other globally recognised companies. I spent my first seven years with Infineum in global planning. There I helped to manage our forecasting and production expectations and capacity utilization in our efforts to support Sales’ needs, while managing costs and inventory levels. This was followed by a three year role in the Sales group, acting as a direct Supply Chain liaison with the ExxonMobil account.   

 I have been fortunate to work at first the regional level and then the global level for planning as well as for sales support. That reach extends farther in my current role as I work with vendors across the globe, supporting logistics needs that have an impact on every Infineum site and customer. 

There is a shared sense of purpose and ownership of the results among colleagues. We are an organisation in which each person can wear many hats and be involved in many things at the same time. This has allowed me to learn how our many roles fit together. We are all rewarded for shared success, adding to the alignment. There is no lack of support and mentoring, and all the colleagues seem genuinely interested in one another’s success. 

We tend to promote from within, which allows colleagues to grow and develop internally. We have a culture that allows for mistakes and learning while supporting growth, development and new ideas.