Job Description

Category Specialist - Colors - Erlanger, KY

The Category Specialist – Colors is a dedicated role within the Procurement organization responsible for coordinating and managing workflow activity related to new raw materials, second-sourced raw materials, supplier/distributor changes, and vendor setup for the Colors category.

This role serves as the central coordination point between Procurement, Quality, Regulatory, PD&A, Supply Chain, Commercial, and external suppliers to ensure required documentation, approvals, and system setup activities are completed accurately and on time.

The Category Specialist will play a critical role in improving workflow visibility, reducing approval cycle times, supporting launch readiness, and ensuring raw materials are properly approved before use. This position requires strong organization, follow-up, communication, attention to detail and problem-solving skills in a fast-paced environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Coordinate and manage workflow activity for new raw materials, second-sourced raw materials, supplier changes, distributor changes, and vendor setup for the Colors category.
• Initiate, track, lead, and close raw material workflows through all required approval stages, ensuring timely completion and proper documentation.
• Partner closely with Procurement, Quality, Regulatory, PD&A (R&D), Supply Chain, and Commercial teams to ensure workflow requirements are clearly understood and completed on time.
• Gather, review, organize, upload, and maintain required supplier and raw material documentation in OpenText and other applicable systems.
• Coordinate new vendor and new ingredient setup activities, including collection of supplier documentation needed for workflow approval and payment setup.
• Maintain workflow trackers, approval databases, and related reporting to provide visibility to workflow status, risks, delays, and upcoming priorities.
• Champion the weekly cross-functional Raw Material Priority Workflow – Colors meeting, including agenda development, status updates, issue tracking, and follow-up actions.
• Identify workflow bottlenecks, escalate risks, and drive timely resolution of open issues impacting raw material approval or launch timing.
• Support color-related commercial launches by ensuring required raw material approvals are completed in alignment with project timelines.
• Manage and track sample requests for PD&A (R&D), Strategic Procurement, Quality, and Regulatory review when needed.
• Coordinate required supplier regulatory, quality and compliance documentation.
• Support supplier documentation governance by ensuring records are accurate, complete, current, and audit-ready.
• Provide procurement support for sales or commercial requests related to raw material approval status including status of supplier documentation collection.
• Support root-cause analysis and corrective action follow-up when workflow delays, documentation gaps, or approval issues occur.

Key Skills & Competencies

• Strong organizational skills with exceptional attention to detail
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Strong follow-up skills and ability to drive accountability across functions
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment
• Strong cross-functional collaboration skills
• Problem-solving and critical-thinking capabilities
• Results-oriented mindset with ability to meet time-sensitive deadlines
• High level of professionalism when working with suppliers and internal stakeholders
• Strong internal customer service mindset
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively
• Learning agility and flexibility to adapt to changing priorities

Requirements

• Four-year degree in Business, Supply Chain, Procurement, Data Analytics, or a related field preferred.
• Experience in procurement, supply chain, supplier documentation, quality systems, regulatory coordination, or workflow management preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to manage detailed, time-sensitive work in a team-based environment.
• Ability to develop and maintain effective working relationships with suppliers and internal stakeholders.
• Strong computer skills, including Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint.
• Experience with OpenText, AS400, Power BI, or workflow management tools is a plus.
• Ability to sit for prolonged periods and perform frequent computer and phone-based work.

Success Measures

• Improved workflow cycle time for new and second-sourced raw materials
• Increased first-pass approval rate due to complete and accurate documentation
• Reduced workflow delays caused by missing supplier or raw material documentation
• Improved visibility to workflow status, risks, and priorities
• Strong cross-functional alignment across Procurement, Quality, Regulatory, PD&A (R&D), and Supply Chain
• Accurate, complete, and audit-ready supplier and raw material documentation

Before applying for an exempt, non-exempt or hourly job opportunity, you are expected to initiate a discussion and share your intentions with your supervisor. * If you’ve been in your current position for more than 18 months, supervisor approval is not required. * If you’ve been in your current position for less than 18 months, verbal supervisor approval is required.
​Hiring Manager-Nancy Todys ​
Recruiter- Dolly Lamba

City

Erlanger

State

KY - Kentucky

Location Country

United States

About ADM

At ADM, we unlock the power of nature to provide access to nutrition worldwide. With industry-advancing innovations, a complete portfolio of ingredients and solutions to meet any taste, and a commitment to sustainability, we give customers an edge in solving the nutritional challenges of today and tomorrow. We’re a global leader in human and animal nutrition and the world’s premier agricultural origination and processing company. Our breadth, depth, insights, facilities and logistical expertise give us unparalleled capabilities to meet needs for food, beverages, health and wellness, and more. From the seed of the idea to the outcome of the solution, we enrich the quality of life the world over. Learn more at www.adm.com.

Base pay offered may vary depending on multiple individualized factors, including market location, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. Hourly and salaried non-exempt employees will also be paid overtime pay when working qualifying overtime hours.

If hired, employees will be in an “at-will position” and the Company reserves the right to modify base pay (as well as any other discretionary payment or compensation program) at any time, including for reasons related to individual performance, Company or individual department/team performance, and market factors.

The pay range for this position is expected to be between:

$63,000.00 - $110,200.00