Junior Procurement Category Manager (f/m/x)
HelloFresh · Amsterdam, North Holland, Netherlands · hybrid
The role: What's in the Box
This is an exciting entry point into strategic procurement at the HelloFresh Group! As a Jr. Category Manager for European Herbs, you will get hands-on experience in a live, high-impact category — supporting a portfolio of approximately £10m in annual spend across 6 European markets — with the close guidance and mentorship of an experienced team.
In this role, you will learn the full category management cycle for Herbs: supporting supplier relationships, assisting with tender processes, tracking cost and quality performance, and coordinating cross-functionally with Supply Chain, FSQA, and Product teams. Alongside day-to-day operational support, you will contribute to key strategic initiatives, including the rollout of our new cross-dock supply model in Europe and project support across Fruit Bags, Avocados, and Sustainability.
We are looking for someone analytically sharp, commercially curious, and eager to learn fast. You don’t need years of procurement experience — just the drive to learn, strong attention to detail, and a passion for fresh produce and supply chains!
What you’ll do: The Recipe
Category Management Support
- Assist with day-to-day procurement activities for the European Herbs category, including monitoring order status, tracking shortage responses, and assisting with quality coordination.
- Support the execution of the Herbs category strategy, gathering market data and helping track supplier performance and supply risks across 6 markets.
- Support tender processes for the category — assisting with data preparation, supplier briefings, and preliminary commercial analysis.
- Help maintain accurate cost reporting, invoice tracking, and administrative supplier data for the Herbs category.
Supplier Collaboration
- Act as a secondary point of contact for Herbs suppliers across Europe, helping manage routine operational queries and administrative follow-ups.
- Assist the Teamlead in preparing materials for supplier meetings, joint business planning sessions, and contract discussions.
- Track and report on supplier performance metrics (OTIF, quality, and sustainability KPIs), escalating potential risks proactively.
Cross-Functional & Strategic Projects
- Support the cross-dock supply chain pilot in Europe by helping coordinate communication between Procurement, Supply Chain Operations, and suppliers.
- Provide analytical and coordination support across strategic initiatives in Fruit Bags, Avocados, and Fruit & Sustainability.
- Collaborate with internal teams (Product, FSQA, Operations) to ensure procurement documentation and alignment remain smooth.
- Research and monitor market dynamics in herbs and fresh produce — such as seasonality, weather risks, and pricing trends — bringing valuable insights to team discussions.
What you’ll bring: The Ingredients
Education & Background
- Recently graduated from a Bachelor's or Master's program in Business, Supply Chain, Finance, Engineering, or a related field.
- Previous internship, placement, or academic project experience in an analytical or commercial environment is a plus (direct procurement experience is not required).
- A genuine interest in food, agriculture, or global supply chains — curiosity about where ingredients come from will serve you well here!
Skills & Mindset
- Analytically Minded: Comfortable working with data in Excel/Google Sheets, analyzing costs, and presenting findings clearly.
- Organized & Proactive: Strong attention to detail, ability to manage multiple small tasks, and eagerness to take initiative.
- Commercially Curious: Eager to understand how pricing works, why supply chains move, and how strategic decisions impact business outcomes.
- Adaptable & Collaborative: Thrives in a fast-paced, international team environment and eager to learn on the go.
- Languages: Excellent written and spoken English is required; fluency in a second European language (French, German, Dutch, Spanish, or Italian) is a strong advantage.
- Travel: Willingness to travel internationally up to 25% of the time if required for project support.
Above all, we are looking for people who will make HelloFresh better. There are many different ways of developing skills, and we love diverse experiences! So even if you don’t “tick all the boxes” but think you’d thrive in this role, we would really like to learn more about you.
Are you the missing ingredient? If this sounds like a tasty opportunity, we’d be excited to hear from you.
What we offer: The Toppings
Compensation & Financial Wellbeing
- Enjoy 20% off HelloFresh and 40% off Factor_ subscriptions.
- Access the "Benefits at Work" platform for discounts on brands like Nike, Bol.com, and IKEA.
- You'll receive a HelloFresh laptop, a €250 home office setup budget, and contribute to the Bedrijfspensioenfonds Levensmiddelen pension scheme (2026 rate 27.6%; employer pays 19.64%, employee pays 7.96%).
Health & Wellbeing
- Benefit from discounts on ClassPass and gym memberships via Bedrijfsfitness Nederland, free bootcamp classes (Amsterdam), and free subscriptions to Headspace and OpenUp.
- Get a 7,5% discount on additional health insurance at Zilveren Kruis in 2025.
Flexibility & Work-Life
- Work flexibly with our hybrid setup (50% office, 50% remote), plus a €2.45 daily remote work allowance.
- Receive 24 days of annual leave (pro-rated), plus one additional day per year of service (up to 30 days total).
- Full reimbursement for 2nd-class public transport to the office, plus €0.23 per km for car and bicycle travel.
- Eligible employees can work from another country for up to 8 weeks per year.
Career & Development
- Grow with our "Learning Never Stops" mindset: access internal/external opportunities, and join our cross-market mentoring program.
- A dedicated annual budget to help you keep learning, developing new skills, and growing your career.
Culture & Environment
- Enjoy fresh homemade lunches in the office (€3.00/day), weekly vrij-mi-bo (Friday drinks), quarterly strategy sessions, and team events.