Procurement Specialist

OPERATING CENTRE: Voermol Feeds

DEPARTMENT: Raw Materials

JOB GRADE: DU

CLOSING DATE: 25 August 2026

Context and Scope

Tongaat Hulett boasts a proud 134-year history and a strong socio-economic legacy in the KwaZulu-Natal Province of South Africa, extending into sub-Saharan Africa. Our Technical Operations encompass:

• Four sugar manufacturing mills located along the North Coast of KwaZulu-Natal, stretching from Tongaat through to Empangeni.
• A sugar refining operation based on South Coast Road, Durban.
• An animal feed manufacturing plant situated in Tongaat, alongside the Maidstone Sugar Mill.
• A Technical Operations Support team comprising specialists who provide high-level support across South African and international operations.

Our current priority is to enhance overall business performance over the medium to long term. We aim to operate strategically, sustainably, efficiently, and profitably. Tongaat Hulett is focused on revitalising assets that will be cash-generative while exploring new customer segments.

Going forward, the company is committed to leveraging its value chain and creating a platform for long-term growth, all while maintaining strong relationships with key stakeholders.

Key Dimensions

Compliance

• Execute procurement activities in accordance with Tongaat Hulett policies.
• Maintain audit-ready records and ensure compliance at all times.
• Align procurement with group contracts and sourcing mandates.

Process Complexity

• Manage a diverse portfolio of raw materials.
• Balance cost, availability, and quality considerations.
• Mitigate procurement risks through effective sourcing strategies.

Purpose of the Role

The Procurement Specialist is a site-based role located at Voermol Feeds. The primary responsibility is to source, purchase, and manage raw materials, packaging, and services critical to Voermol Feeds’ animal feed manufacturing operations. This includes ensuring cost-effective, compliant, and reliable supply to support production continuity and business objectives. The role involves procuring all raw materials required by Voermol, ensuring cost competitiveness, quality compliance, and continuity of supply within Tongaat Hulett’s governance frameworks.

Key Accountabilities

1. Procurement Financial and Commercial Applications

• Manage procurement costs against approved budgets and prevailing market conditions, with particular attention to agricultural commodity price volatility (e.g. maize, molasses, protein meals, and other feed raw materials) influenced by weather patterns and global commodity markets.
• Support Voermol’s working capital objectives and demand forecasting by aligning procurement planning with financial targets, cash flow requirements, and the cyclical nature of raw material availability.

2. Demand Planning and Sourcing

• Coordinate procurement activities in line with production and operational requirements to ensure timely availability of raw materials, additives, and packaging, preventing production downtime.
• Identify, onboard, and manage suppliers of agricultural commodities and feed ingredients, ensuring adherence to the company’s sourcing and procurement standards, supplier capability, capacity, and compliance with feed safety and quality standards to meet current and future business needs.
• Develop and maintain strategic relationships with stakeholders to secure consistent supply.

3. Execution and Contract Management

• Conduct day-to-day purchasing activities via SAP, ensuring accuracy, compliance, and efficiency in transaction processing, aligned with Tongaat Hulett group procurement policies and systems.
• Manage supplier contracts from negotiation to execution, including forward contracts and hedging arrangements common in commodity procurement, and monitor ongoing supplier performance against contractual terms, delivery schedules, and quality specifications.

4. Procurement Support

• Provide procurement support for packaging (bags, bulk packaging materials), SHEQ, and engineering-related purchasing requirements, with specific attention to feed safety, biosecurity, and regulatory compliance applicable to the animal feed industry (e.g. Act 36 of 1947 – Fertilisers, Farm Feeds, Agricultural Remedies and Stock Remedies Act).
• Offer limited support for capital expenditure (CAPEX) and services-related procurement as required, including maintenance and engineering spares.

5. Relationship Management

• Build and maintain strong working relationships with suppliers, including commodity traders, ingredient manufacturers, and packaging suppliers, to ensure reliable service delivery and favourable commercial terms.
• Proactively identify and communicate procurement-related risks to management, including commodity price fluctuations, supply chain disruptions, and quality or compliance risks, enabling timely decision-making and risk mitigation.
• Collaborate closely with internal stakeholders, including production, SHEQ, and technical teams, to ensure procurement supports operational and quality requirements.

6. Reporting and Administration

• Maintain accurate and up-to-date procurement records in line with governance and audit requirements, including adherence to Tongaat Hulett group reporting standards where applicable.
• Compile and provide regular reports on procurement performance, supplier risks, commodity market trends, and related metrics to support informed management decision-making.

Qualifications and Experience Required

• Relevant tertiary qualification in Procurement or Supply Chain Management.
• Minimum of 10 years’ relevant experience; experience within the feed or agriculture industry is essential.
• Strong commercial acumen with expertise in SAP or similar ERP systems.
• Good understanding of agricultural commodity markets and feed raw materials.
• Knowledge of relevant regulatory and compliance requirements in the animal feed industry.
• Excellent computer skills, analytical ability, communication proficiency, assertiveness, and interpersonal skills.