Barry Callebaut is looking for a new SEWA Managing Director who can support the SEWA business further grow with right strategy and strong commercial drive.
The role will orchestrate all functions including Sales, Customer Service, Marketing, R&D, Operations, Supply Chain, and QA, to execute the business plan and deliver the budgeted volume and margin. Among the functions, Sales and Marketing are directly reporting to the role, while the other functions have strong dotted lines to the role.
The Managing Director reports to the President. AMEA
Key responsibilities include
Strategic Leadership: Provide strategic direction, aligning the organization with industry trends and customers’ brand purpose and strategies. Develop and implement strategic plans, identify expansion opportunities, and stay updated on market dynamics
Leading, directing, and controlling the activities for the region, so that it achieves its short- and long-term commercial, financial and operating objectives (e.g., increased profitability, productivity, or market share) as set by the overall corporate business plan
Leading and supporting, in particular, the Customer-facing functions to support them in achieving the ambitious growth targets
As Managing Director, being responsible for the coordination of all local activities in the different areas, in order to realize an efficient cooperation between all departments to achieve the best service to the customer
Having EBIT responsibility, being accountable for realizing the margin/ turnover/ EBIT as described in the BC budget
People Leadership and Development: Lead and develop high-performing teams, foster collaboration, and attract top talent. Develop and coach team members, ensure effective workforce planning, and drive employee engagement. Build the capability to talk about the sustainability journey of BC and how we differentiate. Help build an agile, digitally enabled organization.
Establishing and building strong client relationships over time that allow for continuity and ongoing representation, reinforced by sales support/ delivery programs, and communications to other relevant company functions/ divisions
Foster relationships with key external stakeholders: Building strong relationships with suppliers, partners, and industry associations to support business growth and success.
Develop and implement the commercial go-to-market strategy for the market and drive commercial excellence and capabilities in the market
Monitoring competitive activity in the region and ensuring that appropriate response strategies are formulated and communicated
Compliance and Risk Management: Ensure compliance with laws, regulations, and company policies. Mitigate risks, implement risk management strategies, and maintain ethical conduct.
Travel requirements: estimated travel time is 50%.
About you
For this role, the ability to cultivate internal and external relationships, identify opportunities and develop market and account-specific plans is critical.
Bachelor's/Master’s degree in Economics, Business Administration, Sales & Marketing, or any related field plus
10 to 15 years of sales and leadership experience in a food-related industry. Experience of studying and/or working abroad would be a plus.
Business Growth and Performance: Proven track record of driving business growth, achieving financial targets, and managing operational performance within the food industry.
Customer orientation: Strong focus on understanding and meeting the needs of customers. Well-connected in the value chain. Prior experience in engaging with SOE partners in a strategic alliance and/or JV set up would be a plus.
Commercial Acumen: Strong negotiation abilities and business acumen to effectively engage with clients.
Results-driven and Operational Excellence: Focus on achieving results and driving operational excellence. This includes setting clear goals, monitoring performance, and driving continuous improvement.
Implementation Skills: Excellent implementation skills, enabling the translation of strategic plans into actionable and measurable initiatives.
Leadership: Strong leadership presence that inspires and motivates teams. Demonstrated leadership abilities in managing teams across different locations. Ability to foster a culture of collaboration and results-oriented teamwork.
Strategic Thinking: Ability to think strategically, analyze complex situations, and identify opportunities.
Resilience and Adaptability: Demonstrated resilience and adaptability in navigating challenges, managing ambiguity, and adapting to changing market conditions.
Driving Change and Innovation: Ready to challenge the status quo, enables a culture of creativity and positive attitude, and empowers teams to be open-minded and embrace new ideas and technologies.
Stakeholder Management: Effective management of relationships with senior stakeholders both internally and externally. Creating a culture of collaboration and achieving results together. Strong capability to orchestrate different functions toward aligned objectives.
Strong ambassador of the BC values: passion, team spirit, customer focus, entrepreneurship, integrity. Commitment to the highest ethical and integrity standards.
Managing Director SEWA