Global VP Food Ingredients

Accountabilities:

As a member of the Executive Leadership Team, you will drive the global Food & Beverage business strategy while coordinating with regional leadership to achieve shared commercial and financial objectives. Your responsibilities will include:

• Develop and execute the global Food & Beverage strategy, balancing supplier relationships, customer requirements, and evolving market opportunities.

• Own the global virtual P&L, delivering sustainable double-digit growth in EBITA, gross profit, gross profit margin, sales, and volume.

• Build and manage relationships with global suppliers and principals while identifying and developing new global and regional partnerships.

• Provide strategic and commercial direction to regional Food teams, promoting commercial excellence, cross-selling, and consistent execution.

• Optimize pricing, margins, and commercial performance across markets and product portfolios.

• Identify, assess, and execute mergers and acquisitions (M&A), including evaluating acquisition opportunities and supporting successful integration.

• Prioritize investments based on return on investment (ROI), ensuring resources are allocated to the most valuable growth opportunities.

• Build, develop, and retain high-performing global and regional teams, including leadership development and succession planning.

• Represent the business in relationships with major global accounts, industry forums, and the Executive Leadership Team.

• Align global strategic objectives with regional P&L priorities and operational execution within a matrix organization.

• Monitor business performance against key success measures, including revenue and profit growth, market share, customer satisfaction, customer retention, team performance, and investment returns.

Requirements:

You are a seasoned executive with extensive leadership experience in specialty distribution and a strong understanding of the global Food & Beverage ingredients market. You combine strategic vision with financial discipline, commercial expertise, and the ability to influence stakeholders across regions and cultures. The ideal candidate will bring:

• Extensive leadership experience: At least 20 years of leadership experience in distribution, with demonstrated responsibility for P&L performance and strategic commercial decisions.

• Global distribution expertise: A proven track record of developing and implementing end-market strategies within an international distribution environment.

• Supplier and customer relationship management: Experience building and strengthening principal partnerships, strategic customer relationships, and global commercial networks.

• M&A and portfolio management: Demonstrated success identifying acquisition opportunities, evaluating investments, managing portfolios, and integrating acquired businesses.

• Matrix leadership: The ability to align global strategy with regional execution while balancing global and regional business priorities.

• Commercial distribution knowledge: Strong understanding of distribution economics, supply chain operations, pricing strategies, margin management, and value-added services.

• Food & Beverage industry expertise: Deep knowledge of industry trends, competitive dynamics, customer needs, and market opportunities.

• Financial acumen: Strong capabilities in P&L management, profitability improvement, financial analysis, and ROI assessment.

• Strategic and analytical thinking: The ability to identify growth opportunities, make data-informed decisions, and drive sustainable commercial performance.

• Leadership and influence: Excellent stakeholder management, communication, negotiation, and influencing skills.

• Transformational leadership: A visionary, collaborative, resilient, and culturally aware approach to leading international teams and managing change.

• Application requirement: Include a cover letter explaining how your qualifications and experience meet the key requirements of this role.

Benefits:

• Executive Leadership Team membership: Play a central role in shaping global strategy and influencing business-wide decisions.

• Global leadership scope: Drive commercial growth and performance across international markets and regional business units.

• P&L ownership: Take responsibility for global business performance, profitability, and sustainable growth.

• Strategic impact: Influence supplier partnerships, customer relationships, acquisition decisions, investment priorities, and portfolio development.

• Career development: Lead international teams, strengthen organizational capabilities, and contribute to long-term business transformation.

• Permanent employment contract offering long-term professional engagement.

• Worldwide remote designation: The role is listed as remote worldwide; specific working arrangements and travel expectations should be confirmed during the recruitment process.

• Performance-driven environment: Work toward measurable outcomes across revenue, profitability, market share, customer retention, and team development.