Global Strategy Director - Pet Nutrition

Job Description:

Are you passionate about global strategy & insights and excited about how it can transform the future of a multi-billion dollar enterprise? Do you have the vision, curiosity, and leadership skills to drive data-driven recommendations? Do you want to work in a dynamic, fast-growing category? If so, you might be the ideal candidate for the role of Strategy Director for Global Pet Nutrition (PN) at Mars.

Pet Nutrition (PN) is the most vibrant category in the FMCG sector. As we work to transform this exciting category, we are building the first Global Strategy & Insights team focused on driving high impact across the global PN business. This team will be at the heart of accelerating our Digital First 5+5 Strategy, and supporting the business in strategic choice-making, with pets and pet-parents at its heart.

The Strategy & Insights team will focus on four key areas (1) Competitive Intelligence: We continuously scan and evaluate the market landscape, assessing our position relative to major industry players and innovative startups worldwide, ensuring our competitive edge. (2) Acquisitions & Ventures: Our goal is to architect and refine market-specific strategies while identifying and evaluating potential investment opportunities to ensure profitable growth and strategic alignment. (3) Performance Management: We are committed to driving best-in-class performance, focusing on the operational excellence of our core business to meet and exceed our strategic objectives. (4) Global Strategic Projects: This pillar focuses on spearheading initiatives in new market development, innovation strategy, enhancement of supply chain capabilities, and sustainability efforts.

The Strategy Director for Global Pet Nutrition (PN) is a newly established role within the Strategy & Insights team, crafted to guide and advance a broad array of strategic initiatives across our four primary areas of focus. In this pivotal position, you will report directly to the Vice President of Strategy for Pet Nutrition. This role provides a unique opportunity for regular interaction with the Pet Nutrition leadership team, fostering collaboration with strategy, insights, and finance leaders throughout Mars. Operating on a global scale, this position requires effective partnership with PN business leaders across various functions to drive strategic coherence and execution.

What are we looking for?

• Over 10 years of experience at a top-tier strategy consultancy firm, ideally with deep FMCG / CPG experience either at the firm or on the client side.

• Outstanding quantitative and analytical skills, enabling you to derive logical insights and meaningful conclusions from complex business problems.

• Capable of managing ambiguity, converting high-level business objectives into detailed workplans, and executing them independently.

• A people person skilled in networking within the company, building relationships, and driving change through influence rather than authority.

• Experienced in leading and coaching teams on strategic projects.

• Ambitious, entrepreneurial, and commercially astute.

• Excellent communication skills, adept at structuring documents and quantitative analyses, as well as creating PowerPoint presentations for executive-level communication.

What will be your key responsibilities?

• Mars Principles: Live and exemplify the Five Principles of Mars, Inc. within self and team.

• Competitive Intelligence: You will have to build the capability to continuously scan and evaluate the market landscape, assessing our company's position relative to major industry players and innovative startups worldwide. Combining capital markets equity research, investor calls, expert interviews, syndicated data etc. to build a detailed view of the external market. Your insights will ensure that we maintain our competitive edge by staying ahead of market trends and shifts.

• Acquisitions and Ventures: You will develop and refine strategies specific to various markets, while also identifying and evaluating potential investment opportunities. Your role is critical in driving profitable growth and ensuring that new ventures and acquisitions align with our strategic objectives, thus fostering coherence and synergy across our operations.

• Performance Management: In partnership with the FP&A team, you will be tasked with driving best-in-class performance reporting and focusing on the operational excellence of our core business. These include, but not limited to producing detailed performance reports and strategy papers which can help the leadership team identify opportunities to improve core business results.

• Global Strategy Projects: You will lead and manage global initiatives that focus on new market development, innovation strategies, and enhancements to our supply chain capabilities. Your efforts will also extend to developing strategies for sustainability and fostering long-term growth. Ensuring successful execution through cross-functional collaboration and aligning these initiatives with global market demands and our company's long-term goals are fundamental aspects of your responsibilities.

What can you expect from Mars?

• Work with over 130,000 diverse and talented Associates, all guided by the Five Principles.

• Join a purpose-driven company where we’re striving to build the world we want tomorrow, today.

• Best-in-class learning and development support from day one, including access to our in-house Mars University.

• An industry-competitive salary and benefits package, including company bonus.

Mars is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. If you need assistance or an accommodation during the application process because of a disability, it is available upon request. The company is pleased to provide such assistance, and no applicant will be penalized as a result of such a request.