Head of Sourcing, General Services

Head of Sourcing, General Services

Location:

Zurich, CH, 8005

At Barry Callebaut, we are on a journey to transform the cocoa and chocolate industry. As the world’s leading manufacturer of high-quality chocolate and cocoa products, our actions truly shape the future of our industry. We are a business-to-business company, serving the entire food sector, from the cocoa bean to the finest chocolate product. We are a company with a purpose, we believe in doing well by doing good and reinvesting in the communities we operate. We have a long-standing commitment to sustainability and our goal is to shape a sustainable cocoa and chocolate future. We are headquartered in Zurich, and have more than 12,000 passionate Employees working in more than 40 countries worldwide. We are very proud of who we are and what we do. And of course, we are always looking for talented people to help us have a positive impact on our industry and beyond!

About the Role

We are looking for an experienced Head of Sourcing, General Services to lead strategic sourcing and category management actvities covering, Professional Services, Travel, HR, Marketing and Digital and IT-related spend categories. Leading a team of 4, the role is responsible for developing and implementing category strategies, managing complex sourcing initiatives, driving cost optimization, and building strong partnerships with internal stakeholders and external suppliers. You, along with your team, will play a key role in delivering measurable business value through effective category and supplier relationship management. The successful candidate will combine strong procurement expertise with a hands-on approach, thriving in a dynamic environment where collaboration, influence and execution are critical to success.

Key Responsibilities Include

Own and manage procurement across the General Services categories with accountability for category performance and results.

Analyze spend and identify opportunities to drive savings, value creation, and process improvements.

Define and implement sourcing strategies for procurement initiatives across global, regional, or complex scopes.

Lead strategic sourcing projects from market analysis through supplier selection, contracting, and implementation.

Conduct market research, RFx processes, tender evaluations, and supplier negotiations.

Negotiate commercial and contractual terms in partnership with Legal and key business stakeholders.

Manage highly complex procurement projects and strategic initiatives while ensuring alignment with business objectives.

Lead, coach, and develop team members, setting clear objectives and supporting performance and growth.

Partner closely with cross-functional stakeholders including Digital, HR, Legal, Marketing, Customer Service, and other business functions.

Manage supplier relationships, including performance reviews, commercial discussions, contract renewals, escalations, and continuous improvement initiatives.

Monitor market trends, innovations, and emerging solutions to identify opportunities that improve quality, sustainability, cost efficiency, and total cost of ownership.

Oversee contract implementation and ensure successful adoption across the business.

Contribute to achieving key procurement objectives including savings, category maturity, supplier optimization, and working capital improvements.

Drive continuous improvement and strategic transformation within procurement processes and ways of working.

About You

University degree or equivalent qualification.

7-8+ years of category management and strategic sourcing experience in an international environment.

Proven experience managing Digital and/or IT procurement and / or other relevant General Services category

Previous people leadership experience, including coaching and developing teams.

Strong negotiation skills with a track record of delivering commercial value.

Highly analytical with strong attention to detail and the ability to perform complex spend and sourcing analyses.

Strong stakeholder management skills with the ability to influence and collaborate across multiple functions and seniority levels.

Comfortable operating in ambiguous, fast-paced, and evolving business environments.

Proactive, hands-on, and solution-oriented with a strong sense of ownership and accountability.

Collaborative team player with active listening skills, empathy, and a partnership mindset.

If you want to learn more about Barry Callebaut, please find further information here.

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