JOB DESCRIPTION

Job Description:

Job Description

Supply Chain Director - North Europe

Location: UK (Hybrid working from a Royal Canin or Mars site) or Copenhagen, Denmark (Hybrid working from our Copenhagen office)

At Royal Canin, supply chain is at the heart of how we serve pets, pet owners, customers, and veterinary professionals across Europe. We're looking for an experienced Supply Chain Leader who takes pride in operational excellence and delivering results in complex, transformational environments.

You will lead our North Europe supply chain organisation across six markets, ensuring the consistent delivery of service, cost, inventory and performance objectives while driving continuous improvement and transformation.

This is a highly visible leadership role sitting on the North Europe Leadership Team, with accountability for the end-to-end supply chain agenda across planning, customer service, logistics, quality, and supply chain development. You'll lead a substantial organisation through a team of experienced leaders while partnering closely with commercial, finance, manufacturing, regional and central stakeholders to ensure we deliver exceptional service to customers.

This role is as much about people leadership as it is about supply chain expertise. Approximately 70% of your focus will be on leading, developing and empowering your team, ensuring they have the capability, capacity and clarity to deliver outstanding results. The remaining 30% will be dedicated to driving transformation, strengthening business performance, and ensuring our supply chain strategy is executed with discipline and consistency.

What will be your key responsibilities?

• Lead and develop a high-performing supply chain organisation spanning Planning, Customer Service, Logistics, Quality and Supply Chain Development.

• Define and execute the North Europe supply chain strategy, balancing customer service, cost, inventory and growth objectives.

• Own and continuously improve the S&OP+ process, ensuring effective business planning, resource allocation and decision-making across the cluster.

• Drive operational excellence across logistics, warehousing, customer service, order management and distribution activities.

• Sponsor and deliver strategic transformation initiatives, from logistics network optimisation and sustainability programmes to major supplier and capability projects.

• Act as a trusted leadership partner to Sales, Finance, Manufacturing and Regional teams, influencing critical business decisions and trade-offs.

• Lead through complexity and ambiguity, responding effectively to operational challenges, business risks and customer needs while maintaining focus on long-term priorities.

• Build strong relationships across local, regional and central teams to ensure alignment, influence outcomes and deliver results in a highly interconnected European organisation.

What are we looking for?

We're looking for a seasoned supply chain leader with deep functional expertise, a passion for operational excellence, and a track record of turning strategy into results through disciplined execution, strong processes and high-performing teams.

You'll bring:

• Significant senior supply chain leadership experience gained within FMCG, pharmaceuticals, Manufacturing, retail, logistics, distribution, or other complex customer-focused operational environments.

• A strong track record of leading leaders and managing large, multi-disciplinary teams through periods of change and transformation.

• Deep expertise across multiple supply chain disciplines, including areas such as planning, logistics, customer service, distribution, warehousing or operations.

• Experience leading and improving S&OP or integrated business planning processes.

• The ability to operate strategically while comfortably diving into operational detail

• Strong commercial acumen, with experience managing third-party logistics partnerships, service performance and operational costs.

• Exceptional stakeholder management and influencing skills, with the ability to build credibility across local, regional and global teams.

• A leadership style that empowers teams, develops talent, builds engagement and creates accountability.

• The resilience and agility to lead through operational challenges while maintaining focus on broader strategic priorities.

What can you expect from Mars?

• Work with 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 Mars University.

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

Mars is committed to providing access, equal opportunity, and reasonable adjustments for individuals with disabilities, long-term health conditions, or who are neurodiverse during the application and recruitment process. To request reasonable adjustments, complete our Reasonable Adjustment Request Form here

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About Mars:

Mars is a family-owned business with more than $50 billion in global sales. We produce some of the world’s best-loved brands: M&M’s®, SNICKERS®, TWIX®, MILKY WAY®, DOVE®, PEDIGREE®, ROYAL CANIN®, WHISKAS®, EXTRA®, ORBIT®, 5™, SKITTLES®, BEN’S ORIGINAL® and COCOAVIA®. Alongside our consumer brands, we proudly take care of half of the world’s pets through our nutrition, health and services businesses such as Banfield Pet Hospitals™, BluePearl®, Linnaeus, AniCura, VCA™ and Pet Partners™. Headquartered in McLean, VA, Mars operates in more than 80 countries. The Mars Five Principles – Quality, Responsibility, Mutuality, Efficiency and Freedom – inspire our 150,000 Associates into taking action every day towards creating the world we want tomorrow.

Commitment to Equal Employer Opportunities:

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment in accordance with applicable law and without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, pregnancy, genetic information, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other category protected under federal, state, and local laws. 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.

A Note to Candidates Regarding AI

Embracing AI as a vital skill for today and tomorrow, we welcome candidates to use AI to assist with your preparation as you engage with our recruiting process—from helping to perfect your CV/resume to using it to refine your interview skills. While AI can assist you, we expect that your ideas, responses, and demonstration of competencies throughout the recruitment process are authentically your own. We value genuine engagement and want to see the real you shine.

At Mars, AI is here to support—not replace—the human connection at the heart of our recruitment process.

Note to Search Firms/Agencies:

Mars, Incorporated and its subsidiaries and affiliates (Mars) do not compensate search firms for unsolicited assistance unless they have a written search agreement with Mars and the requisition is position-specific. Any resumes, curriculum vitae, and other unsolicited assistance from search firms that do not have a written search agreement or position-specific requisition submitted to any Associate of Mars will be deemed the sole property of Mars and no fee will be paid in the event the candidate is hired by Mars.