Director Group Procurement – Beverage Cans
Location: Ziegelbrücke, Switzerland or Hemel Hempstead, United Kingdom
Are you ready to shape the future in the beverage cans category on a global level at Carlsberg? We are seeking a Director Group Procurement – Beverage Cans to play a critical leadership role in shaping the company’s global packaging strategy. Responsible for end-to-end category ownership, the role drives commercial excellence, supplier partnerships, and long‑term value through close collaboration with regional procurement and key stakeholders.
What You’ll Be Doing
* Build and implement 3-year global sourcing strategy for aluminium can category, with clearly defined deliverables, in full alignment with the markets and businesses objectives with the aim to optimize the Total Cost of Ownership and generate ambitious savings for Carlsberg Group.
* Demonstrate leadership with cans category team from Carlsberg regional procurement organisation (West Europe, CEEI and Asia) and be able to lead in a matrix organisation without having a solid reporting line.
* Maintain key category information (supply fundamentals, supply base, cost drivers, cost models, should cost models etc.) and benchmark category approach internally and externally.
* Anticipate and mitigate category supply risks to ensure supply, including business continuity plans.
* Build and maintain sustainable and strategic relationships with suppliers aligned with internal key stakeholders.
* Ensure category training and best practice sharing with regional category team.
* Identify opportunities to reduce cost and grow business (e.g. value engineering, innovation).
* Provide market insights, demonstrate commodity market knowledge and support building hedging recommendations in collaboration with Treasury and Procurement Commodity Risk Management Team.
* Develop an optimized supplier portfolio (through evaluation, access to supplier technologies and innovation, complexity reduction, etc.).
* Lead global and regional tenders and negotiations for large spend and coordinate the execution with regional procurement teams.
* Negotiate and manage supply agreements within the scope of the category sourcing strategy.
* Seek and ensure procurement early involvement in all innovation and renovation projects which may impact the category.
* Drive reduction of Scope 3 carbon footprint for the category.
* Track benefits, communicate results and ensure effective visibility of category development, achievements to management and stakeholders.
* Accountable for realization of the category savings targets and budget delivery (PPV).
* Lead and/or direct supplier relationship management effort for the category.
* Responsible for defining the appropriate and competitive contracts for the category.
* Drive e‑procurement initiatives and usage of standard Carlsberg sourcing practices (including Procurement handbook).
* Provide expertise to colleagues and stakeholders.
* Maintain collaborative relations with key stakeholders (finance, supply chain, quality, research, etc.).
What We’re Looking For
* Strong leadership skills and ability to lead without a solid reporting line.
* Ability to work with complex problems and drive strategic thinking.
* Extensive stakeholder management experience and influence.
* Strong knowledge of the packaging industry and ideally metal packaging.
* Expertise in commodity markets and globally traded commodities (such as aluminium).
* Analytical drive and ability to independently perform market and industry analysis.
* Expert in conducting spend & demand analysis.
* Negotiation expert with knowledge of fundamental negotiation strategies and track record of successful complex and high‑value negotiations.
* Thorough knowledge of how to assess, screen and select suppliers, including extensive usage of TCO.
* Expert in RFx development & execution and knowledge of e‑auction development and execution.
* Live growth‑mindset culture in Carlsberg: live by Semper Ardens (always burning) and constantly strive for the extraordinary.
* Foster an environment of positive energy and compassion.
* Passionate about the consumer in everything we do.
* Decide fast and deliver with excellence.
* Empower, support, and grow our people to reach their full potential.
Experience
* Minimum 10 years relevant experience within all aspects of strategic & tactical procurement on regional or global level.
* International work experience in related industry/category.
* FMCG / Packaging experience required.
Languages
* Fluent English (spoken and written).
What You Can Expect
* The opportunity to develop and deploy the category strategies and business plans.
* Competitive compensation and performance‑based incentives.
* The chance to work for a company with nearly 180 years of heritage.
* A dynamic international work environment with great energy.
* An inclusive and supportive company culture.
Interested? If you feel that you are interested in such a challenge, please send us your application through the link. We read applications continuously, and vacancies may be filled sooner than the deadline, so apply as early as possible. We look forward to receiving your application.
Application deadline: 16th, January 2026.
Carlsberg Group: Brewing for a better today and tomorrow
For us success has always been in the diverse mix of our people, our beers and our brands. At Carlsberg, we want to recruit and develop people with a global mindset, cultural understanding, and international experience to ensure that our organization stays agile, inclusive and prepared for future growth. Only by acknowledging and harvesting from different perspectives and experiences will we gain competitive advantage and leverage the effect of diversity for business growth. Carlsberg aims to create equal access to opportunity regardless of social identity, and we encourage everyone to apply regardless of gender, nationality, race, religion or any other characteristics protected by law.
Seniority level: Not Applicable
Employment type: Other
Job function: Purchasing and Supply Chain
Industries: Food and Beverage Services
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