Supplier Development Leader

Supplier Development Leader - Category Area Electronics, IKEA of Sweden, Älmhult

You see things a little differently. So do we. Leadership at IKEA is simple, clear and humble. We?re not fans of bureaucracy and complicated hierarchy. Come see things a little differently with us.

About you
With deep knowledge and experience in the field of purchasing, manufacturing and/or process optimisation and LEAN you have a strong capability to identify and act on supplier development opportunities and deliver excellent results.
You are able to lead on an operational/tactical level with the business strategy in mind. Your eagerness to build trust and partnership to reach common goals is remarkable.
You are highly interested in understanding the markets we are present in as well as the reality of production. You are highly motivated to develop people and competence.

You come with an excellent track record in your current & previous positions, you?ve proven your ability in leading and developing both business and people. You lead by example and have the ability to bring out the best in the people and organisations you encounter. You identify very much with our values and share them with people around you.

About the job
We want to continue working very closely together with our many of suppliers in across the globe with a common goal and our plans to optimise our value chain, will result in better products at lower costs.

Within the category, you as a Supplier Development Leader set the priorities for supplier development, you will achieve professional long-term business development through our value chain and meet goals in line with Category plans and IKEA Purchasing Strategy. You will support the business development teams in developing and implementing agreed action plans with suppliers in order to develop the value chain.

About the assignment
In close cooperation with the Category Area Management Team you will contribute to setting priorities and goals in Category Plans that will steer(or lead) the support for supplier development and develop the value chain. Leading the support of supplier development will mean for example:
-Support and coach business development teams in building trust through transparency and developing, through IKEA way of doing business, agreed action plans with suppliers in line with the Category Plans.
-Support Business Development Managers to identify and act upon improvement and potentials from value chain analysis.
-Lead, contribute and/or coordinate supplier development activities such as lean transformations, supplier development programs and supplier development projects.
-Act as Matrix Manager for Business development function (Business Developer and Business Development Manager roles). Responsible for the competence agenda for both roles, supporting to build competence plans to meet the short and long term business and succession planning needs. As well as contributing in the performance calibration process and support Business Development Managers and Business Developers to perform and develop through mentoring and coaching.

Please note that we have a preferred candidate for this position.

We are building a better IKEA where we lead the business and create growth in a simplified and better way. We will always keep our culture, values, customers and people in focus. Creating a better IKEA Purchasing will ensure that our ways of working allows IKEA to develop towards our 2020 Growth Plan and beyond.