Job Description

Our vision is to create a better everyday life for the many people. We do this by offering a wide range of well-designed, functional home furnishing and food products at prices so low that as many people as possible will be able to afford them.

IKEA Supply is responsible for securing that the product offer is produced and delivered to our customers. We lead the supply agenda across many functions and work together with all business areas, different business units, and retail markets to secure customer availability in all markets and sales channels at lowest total cost.

IKEA operates restaurants in more than 460 stores across more than 50 markets. Every year, our restaurants, bistro, and Swedish Food Market attract over 500 million guests with our iconic products. In this position you will support in sourcing for North and South America.

Job Description

About the job

As a Business Developer, you will be an informal leader of a 3-member micro-team. There’s a Production Engineer, who takes care of the production process and food quality and a Supply Planner who handles logistics. Based on the analysis, you will develop and implement common action plans with your suppliers and partners, delivering excellent performance in running operations and building professional long term business development. You will be tasked with reducing costs, developing better design for our customers, and identifying new purchasing possibilities all within the framework of sustainability and ethical business practices. 

About the assignment

As a Business Developer, you will be overall responsible for supplier performance and relationships. Among other things, you are:

• Responsible for building professional and long-term relationships through the IKEA way of doing business, based on a shared business model, trust, and transparency.
• Professionally challenge suppliers to constantly improve all aspects of supplier performance according to supplier action plan.
• Lead supplier development projects and create and implement action plans together with suppliers that support the Category Business Plan.
• Responsible for lowering total cost at the supplier level through optimizing the value chain.
• Partner with suppliers to continuously increase the competitiveness through new purchasing possibilities such as new technology, new material and/or production techniques.
• Lead the business agenda by involving and engaging competence needed, such as logistics, quality, manufacturing and sustainability.
• In addition to the Business Development role, you will also be responsible for ensuring IKEA is compliant with the IKEA Purchasing Manual, other agreed working methods, product documentation, and social & quality compliances.

Qualifications

About you

You are able to establish and develop a high performing and diverse supplier base which can meet the needs of our business and customers. You have a high interest in understanding the markets we are working in, as well as the reality of production.  Additionally, we believe you should have:

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Economics, Supply Chain Management, Engineering, other relevant degree or relevant experience.
• 2-4 years sourcing experience (preference within food sector).
• Purchasing experience working with Total Cost and Value Chain Analysis.
• Hands on experience in supplier development and vendor management.
• Experience in contract negotiations.
• Ability to run complex RFQ/RFP/RFI.
• Proven track record of product price negotiations.
• Self-driven and strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Highly effective communication skills. Able to adapt communication style to suit different audiences.
• Proven record of developing business plans and consistently meeting/exceeding results.
• In-depth and fact-based analysis skills.
• Ability to build strong trustful relations with suppliers and stakeholders.
• Finely tuned indirect leadership skills.
• Organized and capable to prioritize and perform multiple tasks simultaneously.
• Have the energy, drive, and commitment to deliver better product for the many people.
• The drive to be independent and autonomous to lead suppliers. There is indirect people management, however this role will not have direct reports.
• Travel required (30-50%).

Additional Information

At IKEA, we value diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills. We are committed to providing coworkers with a work environment free of discrimination and harassment. We encourage individualism and invite you to come join our team and be yourself with us! 

We are an Equal Employment Opportunity employer and do not discriminate based on race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, veteran status, disability status, or any other applicable characteristic protected by law. All employment decisions are based on

qualifications

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