Director Agriculture

Location: Solon, OH | Onsite

About the role

This position leads Nestlé USA’s agricultural supply-chain strategy, ensuring a sustainable, resilient, and cost-effective flow of high-quality raw materials from farm to factory.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute the long-term agricultural sourcing roadmap aligned with Nestlé’s net-zero and regenerative-agriculture commitments.
• Negotiate and manage contracts with growers, cooperatives, and first-tier suppliers across dairy, coffee, cocoa, and row crops.
• Oversee risk-assessment frameworks for climate, geopolitical, and market volatility; implement mitigation plans.
• Collaborate with R&D, procurement, and operations to translate agricultural specifications into actionable supplier requirements.
• Lead cross-functional teams to pilot and scale on-farm practices that reduce Scope 3 emissions and improve soil health.
• Monitor key performance indicators (yield, cost, carbon footprint, farmer livelihoods) and report progress to executive leadership.
• Represent Nestlé in industry consortia, government working groups, and multi-stakeholder initiatives focused on sustainable agriculture.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in agronomy, supply-chain management, business, or related field; advanced degree preferred.
• Minimum 10 years of progressive experience in agricultural procurement, supply-chain management, or farm-input sales within the food and beverage sector.
• Deep knowledge of U.S. commodity markets (dairy, corn, soy, wheat, sugar beets) and familiarity with international supply chains for coffee and cocoa.
• Proven track record of negotiating large-scale supplier agreements and managing supplier performance.
• Experience with sustainability certification schemes (e.g., Fair Trade, Rainforest Alliance, USDA Organic) and carbon-accounting methodologies.
• Strong analytical skills, including proficiency with ERP systems (SAP preferred) and data-visualization tools.
• Willingness to travel up to 40% to farms, processing facilities, and industry events.

Skills

• Strategic sourcing and category management
• Regenerative agriculture and climate-smart farming practices
• Contract negotiation and supplier relationship management
• Risk assessment and scenario planning
• Stakeholder engagement and cross-functional leadership
• Data-driven decision making and KPI tracking