Job Description Summary:
The Senior Director Sugar EMEA, Cross Enterprise Procurement Group (CEPG), leads the Sugar Program for the Coca-Cola system, spanning The Coca-Cola Company, company-owned bottlers, and franchise bottlers across the EMEA region.
The Senior Director is accountable for managing a regional category spend of approximately $2.3Bn, aligning Operating Units and bottlers, negotiating at senior levels and ensuring supply continuity and competitiveness across the network.
The position is responsible for leading the development and execution of end-to-end sugar procurement strategies for the Cross-Enterprise Procurement Group (CEPG) – with a specific focus on EMEA. The role is accountable for delivering sustainable value through strategic sourcing, supplier relationship management, commodity risk management, and supply chain optimization across a complex, multi-bottler network.
Leveraging deep expertise in agricultural commodities and end to end value chain, the Senior Procurement Director identifies opportunities to reduce cost, improve service, optimize working capital, and enhance sustainability outcomes. The position also provides guidance on commodity hedging strategies, supplier capability assessments, and long-term procurement policies while fostering collaboration across the Coca-Cola System to maximize purchasing power and create sustainable competitive advantage.
Key Responsibilities:
- Leads and manages the development and execution of procurement strategies for sugar in EMEA region as part of the Cross-Enterprise Procurement Group, which includes The Coca-Cola Company, Company Owned Bottling Operations, and Franchise Bottling Operations
- Creates and implements supply chain strategies to reduce cost, lead time and risk through the collaborative procurement model and strong internal stakeholder management.
- Conducts the 7-step sourcing events, negotiate and manage contracts, prices, volume, terms and conditions.
- Works collaboratively across Procurement, Technical, and System (TCCC and Bottlers) within the region to identify and execute business priorities, standards and achieve targets to support them.
- Provides product and service expertise to geographic associates to build bottler relationships, improve collaboration and increase Network participation.
- Builds sustainable sugar supplier relationships for the EMEA region that generates value for both the Coca-Cola system and the supplier over time.
- Develops a negotiation strategy that delivers against KO business objectives and achieves sustainable relationships with suppliers.
- Provides raw material cost forecasts to company-owned operations and relevant third parties (e.g., bottlers) to assist them in the development of their business plans.
- Participates in strategic expansions and investment discussions with key Sugar suppliers to meet the expected demand growth for Coca-Cola’s raw materials and sustainability programs for the region.
- Leads Sugar category sustainability strategy aligned with Principles for Sustainable Agriculture
- Promotes digital tools and AI for enhanced insights.
- Provides collaborative guidance to the Company Owned Bottling Operations and Franchise Bottling Operations on sugar price hedging / commodity risk management to optimize the total cost of ownership.
- For the region influence suppliers' manufacturing processes, technology decisions and policies in ways that are mutually beneficial and sustainable for both organizations by leveraging the volume of The Coca-Cola System.
- Evaluate supplier core competencies and competitive positioning using industry cost models.
Education Requirement & Work Experience:
- Bachelor’s degree required, Master’s preferred
- 10 years related Procurement work experience
- Experience of Sugar procurement and awareness of sugar supply chain required
- Internal stakeholder management & ability to influence
- Supplier negotiation experience at executive level
Functional Skills:
- The experience and ability to lead, prioritize, collaborate, and execute complex Sugar category strategy development and strategic sourcing initiatives is required.
- Preferred experience and understanding of the Coca-Cola system including bottler relationships.
- Effective communication, emotional intelligence, and presentation skills.
- Relationship management abilities including stakeholder collaboration / alignment and ability to interact with the most senior leaders of large global suppliers.
- Strong people skills: ability to develop/maintain productive business relationships and persuade/influence directly and indirectly.
- Strong stakeholder and supplier relationship building and management.
- Leadership and cross-functional collaboration experience
- Courageous leadership to translate complex business issues into simple solutions.
- Must possess the ability to seek alternatives and recommend best solutions that gain all parties support and lead to win-win results.
- Able to work in ambiguous situations and manage risk.
- Strong analytical and critical thinking skills and background.
- Ability to deliver results with a sense of urgency.
- Comfort with uncertainty, with the movement of markets, and with assessing and managing risks.
- Sets a Winning Example: Demonstrates the values of The Coca-Cola Company through words, actions, and by example; fosters an environment that reflects the values of the Company.
Critical Capabilities:
- Strategic Leadership & Vision
- Category Management Expertise
- Financial Acumen
- Business Partner Alignment
- Supplier Relationship Management
- Team Member Development
- Global Stakeholder Leadership
- Negotiation Excellence
- Risk Management & Continuity Planning
- Digital Fluency & Data-Driven Decision Making
Skills:
Location(s):
Ireland
City/Cities:
Dublin
Travel Required:
00% - 25%
Relocation Provided:
No
Job Posting End Date:
July 21, 2026
Our Purpose and Growth Culture:
We are taking deliberate action to nurture an inclusive culture that is grounded in our company purpose, to refresh the world and make a difference. We act with a growth mindset, take an expansive approach to what’s possible and believe in continuous learning to improve our business and ourselves. We focus on four key behaviors – curious, empowered, inclusive and agile – and value how we work as much as what we achieve. We believe that our culture is one of the reasons our company continues to thrive after 130+ years. Visit Our Purpose and Vision to learn more about these behaviors and how you can bring them to life in your next role at Coca-Cola.