Q: What are the main missions and responsibilities of this role?

The central mission of this role is to integrate environmental, social, and ethical criteria into the global purchasing operations of the world's leading dairy group. You will be responsible for defining the responsible purchasing roadmap and ensuring its deployment across international sites. Your day-to-day includes the creation of RSE key performance indicators (KPIs) , identifying supplier risks, and designing action plans to mitigate them. You will also manage the technical side of CSR data, using tools like Power BI to provide clear visibility into the supply chain's sustainability performance. Furthermore, you act as an internal consultant and trainer, developing educational content for local buyers. This ensures that every purchasing decision, from raw materials to indirect services, aligns with the Group's global sustainability commitments .

Q: Key learning opportunities for this job

In this position, you will gain deep expertise in large-scale CSR data management . Handling information across 250 production sites and a global supplier base requires mastering methodologies for data normalization and advanced reporting using business intelligence tools. There is also a significant opportunity to learn about international change management . You will be mentored in how to influence decentralized purchasing teams and how to adapt global CSR policies to different regional regulatory and cultural contexts. Finally, you will develop a specialized understanding of agri-food sustainability challenges , specifically regarding the dairy sector's unique impact on biodiversity, carbon emissions, and social ethics in farming supply chains.

Q: Advice to stand out and make a successful application

To stand out, highlight specific examples of cross-functional project management where you had to influence teams over which you had no direct authority. This role is about persuasion and community animation across different countries. Demonstrate your analytical rigor by mentioning specific tools or methodologies you have used to track supplier performance or carbon footprints. Lactalis values pragmatism, so focus on the 'how' rather than just the 'what' of your previous achievements. Lastly, show an understanding of the dairy industry’s specific challenges . Researching the Group's current CSR reports and mentioning their progress in milk collection ethics or packaging reduction will signal that you are already aligned with their mission.

Q: What aspects of the company's sustainability is this role likely to focus on?

The role primarily focuses on Responsible Procurement and supply chain transparency. This involves ensuring that the thousands of suppliers providing everything from packaging to ingredients comply with the Group's ethical and environmental standards. There is a heavy focus on ESG Risk Management . You will likely spend significant time on supplier audits, risk mapping, and ensuring compliance with emerging regulations such as CSRD or the Duty of Vigilance in Europe. Additionally, you will support the reduction of Scope 3 emissions . By working with the purchasing community, you help identify suppliers with lower carbon footprints and foster innovation in sustainable materials or agricultural practices.

Q: What are the main challenges someone in this role might face?

One of the primary challenges is the decentralized nature of the organization . Coordinating CSR initiatives across 100 countries requires managing diverse local priorities and ensuring that global standards are adopted consistently everywhere. Data quality and consistency also represent a major hurdle. You may face challenges in harmonizing reporting methods between different subsidiaries that may have different levels of digital maturity or different reporting tools. Finally, balancing sustainability goals with economic performance is a classic procurement challenge. You will need to build strong business cases to prove that responsible purchasing is not just a cost center but a driver of long-term resilience and brand value.

Q: How could a typical day look like for someone in this position?

A typical day might start with a global coordination meeting over Teams, where you sync with regional purchasing managers in Asia or the Americas to discuss the deployment of a new supplier questionnaire. You might then spend a few hours focused on data analysis and dashboarding , trouble-shooting data entries in Power BI or refining a report for the Group ESG committee that illustrates progress against annual RSE targets. The afternoon could involve content creation , such as designing a training webinar for buyers on how to include social clauses in their contracts. You might end the day reviewing a supplier's risk assessment and discussing mitigation strategies with a category manager.

Q: What are the opportunities for professional growth and development in this role?

Within a Group as large as Lactalis, the career paths are extensive . You could eventually evolve into a more strategic ESG leadership role at the corporate level, or move into a senior Category Management position with a strong sustainability focus. The role also offers significant international mobility . Given the global scope of the purchasing department, successful performance in this role could lead to opportunities in regional headquarters across Europe, North America, or beyond. Additionally, the experience gained in digital transformation —specifically the use of data for CSR—is highly transferable and positions you as a leading expert in the rapidly growing field of Sustainable Procurement Technology.

Q: The main stakeholders you might be interacting with

You will report to the Global Purchasing Direction but act as a bridge to many other departments. Your most frequent interactions will be with the network of local and global buyers who are responsible for the daily procurement of goods and services. You will also work closely with the Corporate CSR Department to ensure that purchasing strategies are perfectly aligned with the overall Group sustainability roadmap and reporting requirements. External stakeholders include suppliers and ESG rating agencies . You will interact with suppliers to drive improvement plans and may also engage with external technology providers who supply the data platforms used for CSR monitoring.

Question 1

What are the main missions and responsibilities of this role?

Accepted Answer

The central mission of this role is to integrate environmental, social, and ethical criteria into the global purchasing operations of the world's leading dairy group. You will be responsible for defining the responsible purchasing roadmap and ensuring its deployment across international sites. Your day-to-day includes the creation of RSE key performance indicators (KPIs), identifying supplier risks, and designing action plans to mitigate them. You will also manage the technical side of CSR data, using tools like Power BI to provide clear visibility into the supply chain's sustainability performance. Furthermore, you act as an internal consultant and trainer, developing educational content for local buyers. This ensures that every purchasing decision, from raw materials to indirect services, aligns with the Group's global sustainability commitments.

Question 2

Key learning opportunities for this job

Accepted Answer

In this position, you will gain deep expertise in large-scale CSR data management. Handling information across 250 production sites and a global supplier base requires mastering methodologies for data normalization and advanced reporting using business intelligence tools. There is also a significant opportunity to learn about international change management. You will be mentored in how to influence decentralized purchasing teams and how to adapt global CSR policies to different regional regulatory and cultural contexts. Finally, you will develop a specialized understanding of agri-food sustainability challenges, specifically regarding the dairy sector's unique impact on biodiversity, carbon emissions, and social ethics in farming supply chains.

Question 3

How does the ideal candidate look like (experience, skills)?

Accepted Answer

The ideal candidate holds a Master’s degree from a business or engineering school and brings at least five years of professional experience specifically in purchasing or CSR functions. This ensures you have the technical foundation to understand both procurement workflows and ESG frameworks. Strong technical proficiency in Excel and Power BI is essential, as the role involves significant data consolidation and dashboarding. Because the role is globally focused, a C1 level of English is mandatory to communicate effectively with international stakeholders. Soft skills are equally important; the hiring team looks for leadership and pragmatism. You should be someone who can translate complex sustainability concepts into actionable steps for buyers who are primarily focused on operational efficiency and cost.

Question 4

Advice to stand out and make a successful application

Accepted Answer

To stand out, highlight specific examples of cross-functional project management where you had to influence teams over which you had no direct authority. This role is about persuasion and community animation across different countries. Demonstrate your analytical rigor by mentioning specific tools or methodologies you have used to track supplier performance or carbon footprints. Lactalis values pragmatism, so focus on the 'how' rather than just the 'what' of your previous achievements. Lastly, show an understanding of the dairy industry’s specific challenges. Researching the Group's current CSR reports and mentioning their progress in milk collection ethics or packaging reduction will signal that you are already aligned with their mission.

Question 5

What aspects of the company's sustainability is this role likely to focus on?

Accepted Answer

The role primarily focuses on Responsible Procurement and supply chain transparency. This involves ensuring that the thousands of suppliers providing everything from packaging to ingredients comply with the Group's ethical and environmental standards. There is a heavy focus on ESG Risk Management. You will likely spend significant time on supplier audits, risk mapping, and ensuring compliance with emerging regulations such as CSRD or the Duty of Vigilance in Europe. Additionally, you will support the reduction of Scope 3 emissions. By working with the purchasing community, you help identify suppliers with lower carbon footprints and foster innovation in sustainable materials or agricultural practices.

Question 6

What are the main challenges someone in this role might face?

Accepted Answer

One of the primary challenges is the decentralized nature of the organization. Coordinating CSR initiatives across 100 countries requires managing diverse local priorities and ensuring that global standards are adopted consistently everywhere. Data quality and consistency also represent a major hurdle. You may face challenges in harmonizing reporting methods between different subsidiaries that may have different levels of digital maturity or different reporting tools. Finally, balancing sustainability goals with economic performance is a classic procurement challenge. You will need to build strong business cases to prove that responsible purchasing is not just a cost center but a driver of long-term resilience and brand value.

Question 7

How could a typical day look like for someone in this position?

Accepted Answer

A typical day might start with a global coordination meeting over Teams, where you sync with regional purchasing managers in Asia or the Americas to discuss the deployment of a new supplier questionnaire. You might then spend a few hours focused on data analysis and dashboarding, trouble-shooting data entries in Power BI or refining a report for the Group ESG committee that illustrates progress against annual RSE targets. The afternoon could involve content creation, such as designing a training webinar for buyers on how to include social clauses in their contracts. You might end the day reviewing a supplier's risk assessment and discussing mitigation strategies with a category manager.

Question 8

What are the opportunities for professional growth and development in this role?

Accepted Answer

Within a Group as large as Lactalis, the career paths are extensive. You could eventually evolve into a more strategic ESG leadership role at the corporate level, or move into a senior Category Management position with a strong sustainability focus. The role also offers significant international mobility. Given the global scope of the purchasing department, successful performance in this role could lead to opportunities in regional headquarters across Europe, North America, or beyond. Additionally, the experience gained in digital transformation—specifically the use of data for CSR—is highly transferable and positions you as a leading expert in the rapidly growing field of Sustainable Procurement Technology.

Question 9

The main stakeholders you might be interacting with

Accepted Answer

You will report to the Global Purchasing Direction but act as a bridge to many other departments. Your most frequent interactions will be with the network of local and global buyers who are responsible for the daily procurement of goods and services. You will also work closely with the Corporate CSR Department to ensure that purchasing strategies are perfectly aligned with the overall Group sustainability roadmap and reporting requirements. External stakeholders include suppliers and ESG rating agencies. You will interact with suppliers to drive improvement plans and may also engage with external technology providers who supply the data platforms used for CSR monitoring.

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