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Global Palm Sustainability Manager

Louis Dreyfus Company Spain Added on Aug 25, 2026
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This senior leadership position oversees the entire palm oil sustainability strategy for a global agricultural giant. Based in Madrid, you will harmonize regional programs across Asia, Latin America, and Africa, ensuring the company meets its ambitious no-deforestation commitments and decarbonization targets. You will be the primary architect of a digitized monitoring system that tracks supply chain compliance from farm to fork.

The role is critical because palm oil sits at the intersection of global food security and high-stakes environmental preservation. By managing the implementation of the EUDR and NDPE policies, you are directly responsible for mitigating habitat loss and reducing the carbon intensity of a massive agricultural value chain. Your work ensures that millions of tons of goods are sourced without compromising tropical ecosystems.

This suits someone who possesses extensive experience in agricultural supply chains and thrives in a matrix-organized international environment. You must be a bilingual leader capable of navigating complex regulatory landscapes while driving digital transformation in sustainability reporting.

Job FAQs

What are the main missions and responsibilities of this role?

You will be responsible for the strategic leadership and global delivery of the company's Palm Sustainability Policy. This involves refining the overarching strategy while supporting regional teams in Indonesia and Latin America to ensure on-the-ground implementation of NDPE commitments. A significant portion of the role focuses on regulatory compliance and certification management. You will lead the development of a global management system to meet EUDR requirements by the 2026 deadline and oversee diverse certification schemes such as RSPO and ISCC across the supply chain. Additionally, you will drive the digitalization of sustainability data. This includes enhancing KPI monitoring through automation and advanced analytics to provide transparent reporting for both internal commercial functions and external stakeholders.

Key learning opportunities for this job

Candidates can expect deep exposure to the complexities of international trade law, particularly regarding the implementation of the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) and the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD). You will likely gain advanced expertise in Scope 3 decarbonization within the agricultural sector. Working closely with specialized carbon teams, you will learn how to translate high-level climate targets into practical field-level interventions across three different continents. There is also a strong emphasis on digital transformation. You will have the opportunity to work with Data Transformation & Analytics (DT&A) teams to build cutting-edge sustainability monitoring tools, moving beyond manual reporting to automated, real-time insights.

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

The ideal profile is a seasoned expert with around 15 years of experience specifically in palm sustainability or responsible sourcing. You must demonstrate a track record of managing multi-cultural teams across different time zones and regulatory environments. Technical mastery of NDPE frameworks and certification schemes like RSPO or ISCC is non-negotiable. Because the role involves significant interaction with regional teams in South America, professional working proficiency in Spanish and English is required, while French is considered a distinct advantage. Beyond technical skills, the company looks for assertive strategic thinkers who can navigate a fast-paced merchant environment. You should be comfortable with analytical problem-solving and have the diplomacy to build consensus among stakeholders with diverging interests.

Advice to stand out and make a successful application

To stand out, your application should highlight specific instances where you successfully aligned global corporate policies with regional operational realities. Show how you have previously bridged the gap between high-level ESG goals and practical supply chain management. Given the looming 2026 EUDR deadline, demonstrating a readiness to lead large-scale regulatory transitions will be highly valued. Quantify your achievements in supply chain traceability or carbon reduction to prove your ability to deliver measurable results in a commercial context. Finally, emphasize your stakeholder engagement philosophy. The role requires interacting with everyone from smallholder suppliers to high-level NGOs, so showcasing a versatile communication style that builds trust across the value chain is essential.

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

The role focuses heavily on responsible sourcing and forest preservation. By leading the No Deforestation, No Peat, and No Exploitation (NDPE) initiatives, you are at the front lines of protecting biodiversity in tropical origination regions. There is a major focus on supply chain decarbonization. You will work to implement regenerative agriculture practices and landscape initiatives that reduce the greenhouse gas emissions associated with palm oil production. Governance and transparency are also central. You will ensure the company’s palm supply chain is fully traceable and compliant with emerging European social and environmental directives, thereby mitigating legal and reputational risks for the entire group.

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

One of the primary challenges is navigating the matrix structure of a global organization with 20,000 employees. You must ensure alignment between commercial interests and sustainability mandates across six different geographical regions. Managing diverging stakeholder opinions can be difficult. You will need to find common ground between strict environmental NGOs, cost-conscious suppliers, and rigorous regulatory bodies like the EU, often under tight timelines. Maintaining data integrity across fragmented origins is another hurdle. Ensuring consistent, automated reporting from diverse landscapes in Asia, Africa, and Latin America requires significant persistence and technical oversight.

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

A typical day might begin with a coordination meeting with regional teams in Indonesia to review progress on smallholder capacity building and RSPO certifications. Your afternoon might shift toward strategic planning and compliance, perhaps reviewing the global EUDR management system with the legal and IT departments to ensure all digitalization milestones are being met for the upcoming year. You will likely spend time in high-level external engagements, representing the company in industry forums or negotiating sustainability partnerships with key global customers to drive market-wide change in palm oil sourcing.

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

Within a global leader like Louis Dreyfus Company, this role offers a path toward Executive or C-suite sustainability leadership. Successfully managing one of the most scrutinized agricultural commodities provides a strong platform for broader ESG oversight. There are also opportunities for cross-functional mobility. A manager with this level of expertise could transition into senior commercial leadership or global procurement strategy, leveraging their deep understanding of risk and supply chain resilience. High-visibility projects, such as leading the company's decarbonization roadmap, offer significant professional exposure to the Board of Directors and external industry leaders, accelerating your career in the international development space.

The main stakeholders you might be interacting with

Internal stakeholders include the Global and Regional Sustainability teams, as well as Commercial and Compliance functions who rely on your expertise to maintain market access and fulfill customer demands. You will also interface frequently with the Data Transformation & Analytics (DT&A) and Communications departments to translate technical sustainability performance into clear, digital-first reports for the public and investors. Externally, you will be the face of the company for strategic suppliers, NGOs, and policy makers. You will play a key role in industry associations and working groups, shaping the future of sustainable agriculture alongside competitors and regulators.

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