JOB OPPORTUNITY
HEAD OF LIVESTOCK, NORDICS
BRIEF COMPANY PROFILE
Our client was founded more than 100 years ago and are leading the way with an innovative research-driven focus to fill the unmet treatment needs of patients across a wide array of disease areas.
On a global level, our client is among the 5 largest providers in the area of animal health. Their portfolio includes products for pets and horses as well as livestock such as swine, ruminants and poultry.
As a global leading company in the animal health industry, trusted by veterinarians, pet owners and farmers, our client is committed to providing vaccines, parasiticides and therapeutics to better predict, detect and prevent animal diseases before they arise.
THE POSITION
Reporting to the Head of Animal Health in the Nordics, the position as Head of Livestock, Nordics, will be responsible for the net sales and profit target for the Swine, Poultry and Ruminant businesses in the Nordic region, and take leadership of the Sales, Marketing and Technical/Professional functions herein. In this capacity, the Head of Livestock will assume direct responsibility for the Swine and Poultry businesses and teams and act as the managerial leader for the Ruminant Business Manager.
The position will be responsible for making prompt and intelligent operational decisions impacting the entire livestock business scope of the company and underlying business strategy.
The organization of our client is known for having an open and positive dialogue among team members even as they navigate the fast-paced business handling with shifting priorities and tight deadlines. Consequently, the position will demand the ability to secure open and transparent communication within the livestock business unit.
This position will demand the ability to transcend species and disease areas and exert effective cross-functional leadership. In collaboration with relevant stakeholders from the corporate level, this position will shape and integrate strategies for the company. In addition, the role will be responsible for establishing relations in the Nordic Veterinary Livestock field and Agricultural community and ensuring a high customer satisfaction level. Hence, this position calls for a seasoned executive who possesses a natural ability to lead, coach, develop, and motivate a team while also working as a cross-functional leader.
POSITION PROFILE
Position title:
Head of Livestock, Nordics.
Reporting line:
Head of Animal Health in the Nordics.
Location:
Copenhagen.
Traveling:
30 - 40 days per year.
Responsibilities & Tasks:
Business unit management
Developing short to medium term strategic plans for primary swine and poultry brands, integrating sales, marketing, and technical activities.
Executing strategic account plans for all selected key veterinary swine and poultry accounts.
Ensuring strategic plans are prepared for all primary Ruminant brands and key ruminant accounts through leadership and guidance of the Ruminant Business Manager.
Ensuring optimal handling of strategic accounts and wholesalers.
Ensuring oversight on all key projects – internal and external.
Team management
Identifying strategic objectives and initiatives to ensure that the team competencies are in place to enable business plans implementation.
Leading, coaching, developing, and motivating the team members in the Livestock team to ensure optimal individual/team performance, ownership, creativity etc.
Ensuring an efficient allocation of tasks and responsibilities within the business unit leading to timely and accurate delivery of BU forecasting, internal reporting, PO generation, price changes etc.
Ensuring strong cross-functional collaboration between team members across borders and species.
Financial management
Delivering on net sales and profitability targets through developing and implementing a sales, marketing and commercial strategy for the Livestock/Swine Sales and Marketing Team.
Developing high yield loyalty programs and projects with key practices.
Contributing to the establishment of commercial terms and rebate schemes optimal for delivering results for the Livestock business, net sales and profits.
Ensuring livestock spend is according to budget and outlook of the year.
Stakeholder management
Ensuring a close bond exists between Nordic business unit and major stakeholders in the farming, veterinary and agricultural community.
Market insights
Continuously analyzing and monitoring market data, competitors and legislation to improve the business.
Staying tuned to new regulations and trends in the marketplace.
Key success criteria:
Exerting effective leadership of the Livestock team – hereunder setting a clear direction and aligned corporate strategy with high yield activities and action plans.
Deliver according to the annual ambition and strategic plans for the Livestock area – hereunder delivering on KPI’s i.e., net sales, profitability, campaign and engagement targets.
Successfully facilitating and leading a high- performance culture while creating a sense of belonging to the Nordic business unit and the greater region.
Contributing to a seamless collaboration and close bond with internal stakeholders and key farming and veterinary community stakeholders.
CANDIDATE PROFILE
Educational background:
Preferably a degree in Veterinary Medicine, Agriculture, Business Administration or Marketing combined with relevant work experience.
Language:
English and Danish fluently in speech and writing.
Ideal experience and competencies:
10+ years of experience within the animal health industry or related fields.
Demonstrated experience in Strategic Planning within the Livestock business area, including analysis of the external and internal environment.
Strong project and team leadership capabilities.
Well-versed in financial forecasting.
Strong understanding of the technical and legal aspectsof the industry, including pharmacovigilance.
Demonstrated ability - through powerful business skills -to translate business initiatives into a strong top andbottom-line performance.
Well-versed in project management.
Well-versed in HR processes, including recruitment andretention of employees.
Personal competencies:
Take control/responsibility
Makes sure employees/co-workers have a clear understanding of the direction of the tasks; takes action; organizes resources and direct others toward successful execution of the tasks; drives projects forward to reach pivotal objectives; makes things happen and follows through.
Visionary/strategic minded
Defines a clear vision. Looks beyond the immediate difficulties and focuses on the far-reaching consequences; sees things in a broad perspective; takes tendencies in the environment into account when planning and developing strategies.
Analytical
Divides problems into relevant parts; sensitively integrate the analytical output into the given context; differentiates between key areas and irrelevant and less important areas; has a logical mind-set; makes sensible decisions based on available information; is able to get an overview of a specific situation and at the same time work detailed with a problem; uses details to gain an overview of a situation.
Takes initiative
Is proactive and able to inspire others. Self-driven with a “get the work done” approach. Starts up actions on own initiative. Has an urge to move things forward in the right direction and to make things happen.
Long-term objectives
Prepares thorough project plans where goals as well as actions are clearly defined, breaks down a strategy into manageable tasks. Works with a long-term business objective in mind.
Results-oriented problem solver
Focus on action, activities, and results. Can develop and implement innovative solutions based on customer needs. Can continue working on a specific problem, viewpoint, or action plan until a result has been achieved or it is determined that an alternative approach is needed.
Structure
Works systematically; organizes work and effort; is methodical in one's performance; holds on to commenced tasks and projects.
Strong communicator
Able to identify and communicate central issues in a clear, fluent, and precise manner to different stakeholders. Able to keep the recipients’ attention and is attentive to the needs of others when communicating. Excellent presentation skills.
Inspires confidence
Makes a good first impression, appears honest and sincere, appears trustworthy and competent, gains people's trust.
Personal relations
Is able to establish and maintain relations with co-workers, customers, and stakeholders at all levels internally as well as externally, and make people feel at ease. Develops and maintains networks. Achieves agreement by dealing with potential conflicts/disagreements in a diplomatic and professional manner.
Team orientation
Collaborates; works well with others with a view to obtain the team's objectives; shares information; supports others.
For further information:
For more information, please reach out to:
Sigurd G. Dideriksen, Consultant