US CPG /Agriculture Industry Practice Lead. This career opportunity is with the Consumer Sector in North America. This sector focuses on Business and IT engagements for Fortune-500 and Global-2000 clients around the world. The successful candidate will drive, define, and support clients in the Agriculture and Food Industry across their value chain including but not limited to R&D, Supply Chain, Sales & Marketing, etc.. S/he will also enable the opening of new engagements, drive the adoption of differentiated solutions within the sector.
Primary duties and responsibilities include:
- Consulting Strategy: Define a sound business growth strategy built on industry consulting and technology consulting (digital, analytics, and engineering) strengths. Focus on growing Consulting to 20% of unit strength with higher billing rates and margins. Help in creating new business opportunities and new business wins (pipeline and order book).
- Business Growth: The successful candidate is expected to shape, lead, and drive transformation engagements by working closely with CXOs and internal teams. The individual is also expected to lead consulting workshops to craft future state functional and solution roadmaps.
- Solutions: Identify and define differentiated services and solutions for various process areas within the retail industry. Create and continuously refine cutting-edge relevant solutions showcases to be demonstrated across Innovation centers.
- Thought Leadership: Be the firm's voice and a recognized thought leader across industry forums, partner events, and customer interlocks. Publish, speak, and mentor on a range of forward -looking topics around various Agriculture industry segments and functions.
- Branding: Create a strong market positioning, increase the firm's mindshare in the ecosystem (product companies, analysts, and influencers).
Location : Atlanta or Minneapolis
Candidate Profile
Our client seeks a hands-on, proven, and results-oriented consulting executive. A deep understanding of the CPG (Agriculture and/or Food) Industry, business transformation coupled with a digital-first mindset is required. The successful candidate will be a bridge builder capable of connecting the dots between business, process, technology, and the customer.
Following are 6 must-have attributes of the successful candidate:
- Strategic thinking: Big picture orientation and conceiving effective strategies to drive growth.
- Demand Shaping: Consultative influencing and proactive shaping of consulting opportunities.
- Analytical thinking and problem-solving skills: Ability to comprehend complex scenarios, propose effective implementation plans and solutions in tackling challenges.
- Leadership and Interpersonal skills: Ability to drive and lead the strategic execution, manage change, build relationships with clients, partners, motivate teams and achieve results.
- Thought Leadership: Ability to engage with leaders and analysts and formulate/publish POVs.
- Personal Drive: Entrepreneurial drive with a can-do attitude and a strong desire to win.
Desired Experiences, Skills And Expectations
- Minimum 15 years of industry experience with the past 10 years being in a CPG and Agriculture Industry. Combination of industry and consulting experience (preferably in Big-4 consulting)
- Experience in Key Functional Process Areas: Extensive hands-on experience in critical areas such as Concept to market, order-to-cash, procure-to-pay, Supply Chain, Finance
- Deep understanding of business drivers / processes and ability to relate segment priorities to associated technology
- Exposure to tier-1 technology products relevant for the Agriculture or Food Industry including
- Knowledge of manufacturing software (ERP, PLM, MES)like SAP, Oracle, Dassault, GE Proficy, etc.
- Knowledge of CRM platforms (e.g. Salesforce) and commercial management software (TPM, TPO, RGM)
- Knowledge of e-commerce technologies, digital marketing (e.g. Adobe, SAP CX, etc.)
- Knowledge of analytics platforms (e.g. Snowflake, Databricks, etc.)
- Knowledge of hyperscale industry cloud to be able bring relevant solutions to the market
- Ability to apply emerging technologies like Gen-AI, IoT, Metaverse, etc. to drive operational efficiency and revenues
- Experience or exposure to software lifecycles including defining engagements.
- Hands on exposure to defining cost take out strategies
- Ownership in Solution incubation and IP-creation.
- Experience in consultative selling and creating client business case for value-based pitches.
- Connects with industry product ecosystem players including vendors and niche boutique consulting firms
In terms of the performance and personal competencies required for the position, we would highlight the following:
- Sets a compelling direction for the business and innovative strategies to address customer needs.
- Communicates the vision and anticipates market changes.
- Contributes to broader business issues.
- Understands the levers of a services business and can drive growth at a profitable level.
- Able to balance the competing pressures of growing a services business.
- Builds strong commercial propositions.
- Possesses an extensive and distinctive track record of delivering growth.
- Sets and achieves ambitious targets.
- Translates the mission of the organization into actionable, quantitative plans.
- Self-starter who can excel in an entrepreneurial environment.
- Truly a ’player/coach’ ? capable of Practice Building (hiring, mentorship, capability development), managing complex delivery teams, and sales/account management teams.
- Forges strong diverse teams of people with multiple perspectives and talents, a champion for diversity and inclusion.
- Hands-on leader who holds people accountable for results, the ability to roll up his/her sleeves, and makes difficult talent decisions.
