Business Unit Director - Livestock

Role Description:

BUSINESS UNIT DIRECTOR - LIVESTOCK

Scope of the Position:

The Business Unit Director (BUD) leads and manages the Livestock Unit organization with the highest level of professionalism and alignment with the Zoetis’ values and behaviors, to ensure achievement of its strategic goals and financial objectives, to provide unrivalled customer value and to develop the potential of its marketing, technical, and sales resources.

As a Leadership Team member, the BUD actively participates and contributes to the development of the overall business strategy and performance of the Italian subsidiary BU. In addition, the BUD contributes to the development of the SEC Livestock strategies.

Country and localisation: Rome, Italy.

Direct manager: Genaral Manager - Italy

Main accountabilities:

 - Financial Management 

 The BUD is accountable for financial leadership of the business unit:

• Delivers agreed upon BU operating plan and budget, ensuring sales, expenses and IBT meet or exceed targets, maintaining financial integrity consistent with the Zoetis values.
• Manages the BU P&L, proposing remediation actions to mitigate potential deviations and contributing to the financial results of the whole quarterly forecasts (Last Estimates LE).

 - Business Strategic Planning and Execution

Monitors, anticipates and responds to changing market conditions to proactively grow the business at the regional / business unit level. Manages the business based on keen market intelligence, in-depth knowledge of customers and insightful and creative strategic planning:

• Ensures the development of business unit strategic plans and budgets that meet or exceed Zoetis goals while optimizing market share. Prioritizes and focuses the business unit’s direction and energy on those activities that will ensure sustained commercial success and a profitable return on investment.

• Leads his/her marketing team, technical, and sales resources in the development of executable plans. Delivering marketing materials, to optimize brand positioning, market share, pricing, packaging improvements, distribution, communications, customer segmentation, field force structure and ever-greening efforts for assigned key in-line brands.

• Develops a deep and practical understanding of customer needs and challenging Livestock industry, within the business unit by championing a customer-focused environment.

 - People management and development

The Livestock BUD needs to be a change leader in his/her business; actively coaching and developing his/her people to strengthen both individual capabilities and the team’s ability to provide value to customers.  He/she develops, motivates and inspires loyalty and commitment from the people he/she leads.

• Uses performance management, people development, talent planning and other processes to lead, motivate and develop individuals as well as cross-functional teams to capitalize on their potential for achieving results. Ensures that top talent is recruited, developed and retained for the organization effectively leveraging talent and resources between teams and across business units;
• Leads and manages the implementation of change, allocating / re-allocating resources to effect change instilling entrepreneurial and innovative culture and driving process improvement. Recognizes, acknowledges and rewards business unit accomplishments and individual achievements that facilitate progress across the business unit and overall Zoetis;
• Promotes full understanding and compliance of his/her team of Zoetis’ values, mission and vision, of Zoetis Leadership behaviors and of Zoetis Code of Conduct and of all other policies and procedures designed to protect Zoetis’ integrity and reputation. Ensures that staff at all levels of the business unit is managed within such context of values and behaviors.

 - Relationship management

The BUD Livestock develops internal and external relationships to be leveraged to drive business growth. He/she must effectively communicate within Zoetis to ensure clarity and alignment.

• Represents Business Unit to Zoetis and represents Zoetis to his or her Business Unit. Communicates to International / Cluster / Business Unit consistent messages regarding business priorities, Zoetis policies, practices and overall strategies and metrics.
• Keeps Senior Management and fellow Cluster / Business Unit Directors fully apprised of activities, concerns and opportunities to facilitate pro-active planning.
• Effectively coordinates and partners with other leaders and teams within Zoetis - Cluster - Country Business Units to drive growth, deliver results and build organizational capabilities and actively ensures team members do the same.
• Ensure the development of a broad network of long-term relationships with key customers and other business stakeholders, such as, opinion leaders, key influencers, professional bodies, customer’s syndications, key players of the food industry chain, consultants, etc.

- Business Development

The BUD Livestock proactively manages and maximizes value from the entire product pipeline.

• Ensures the identification of successful, sustained development of co-promote, joint ventures and other business alliances.
• Analyzes strategy and operating plans in order to identify sales and/or profit gaps and whether a new brand / line extension / acquisition is required.

QUALIFICATIONS, EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS:

This is a “Leader of Leaders” role and requires strong leadership skills and the ability to develop talent and the potential to become a Country Manager. The below list are key qualifications, experiences and skills that are highly desirable. Exceptions may be made based on an individual’s performance history and demonstrated potential.

• People Management:
  • Significant and successful experience in leading / managing people and/or organizations. Ability to assess and coach and motivate team members to exceed performance standards.
  • Challenging leadership as Director for Sales, Marketing and Technical teams.

• Professional experience:
  • Extensive Marketing Leadership Experience, Consolidated Sales Management experience, Technical experience, with at least one senior leadership position. P&L management experience. Experience working with, leading or managing cross-functional teams in developing and executing brand/business strategies, programs, systems, and/or tactics.
• Attitude:
  • Managerial approach and consistent modeling of Zoetis’ leader behaviors and values.
  • Proven track record of rapid learning, planning and analytical skills, sound judgment and intelligent decision-making. Ability to lead and manage change.
• Skills:
  • Marketing and business acumen, strong customer focus, ability to think and act strategically and to develop a business vision.
  • Strong communication skills. Ability to build and maintain relationships. Demonstrated conflict management, influencing and negotiation skills.
• Languages:
  • Fluency in spoken and written English is a must. Proficiency in Italian can be built over time. Proficiency in other languages will also be taken into consideration.
• Level of Education and Qualifications:
  • An MBA or advanced degree is highly desirable. A bachelor’s degree is absolutely required.
  • Good knowledge of local market conditions particularly of the target species group is desirable.

CORE COMPETENCIES:

• Owning the Business
  • Anticipates Customer and Market Needs: Externally focused and has deep understanding of customers and stakeholders. Builds connections between Zoetis and the outside world by developing positive, collaborative partnerships that drive sustainable business results.
  • Acts Decisively: Makes timely and effective decisions by applying business and financial acumen. Acts with urgency and removes barriers that hinder productivity.
  • Seizes Accountability: Takes personal accountability for outcomes. Thrives on increasing levels of responsibility by confidently taking actions to move the business forward, even when decisions are shared or ambiguous.
  • Strategic and Innovative Thinking: Shows fresh, insightful thinking by developing creative approaches to processes and practices, products and solutions, services, business models and strategies.
• Building Organization Capability
  • Holds People Accountable: Sets the bar high for performance outcomes and holds others accountable for their commitments.
  • Grows Leaders: Actively coaches and develops senior talent and teams. Builds leadership bench strength for Zoetis. Provides opportunities and experiences to develop skills, competencies and business knowledge.
  • Builds Change Agile Organizations: Develops individuals, teams & organizations that are facile at initiating and responding to change. Aligns organizational structures and processes to support sustainable change. Creates change-agile organizations by designing and leading organizations that are flexible and adaptive.
• Executive Maturity
  • Self Awareness: Recognizes own strengths, limitations, and personal motivations. Actively seeks feedback and knows one’s impact on others. Acts with authenticity and ego maturity.
  • Insight, Influence and Inclusion: Understands other peoples’ unspoken, as well as explicit concerns. Adapts own behavior and approach to be more effective, inclusive and to have positive impact on others.
  • Commits to “One Zoetis”: Puts Zoetis’ business interests first. Invests in the success of the whole by aligning across boundaries. Recognizes that what is “best” for own division, function or department may require modification to ensure alignment with what’s best for Zoetis overall.

OTHER:

• Manager of Managers
• Managing a team of approx. 30 people (6 direct reports)
• Managing a business of € 22M net sales / year
• Direct reporting line to the General Manager of Zoetis Italy.
• Member of the Italian LT
• Frequent traveling in country and abroad