Director Agriculture

Foods you love. Brands you trust. And a career that empowers you to grow. 
 
At Nestlé USA, we’re all working towards the same goal – to delight and deliver for our consumers. With a rich portfolio of beloved brands, including DiGiorno, Toll House, and Coffee mate, in 97% of U.S. households, we have a unique opportunity – and responsibility – to be there for every moment in our consumers’ lives.

 

Joining Nestlé means becoming part of an inclusive workplace that inspires innovation, encourages strategic thinking and creativity, and celebrates your achievements. No matter where you work within the organization, you are empowered to challenge the status quo, embrace risk-taking, and pioneer new ideas. Our supportive and collaborative environment encourages bold ambitions and continuous learning so that everyone can grow and thrive.
 
This position is not eligible for Visa Sponsorship.

 

 

POSITION SUMMARY:

 

Leads the development and execution of Nestlé USA’s integrated agriculture strategy, ensuring a sustainable, resilient, and cost-effective supply of dairy while advancing regenerative agriculture, quality, and sourcing priorities. 

 

This role is accountable for aligning agronomy, fresh dairy sourcing, and regenerative agriculture & certifications into a centralized operating model, enabling scale, consistency, and impact across fragmented activities. The Director translates global strategy into U.S. execution, strengthens supplier ecosystems, and partners cross-functionally with Procurement, ESG, and Operations to deliver business and sustainability outcomes.

 

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES:

 

Strategy & Transformation Leadership

• Define and execute a holistic agriculture strategy aligned to Nestlé’s Agriculture Framework, ESG goals, and sourcing priorities
• Lead transformation of fragmented agronomy and sourcing activities into a centralized, high-performing model
• Translate long-term sustainability and supply strategies into actionable roadmaps with measurable outcomes
• Drive regenerative agriculture adoption and integrate it into sourcing and supplier development

 

Sourcing & Sustainability Delivery

• Lead supplier development to improve quality, productivity, resilience, and sustainability outcomes
• Drive carbon reduction, regenerative agriculture adoption, and responsible sourcing across value chains
• Manage agricultural risks including supply volatility, cost, regulation, and climate impacts
• Ensure secure, competitive supply of key agricultural inputs for fresh milk through effective sourcing strategies
• Partner with the Procurement function to ensure effective collaboration and comprehensive sourcing strategies for agricultural products

 

Agronomy & Technical Excellence

• Provide enterprise leadership across agronomy strategy, protocols, and capability building
• Partner Procurement, Quality, Corporate Sustainability and global agriculture teams to embed science-based practices
• Drive continuous improvement in crop performance, soil health, and productivity
• Lead team of subject matter experts across agronomy and sustainable sourcing to ensure that all business commitments are understood and met.

 

Stakeholder & Ecosystem Leadership

• Build and manage relationships with farmers, cooperatives, suppliers, NGOs, and industry bodies
• Represent Nestlé externally in agriculture, sustainability, and regulatory forums
• Partner with internal stakeholders (Procurement, ESG, R&D, Quality, Public Affairs) to align priorities

 

Performance, Governance & Operations

• Set KPIs and monitor performance across:
• Supply security & cost
• Sustainability (carbon, regenerative ag adoption)
• Quality and supplier performance
• Ensure compliance with regulatory, certification, and sustainability standards
• Manage budget, investment prioritization, and operational execution

 

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s degree in Agronomy, Animal Science, Agriculture, Environmental Science, Operations, or related field
• Advanced degree (MBA, MS) preferred
• 12+ years in agriculture, quality, sourcing, sustainability, or supply chain
• Proven leadership experience managing cross-functional and matrixed teams
• Experience in Agricultural supply chains (dairy, crops, or similar commodities)

 

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities: