Sr. Regional Supplier Quality Performance Lead

About the Role

 

 

The Sr. Regional Supplier Quality Performance Lead is a pivotal strategic partner within the Regional Procurement, operations, CI&TS and Regional Quality leadership teams. This role safeguard the brand’s reputation by building a resilient, high-performing regional supplier base, fostering a culture of Zero Defect in alignment with Barry Callebaut’s global quality, business continuity, and growth ambitions. 

 

This role goes beyond monitoring supplier performance and is accountable for: 

• Translating global supplier quality and compliance strategy into regional execution
• Influencing and building a partnership with the senior stakeholders across functions and regions 
• Shaping the regional supply base as a strategic enabler of business continuity, innovation, resilience, and competitive advantage 

 

The role acts as a trusted strategic partner to Regional Leadership Teams, Procurement, Operations, and Global Supplier Quality, ensuring suppliers are not only compliant, but future‑fit for long-term business needs. 

The individual in this role is expected to bring proven experience in a regional supplier quality lead position, with the capability to operate at enterprise level, manage complexity, and lead through influence across a diverse regional stakeholder landscape. 

 

 

Job Responsibilities Include

 

1. Regional Supplier Performance & Strategy Leadership 

• Own and lead the regional supplier performance strategy, fully aligned with global quality, compliance, and risk management frameworks. 
• Translate long-term business priorities into clear supplier performance roadmaps covering quality, delivery and risk. 
• Actively contribute to shaping global supplier quality strategy, bringing regional insights, risks, and opportunities into enterprise-level decision making. 
• Ensure that the regional supply base is positioned to support business growth, innovation pipelines, and customer expectations. 

2. Executive & Cross-Functional Stakeholder Management 

• Serve as the senior regional quality interface between suppliers and Barry Callebaut’s leadership teams. 
• Build and maintain strong, trust-based relationships with senior stakeholders across:  Global & Regional FSQR , Regional Sourcing, Regional Operations / Supply Chain, Regional CI&TS  
• Lead complex, sometimes conflicting stakeholder agendas and drive alignment through influence rather than authority. 

3. Supplier Risk, Resilience & Business Continuity 

• Proactively identify emerging risks within the supplier base and industry (food safety, regulatory, geopolitical, operational). 
• Embed risk insights into regional and global BC programs, ensuring continuity of supply without compromising product quality or safety. 
• Lead region-wide mitigation strategies and ensure early escalation of strategic supplier risks to global leadership. 

4. Supplier Performance Governance & Transformation 

• Define and steer regional supplier performance KPIs, ensuring consistency with global frameworks and strategic priorities. 
• Govern the regional audit strategy, ensuring focus on risk-based prioritization rather than transactional compliance. 
• Drive continuous improvement and supplier capability development programs with measurable business impact. 
• Ensure best-in-class Quality Assurance practices are embedded across the supplier's lifecycle (onboarding, qualification, development, exit). 

5. Regional Team Leadership & Capability Building 

• Lead, coach, and develop a regional team of Supplier Quality Auditors. 
• Set clear strategic direction, priorities, and performance expectations. 
• Foster a high-performance, strategic mindset focused on value creation rather than inspection-based quality. 
• Ensure strong succession planning and capability development within the regional supplier of quality organization. 

 

Scope

• Regional BC business for direct materials:  
  • Cocoa, Chocolate, Specialties, Decorations, Beverages 
• BC Ingredients suppliers in the Americas region 
• Key stakeholders include: 
  • Global & Regional FSQR  
  • Regional Sourcing  
  • Regional Operations / Supply Chain 
  • Regional CI&TS  
  • External authorities, industry associations, and auditing bodies

 

About You

 

• Degree in Food Science, Food Technology, Food Engineering, Microbiology or related field 
  or Bachelo