Better opportunity. Find it here.

Manager of Transformation & Strategy

$120-140k plus 10% bonus

Lenexa, KS

Bell & Associates has been engaged to help our client find their next Manager – Transformation & Strategy. Our client produces quality food ingredients and biofuels from pure, natural local grains. The company operates the largest wheat-based plant protein (Vital Wheat Gluten) manufacturing facility in North America, delivering high quality, high protein ingredients to leading consumer food, plant-based meat alternatives, and pet food manufacturers. They also operate one of the most cost-efficient and lowest carbon intensity ethanol production facilities in the United States, serving the West Coast markets where low carbon fuel is in high demand. The company is committed to the environment and is building a comprehensive decarbonization roadmap to reduce its footprint across its entire operations.

Reporting directly to the CTO, the Manager of Transformation and Strategic Initiatives will be responsible for the development and implementation of the company’s most important strategic initiatives, across several areas such as operations, protein innovation, commercial strategy, grain sourcing, and decarbonization. The Manager of Strategic Initiatives is expected to demonstrate strong business acumen and exceptional problem solving, analytical, and communications skills. Competitive applicants will be comfortable working independently and collaborating effectively with a wide range of internal (leaders within sales, operations, R&D, and finance) and external (board members, experts, contractors, consultants) stakeholders.

Responsibilities:

• Strategic initiatives development: build and refine business cases and implementation plans in collaboration with senior management, ensure alignment with the company’s strategic priorities.
• Refine existing transformation infrastructure: set and monitor KPIs, develop and rollout tools to track initiative execution, lead transformation office meetings.
• Personally oversee execution of select projects (e.g. carbon capture and sequestration, grain sourcing initiatives, etc.)
• Lead the thinking on key strategic topics (food ingredient market dynamics, grain sourcing strategy and farmer programs, M&A opportunities, commercial/go-to-market strategy, etc.)

• Lead development and refinement of the company’s enterprise long-range plan (financial projections, scenario development and analysis, integration of value-creation levers)
• Support the company’s sustainability and decarbonization efforts: lead analysis of the greenhouse gas footprint and impact of different decarbonization and sustainable farming initiatives (strategy and business case development, modeling of scenarios around compliance and voluntary carbon markets, preparation for key customer conversations, etc.)
• Communicate recommendations to senior stakeholders including management (operations, supply chain, commercial), external consultants, and members of the board.
• Occasionally participate in tradeshows, conferences, and plant tours, as needed.

Requirements

• Undergraduate degree in business, operations, engineering, or finance.
• Analyst with 2-5 years of experience in management consulting, strategy, finance, or accounting.
• Strong analytical mind and ability to structure complex problems, identify and validate key assumptions and sensitivities, and engage a wide range of stakeholders in problem solving market trends and defining business outcomes.
• Exceptional interpersonal, communication and presentation skills, with the ability to communicate complex ideas to senior audiences, form and assert opinions, and generate agreement.
• Demonstrated ability to lead cross functional, collaborative efforts to ensure successful execution of complex projects within established timelines.
• Ability to work independently and effectively manage time and prioritize tasks.
• Experience working in an industrial environment, understanding of modern agricultural processing/food manufacturing, and/or interest in sustainability/decarbonization are a plus.

Bell & Associates, Inc. was recently recognized by Forbes list of Best Professional Recruiting Firms in America – https://www.forbes.com/best-professional-recruiting-firms/list/3/#tab:overall

BETTER TALENT. BETTER OPPORTUNITY. FIND IT HERE.

Bell & Associates, Inc. is a recognized Executive Recruiting & Staffing leader based in Kansas City. We focus and specialize in the following practice areas – Accounting/Finance, Engineering, Executive Leadership, Financial Institutions, Healthcare, Human Resources, Information Technology, Manufacturing/Operations Management. We provide top talent to our clients on a Direct Hire, Contract, and Contract-to-Hire basis.