The Head of Category Strategy is accountable for defining, steering, and embedding the global EDP category strategy to deliver sustainable growth, value creation, and long‑term competitiveness for Danone. 

The role acts as a strategic thought partner to Category Leadership Team, leads category‑level governance, and mobilizes cross‑functional leaders to translate strategy into impact. The role carries end‑to‑end accountability for strategic planning process, priorities defining and delivery of coordination across functions with a strong external orientation to consumer, channel, health, sustainability, and competitive dynamics specific to EDP.  

This role goes beyond internal strategy translation. It brings a decisive outward-looking lens, integrating competitive intelligence, market signals, and ecosystem trends to anticipate disruptions, identify white spaces, and sharpen Danone’s winning choices. 

The Director acts as a strategic sparring partner to the Category VP, Global Functions, Zones and CBUs, ensuring that strategic choices are robust vs. competition, anchored in external reality, and converted into clear growth platforms with disciplined execution. The EDP Director/Head will also support the EDP Strategy VP and the EDP Category SVP in PMO (Project Management) and Transformation/Change Management activities. 

This is a 6-month mission, starting December 1st 2026. 

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES & ACCOUNTABILITIES 

1. Category Strategic Planning 

• Define and continuously refine the EDP (Dairy and Plant-based) Category 3–5 year strategy, including diagnosis, ambition, strategic roles, and value creation model.  

• Lead the articulation of clear strategic choices (where to play / how to win), grounded in deep understanding of consumers, regulatory environment in which we operate, our value chain, operational footprint, health & sustainability trends, and competitive dynamics across EDP. All of this at the service of both topline growth and bottom-line improvement.  

• Act as a strategic integrator, connecting Commercial, Marketing, R&I, Operations, Finance, Sustainability and Zones around a shared ambition and plan. 

• Hands-on support platforms (segment and brand leads), commercial and operations as thought partner and in shaping their specific strategies and plans  

• Adapting and sharing the strategy for diverse audiences to ensure adoption and change management. Enable strategy deployment through frameworks, playbooks, and capability building, while avoiding over‑complexity and ensuring focus on impact. 

2.  Competitive Intelligence 

• Own and structure a best-in-class Competitive Intelligence capability for the EDP category, with a strong emphasis on external orientation.  

• Continuously monitor and interpret:  

• Key global and regional competitors (scale players, insurgents, private label, adjacencies) 

• Portfolio moves, claims, pricing architecture, innovation patterns and ecosystem plays 

• Emerging business models, channels, technologies, and partnerships 

• Translate competitive and market signals into clear strategic implications, white spaces, risks and opportunity areas for Danone.  

• Lead competitive deep dives (together w/Zones and SIA), local competitive games, and scenario planning to pressure-test strategic options and innovation bets.  

• Act as the reference point for “outside-in” thinking within the category ecosystem 

KEY DELIVERABLES & SUCCESS METRICS 

• Clear, differentiated EDP Category strategy with measurable ambition and value creation logic. 

• High quality and timeliness of strategic decisions at category and leadership forums. 

• Act as a senior influencer across the organization, mobilizing leaders through authority, credibility, and thought leadership rather than formal reporting lines. 

• Tangible contribution to EDP category growth, mix improvement, and profitability. 

• Effective deployment of strategy across zones and CBUs, with visible execution impact. 

• Engagement, performance, and development of the EDP Category Strategy team. 

MAIN INTERACTIONS 

Internal 

• EDP Strategy VP, EDP Category SVP and Category Leadership Team 

• EDP Strategy Team, Global Brand, Innovation, Platforms, Sustainability, Operations, Finance, S&I, Legal 

• Zone and CBU Presidents, Marketing and Sales VPs 

• Corporate Strategy, M&A, and Performance teams 

External 

• Strategic partners, agencies, and consulting firms 

• Industry experts, thought leaders, and selected external networks 

Team set-up 

• Part of the Global EDP Category Team (led by Category SVP) 

• Reporting to Global EDP Category Strategy, Portfolio & Sustainability VP 

• One direct report  

Leadership & Mindset 

• Comfortable working under ambiguity and pressure, with autonomy.  

• Proven ability to lead through influence, storytelling, and governance. 

• Demonstrated track record in leading large‑scale, cross‑functional strategic initiatives. 

• Senior strategic leader with the credibility to operate at executive level and influence complex, matrixed organizations. 

Skills & Capabilities 

• Exceptional strategic thinking and synthesis (able to simplify complexity and drive clarity).  

• Strong analytical and financial acumen and value creation orientation. Able to deliver strong business cases and financial modelling.  

• Demonstrated fast learner, able to rapidly build mastery on new topics, geographies, or dynamics.  

• High level of intellectual curiosity, questioning assumptions and continuously pressure-testing current ways of thinking. 

• High‑impact communication skills, both written and oral, at top‑management (c-suite) level. 

• Comfortable operating with incomplete information, forming hypotheses and adapting quickly as new signals emerge. 

• Comfortable working with consumer data, insights and trends (qualitative and quantitative) to shape category strategies and pressure‑test growth opportunities. 

Experience 

• Significant experience (typically 10+ years) in strategy, category leadership, or business development roles. Management consultant experience preferred. 

• Demonstrated track record in leading large‑scale, cross‑functional strategic initiatives. 

• FMCG and/or food & beverage experience strongly preferred; exposure to global / multi‑zone environments required. 

• Marketing experience nice to have. 

We are proud to promote diversity and equal opportunity within our teams. We believe that our differences will make a difference, and that an inclusive work environment will drive our growth as a company, as a team, and as individuals. We will therefore consider all applications* by fostering an inclusive work culture where everyone can feel at home.

We have also chosen to remove inclusive writing from our job offers because its complexity penalizes people with cognitive disabilities, including dyslexia, dysphasia, or apraxia.

*All nominations will be considered regardless of origin, background, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability…