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Procurement

Global Farm Development Manager

  • Netherlands
  • Hoofddorp
  • Hybrid
  • Permanent Full-Time
  • Posted: 4 Sep 2025
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Global Farm Development Manager

About the job

As a global leader in health-focused food and beverages, Danone is dedicated to enhancing lives through positive nutrition and hydration. With a presence in over 120 countries, our diverse and innovative portfolio includes dairy and plant-based products, packaged waters, and specialized nutrition.  At the core of our company are our HOPE values: Humanism, Openness, Proximity, and Enthusiasm, which guide us in everything we do. Our mission is to bring health through food to as many people as possible, making a positive impact on individuals and communities worldwide. In the role as Farm development Manager, you will work on resilience of farmers and reducing Green house gases, bringing the positive impact into action.

 

Mission
Drive farm‑efficiency improvement (including enteric and manure methane reductions) by equipping central and local teams with performance benchmarks, prioritisation criteria, actionable roll‑out plans, and a toolbox of proven and innovative practices/technologies with their business cases and strategic partnerships with upstream farm suppliers.

Key missions

Efficiency improvement

  • Identify and implement farm efficiency and GHG reduction opportunities based on performance data across herd management (youngstock, animal health, welfare, genetics/genomics), diet/feed composition, methane innovations and manure management; build business cases at farm and Danone level.

Technology & commercial development

  • Introduce upstream suppliers providing services and technology that enable these opportunities across our global farm network (animal health, welfare, genetics, genomics).
  • Scout new farm technologies and develop them from pilot to commercial state.
  • Develop commercial models for suppliers and make them fit for use.

Stakeholder engagement

  • Connect with agricultural scientists and universities to steer Danone’s research agenda for methane reduction, animal efficiency and genetics.
  • Set new standards for animal‑welfare assessment, ensuring compliance between global and local teams.
  • Influence external stakeholders and represent Danone at international forums to increase reach and find collaborators.

Success in your first 2 years

  • Turn farm data into a ranked pipeline of efficiency and methane‑reduction opportunities with baselines, targets and business cases.
  • Stand up an upstream supplier programme that scales proven solutions and pilots high‑potential innovations.
  • Implement priority improvements and report impact against farm and Danone business cases.
  • Establish cross‑farm benchmarking with agreed method and cadence, and deliver improvement plans per farm system.
  • Build capability by training and coaching local farm teams, tracking adoption and results.

Key accountabilities

  • Strategic vision: Design and implement strategies to meet global sustainability targets and become volatility‑resistant.
  • Impact on business results: Transform local performing farms into high‑performance systems—lower emissions, more resistant to price volatility, structurally lower cost.
  • Managerial complexity: Lead expert role, challenging status quo and driving global transformation with regional teams.
  • Scope & interaction: Engage with directors, VPs, and external KOLs and CEOs in agriculture and ag‑tech.
  • Innovation competency: Scout the latest farm technologies and identify start‑ups to invest in.

About you

You combine deep on‑farm know‑how with the ability to translate data into practical action and scale supplier partnerships. You’re comfortable navigating trade‑offs between productivity, carbon, cost and resilience and you bring others along the journey.

Skills & competencies

  • Strong grasp of herd performance data (milk production, animal health, reproduction, genetics, youngstock management, feed efficiency) with the ability to spot, recommend and drive improvements for productivity and sustainability.
  • Understanding of farm economics and the technical credibility of solutions to build robust business cases.
  • Experience integrating technologies into farming systems.
  • Ability to manage synergies and trade‑offs between farm productivity, low‑carbon outcomes and resilience, with a clear view on animal welfare and regenerative agriculture.

Education & experience

  • University degree in Animal Science, Agriculture Business, or Dairy Management (or equivalent).
  • Strong dairy experience and/or completion of dairy expert training (feeding management, low‑stress handling, reproduction, fresh‑cow monitoring); prior dairy farm manager experience is an asset.
  • Familiarity with farm‑management software and precision‑agriculture technologies; a learning mindset for tools that improve efficiency and sustainability.
  • Ability to travel 20–25% of the time.
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About Danone

At Danone we are committed to our mission “bringing health, through food to as many people as possible”. Working together to make sure that our brands, like Hipro, Nutricia, Alpro, Activia, Nutrilon and Evian, create real benefits for people, communities and the planet. You will be part of one of the largest Certified B Corps™ in the world.

Cycles & Procurement is right at the heart of making the Danone vision One Planet. Through what and how we source, we shape the world in which we operate & we build the future for Danone. With our Cycles we protect and secure our key resources (Milk, Water and Plastic) & we take a strategic approach to Procurement to support the business and social agenda of Danone. We secure competitive, sustainable resources, seek innovative solutions, and partner up with suppliers aligned to our vision.

We offer:

All Danoners receive a complete package of benefits. This includes a competitive salary and yearly bonus, a premium free pension, 30 days of annual leave (with the opportunity to purchase more) and you will receive a monthly health care allowance. In addition, you can get discount on your gym membership, and we offer initiatives focused on nutrition, physical, and mental health. We provide continuous learning opportunities through workshops, online courses and training sessions.

 

What's next:

It’s simple – hit the “apply” button before the application deadline of 19th of September. In order to comply with GDPR we can’t process your personal data without your given consent, so please apply directly via this website. Good luck! We can’t wait to meet you.

Need more information? Please contact Robin Hiariej, Talent Manager via robin.hiariej@danone.com

* all applications will be considered for a vacancy without discrimination based on ethnicity, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or any other characteristic protected by law.

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