Business Development Specialist Strategic Partnerships
FrieslandCampina is looking for a driven Business Development Specialist Strategic Partnerships to source, shape and close strategic partnership opportunities, tolling, milk swaps, co‑manufacturing and joint ventures that create profitable, win‑win business for FrieslandCampina and its partners. You will convert market insight into robust business cases, lead commercial negotiations, coordinate cross‑functional execution and contribute to the enterprise program Ideal Network Utilization to secure lasting value and optimized milk valorization across our network.
What we ask
- Experience: Minimum 7+ years of relevant work experience in business development, strategic partnerships, commercial roles or project leadership within FMCG, dairy, ingredients or manufacturing;
- Education and background: Degree in Business, Supply Chain, Food Science, or related field; food technology background is a plus;
- Commercial and analytical skills: Proven ability to build sound business cases, model deal economics and translate competitor and market dynamics into executable deals;
- Negotiation and governance: Strong experience negotiating contracts and structuring agreements that protect strategic and financial interests;
- Project coordination: Skilled in planning, stakeholder management and driving multidisciplinary projects from concept through implementation;
- Cross functional collaboration: Comfortable liaising with Procurement, Supply Chain, Finance and Commercial teams to align contractual commitments with operational realities;
- Communication and relationship building: Able to maintain mid and senior level external relationships and represent FrieslandCampina professionally;
- Mindset and attributes: Proactive, pragmatic, commercially minded, structured and effective in a matrix environment;
- Language: Fluent in English; Dutch is an advantage.
We expect you to have a broader view than just your position and you can identify with our purpose ‘Nourishing by Nature’. Someone who is customer focused and can act with speed and decisiveness to achieve the best results. You will have to take responsibility for your work and are continuously looking for new opportunities to make a change.
What we offer
- Unique company culture of Dutch heritage and international presence;
- We offer great work life balance, and competitive salary & benefits package so you can enjoy it;
- Workweek of 38 hours, competitive pension scheme, holiday allowance of 8%, end year allowance 5%, bonus scheme, flexible working hours and the ability to work from home;
- Diverse training and mentoring programs to help you grow on your own professional journey;
- Exceptional support of cross disciplinary movement within the company to broaden your knowledge and growth paths;
- A friendly and informal working environment, yet professional team members as sparring partners;
- Autonomy and trust to create longer term impact that helps bring better nutrition to the world;
- Free cheese and milk at lunch in the central office, and barista coffee to help you go through your working days with a lot of joy.
Vacancy description
You will be accountable for originating and structuring partnership opportunities that deliver profitable, mutually beneficial outcomes. Main responsibilities:
- Opportunity assessment: Identify and evaluate tolling, milk swaps, exclusives, co manufacturing and JV opportunities; develop clear business cases and recommended deal structures.
- Negotiation: Lead and co lead negotiations with competitor dairies, co makers and strategic accounts up to agreed thresholds; ensure compliance with governance and financial limits.
- Project execution: Coordinate timelines, deliverables and stakeholders for approved partnerships; prepare status reports, track milestones, identify risks and escalate where needed.
- Cross functional orchestration: Integrate Supply Chain, Procurement, Finance and Commercial perspectives to ensure operational feasibility and alignment.
- Program contribution: Support the Ideal Network Utilization program by translating partnership models into committed volumes and profitable collaborations that strengthen network performance.
- Governance and relationships: Establish transparent governance with partners, maintain senior external relationships and represent FrieslandCampina in strategic discussions.
You will own deal initiation and structuring for mid to high value agreements, orchestrate execution across functions and co lead negotiations while escalating for final approval when required.
Team Details
See all colleagues on LinkedInFor thousands of people every day, FrieslandCampina is more than a dairy company. We value diverse talent and encourage employees to make decisions that benefit the whole company. You will join a collaborative Strategic Partnerships and Supply Chain community that trusts you to own your career, broaden your skills across disciplines and help shape an operating model focused on sustainable value creation and milk valorization.
Apply now:
If you are commercially driven, experienced in complex deal making and eager to create win win partnerships that matter, we would like to hear from you. Please send your CV and a brief motivation that highlights one partnership or deal you helped shape and its outcome.