Indirect Regional Cocoa Sourcing Manager

POSITION TITLE: Indirect Regional Cocoa Sourcing Manager

REPORTING TO: Managing Director, Ecuador

LOCATION: Guayaquil-Samborondón-Durán-Ecuador

ABOUT THE COMPANY:

The Zurich-based Barry Callebaut Group is the world’s leading manufacturer of high-quality chocolate and cocoa products – from the origination and processing cocoa beans to producing the finest chocolates, including chocolate fillings, decorations, and compounds. The Group runs more than 59 production facilities worldwide selling in 140 countries and employs a diverse and dedicated global workforce of over 13,000 people.

The Barry Callebaut Group serves the entire food industry, from industrial food manufacturers to artisanal and professional users of chocolate, such as chocolatiers, pastry chefs, bakers, hotels, restaurants, and caterers.

SCOPE AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Summary:

The Indirect Regional Sourcing Manager – Latin America (LATAM: excluding Brazil) is a senior executive leadership role responsible for end-to-end cocoa sourcing strategy, contract execution, supplier development, and sustainability execution across Latin America. This position plays a pivotal role in ensuring supply continuity, cost competitiveness, and sustainability compliance for the global cocoa business.

The Indirect Regional Sourcing Manager LATAM role is the link between BCS and all the local suppliers around Latin America who offer cocoa beans for shipment. Main task is to maintain the close relationship to the local suppliers & exporters, getting constant price offers, negotiate, conclude & ensure smooth execution of contracts instructed by BCS. Being the source of information about market developments, actual prices, differentials and the fluctuations at the terminal market (Cocoa futures TM N.Y.) The Indirect Regional Sourcing Manager LATAM coordinates between the local supplier’s logistic department and BCS Traffic department to ensure timely shipments from the different ports of Ecuador to the destinations instructed by BCS.

Essential Functions:

• Define the sourcing supply, ensuring alignment with global cocoa price benchmarks and company profitability targets and execute the LATAM cocoa sourcing strategy to secure competitive, sustainable, and high-quality supply for global factories and customers.
• Build, develop, and manage strong relationships with producers, cooperatives and exporters.
• Negotiate contracts, establish transparent pricing mechanisms and ensure supplier compliance with quality and sustainability standards.
• Lead the rollout of traceability and certification programs (RA, Fairtrade, Organic, Edel, BC program) across LATAM origins.
• Understand and be the go-to-person with the support of the Traceable Team, on all the regulations around deforestation related to local laws, EU DR, in-house Forest positive strategy.
• Monitor LATAM cocoa markets, origin crop forecasts, and price volatility to inform sourcing strategy.
• Advise global leadership on LATAM supply chain risks (political, climatic, logistics).

Scope:

• Expand the company’s sourcing footprint across LATAM as per strategy agreed with BCS Cocoa Trading Team, with a focus on cost optimization, supplier diversification, and supply continuity.

JOB QUALIFICATIONS:

Education & Work Experience:

• Bachelor’s/university degree
• Excellent communicator & sales attitude
• Financial and/or Trading background
• 10–15 years of senior-level Trading experience in soft commodity; cocoa, coffee, sugar, Agri-commodity sourcing, procurement or trading
• Analytical mindset with strong problem-solving and decision-making abilities.
• Proven experience in supplier relationship management, contract negotiation, and sourcing strategy execution.
• International mind-set, international work experience
• Proven experience in “stand alone” jobs
• Bilingual: English and Spanish

Additional Requirements:

• Travel requirements: Willingness to travel extensively across sourcing countries in Latin America.
• Partner with finance, logistics, operations, and sustainability teams to align sourcing with company objectives. Collaborative and teamwork mindset is crucial.
• Represent the company in industry associations, government forums, and key customer negotiations.
• This role is a stand-alone position, with close guidance from Barry Callebaut Sourcing. The position is the Face and Voice of BC to the 3rd party suppliers in LATAM (excluding Brazil).

What you can expect from Barry Callebaut:

• BC is the global leader in cocoa & chocolate. BC has its own infrastructure in Ecuador; the 3rd largest cocoa producing origin in the world.
• Very dynamic business environment that requires adaptability, proactivity.
• Regularly in contact with people from different nationalities and cultures.
• BC, as a multinational company, has literally a world of professional opportunities.