IT Associate Director Customer Development

At Barilla, we believe that every great journey begins with passion and a bold vision. From our humble beginnings in 1877 in a small shop in Parma, Italy, we’ve blossomed into a global leader in the food industry, guided by our commitment to progress and excellence.

Today, Barilla is an international group present in more than 100 countries and we are proud to be recognized as the world’s top food company by reputation. With 22 beloved brands in our portfolio, we are world leader for pasta, the number one choice for ready-made sauces in Europe, leader for bakery products in Italy, and for crispbread across Scandinavia with Wasa.

Our success story is written by a passionate team of almost 9,000 dedicated employees across 30 plants and offices worldwide, all united by a shared mission to nourish the future with purpose and passion.

Are you ready to add your unique flavor to our journey?

JOB PURPOSE

The job holder will be responsible for defining (in collaboration with the CBOO and CCO) and executing the IT strategy for the CCO area, managing the relevant budget and project portfolio while contributing to the overall global IT strategy and management. They will play a pivotal role in driving the digital transformation of Revenue Growth Management (RGM), Trade  

Promotion Management (TPM) and Trade Promotion Optimisation (TPO), actively supporting both global and local business teams throughout this process. 

This role also requires proven, credible experience procuring, managing, and developing meaningful insights from retailer data, and proven Salesforce tech activation experience, including building and developing sales technology capability. 

They will manage relationships with the Key Business Process Owners within the Customer Development area, the CBOO, and the CCO by identifying and understanding business needs. This role requires continuous alignment with business strategic goals and the entire IT organization, ensuring end-to-end accountability for the delivery and operation of all solutions within scope. 

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES 

Business Partnership and IT Strategy 

• Continuously engage with business partners, including the CBOO and CCO, to understand their goals and propose solutions that deliver real business value and innovation. 

• Define the IT system strategy for the Customer Development area in alignment with overall IT strategy, considering cost efficiency, benefits, and constraints. 

• Provide thought leadership and hands-on direction to design, develop and deploy RGM/TPM/TPO solutions in the CPG space across regions and globally, ensuring credibility with senior stakeholders and consistent adoption across markets. 

• Manage demand and build a roadmap of activities, constructively challenging the organization to identify the most valuable initiatives. 

• Act as an innovation agent within both the business and IT organizations, fostering a culture of innovation in content and methodologies. 

• Build strategic partnerships with key suppliers, identifying new opportunities and strengthening existing relationships. 

• Actively contribute to the GDBT Leadership Team, supporting the CIO in defining IT strategy, governance, and people management. 

Project & Portfolio Management 

• Ensure that each initiative in the roadmap is managed within defined timelines and budgets, mobilizing direct reports and GD&BT units while working closely with business leads to deliver and maintain solutions efficiently. 

• Occasionally act as project manager when required by the size, complexity, or importance of a specific initiative. 

• Ensure all solutions adhere to IT architecture and security guidelines while meeting business needs and requirements. 

• Ensure compliance with governance processes (BRB, TRB, ARB). 

• Manage the overall budget and contracts for the area of accountability in collaboration with the IT PMO team. 

• Work with the IT buyer and IT contracting teams to negotiate successful agreements with IT suppliers, balancing cost, quality, and timing of required support/solutions. 

• Align Application Maintenance, Infrastructure & Communications (including security) with planned and ongoing initiatives to ensure timely contributions to successful project implementation. 

Operations Run 

• Define the maintenance strategy for Customer Development systems in collaboration with the Maintenance Team. 

• Establish and share SLAs with Business Owners, ensuring end-to-end adherence in collaboration with GD&BT Shared Capabilities teams. 

• Plan and execute enhancements to the "Business as Usual" backbone. 

REQUIREMENTS 

• 10+ years of experience managing IT initiatives, preferably in FMCG companies or leading consulting firms. 

• Master’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Business, or an MBA. 

• Strong knowledge of Customer Development processes and the ability to propose innovative IT solutions. 

• Proven experience and credibility to design, develop and deploy Revenue Growth Management (RGM), Trade Promotion Management (TPM) and Trade Promotion Optimisation (TPO) solutions in the CPG space, across regions and globally, successfully coordinating diverse teams. 

• Proven, credible experience to procure, manage, and develop meaningful insights from retailer data. 

• Salesforce tech activation: proven experience in managing and developing sales technology capability is a must for this role. 

• Demonstrated ability to lead complex senior-level stakeholder management across global and regional business and technology leaders, influencing decision-making and building alignment in matrixed, multicultural environments. 

• Strong executive presence and gravitas, with the ability to set strategic direction, frame trade-offs, and drive outcomes with limited information across ambiguous and fast-changing situations. 

• Provide overall digital, data, technology and AI leadership for the Customer Development process area—shaping the multi-year transformation roadmap, guiding architecture and data strategy choices, and ensuring value realization and sustainable adoption across markets. 

• Proven capability to navigate competing priorities, manage difficult conversations, and resolve conflicts across business and technology stakeholders while maintaining trust, pace, and governance discipline. 

• Experience with SAP ERP, particularly sales modules (knowledge of additional SAP modules is a plus). 

• Experience with advanced analytics use cases, RPA, process mining, and other advanced technologies is a plus. 

• Ability to implement IT solutions using an agile, iterative prototyping approach. 

• Strong project management skills, with experience in digital and technological transformation. 

• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills with a strong teamwork attitude. 

• Proven people management skills and experience working with cross-functional and international teams. 

• Analytical mindset with strong problem-solving and results-oriented approach. 

• Curiosity, proactiveness, and a business-partner mindset. 

• Fluency in English. 

Additional Information

• Location: Amsterdam
• Permanent, local contract
• Expected starting date: July 2026
• Job posting will close on May 13th

At Barilla, we are committed to creating an inclusive and equitable workplace where diversity in all its forms is valued and embraced. Our employment policies and practices are designed to ensure equal employment opportunities for all, regardless of age, race, color, citizenship, faith, religion, creed, gender, sex, pregnancy, gender identity or characteristics of expression, sexual orientation, marital status, genetic information, medical condition, protected veteran status, disability, or any other characteristic protected by law. Our commitment to equal employment stems from our unwavering belief that it is not only the right thing to do, but it is also a fundamental driver of innovation and business success.