Associate Director, Cocoa Sustainability

Mars • Chicago, IL

2d • $192,560 - $264,770 • Onsite

About The Position

The Associate Director, Cocoa Sustainability Thriving People sets the global social sustainability strategy for Mars Cocoa Enterprise and translates it into practical programs, partnerships and standards that strengthen supply chain resilience while improving outcomes for cocoa-farming households. The role leads strategy and technical direction across living income, human rights and child wellbeing, ensuring investments are evidence-based, scalable and integrated with the broader cocoa business strategy.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in international development, economics, business, agriculture, public policy, social sciences or a related field.
• 10+ years of relevant experience spanning business, sustainability, international development, agriculture or responsible sourcing.
• Proven ability to set strategy, solve complex problems and translate analysis into clear decisions and executable plans.
• Experience designing, governing or evaluating large-scale social impact or supply chain programs, preferably involving smallholder producers.
• Strong understanding of human rights due diligence, living income, child wellbeing and gender in agricultural value chains.
• Experience managing senior external partnerships and influencing across global, cross-functional organizations.
• Commercial and financial acumen, including investment prioritization, partner performance and return-on-investment thinking.
• Excellent executive communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Ability to travel internationally, including to cocoa origins, as required.

Nice To Haves

• Advanced degree preferred.
• Experience in cocoa-producing origins or the cocoa sector preferred, not required.

Responsibilities

• Set and evolve the global Cocoa Thriving People strategy, priorities and roadmap in service of People, Planet and Performance outcomes.
• Translate enterprise ambitions into clear choices, investment priorities, program models and decision frameworks for the cocoa business.
• Integrate social sustainability into sourcing strategy, supplier engagement, origin development and future cocoa supply models.
• Lead the design and continuous improvement of scalable programs focused on living income, human rights, gender equity and farmer household resilience.
• Establish program standards, theories of change, governance, operating models and performance expectations for global and regional delivery.
• Use evidence, implementation learning and independent evaluation to assess effectiveness, improve return on investment and recommend where to scale, adapt or stop.
• Provide strategic and technical leadership on human rights risks, with a focus on salient issues in cocoa.
• Partner with the functional and regional teams, suppliers and other relevant partners to ensure social requirements and due diligence approaches are practical, credible and aligned with Mars expectations.
• Shape and manage strategic partnerships with suppliers, NGOs, research organizations, industry platforms, funders and government stakeholders.
• Represent Mars in selected external forums and help influence industry approaches to living income, human rights and child wellbeing.
• Build coalitions that improve scale, efficiency and shared accountability while protecting Mars decision rights and business interests.
• Own the global Thriving People portfolio, including annual planning, investment recommendations, partner performance and executive reporting.
• Create clear decision rights, governance routines and accountability across global, regional and origin teams.
• Partner closely with Finance, Commercial, Procurement and Legal to ensure disciplined contracting, budgeting, risk management and delivery.
• Act as the global subject matter lead for human rights and social sustainability topics within cocoa, providing strategic counsel to senior leaders and teams.
• Build capability across the organization through practical tools, guidance, coaching and knowledge sharing.
• Lead through influence across a complex global matrix and foster a high-performance culture grounded in clarity, collaboration and accountability.

Benefits

• company bonus
• Best-in-class learning and development support from day one, including access to our in-house Mars University.
• An industry competitive salary and benefits package
• medical and dental benefits
• participation in 401k plan
• paid time off benefits

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director