Director, Upstream Procurement Value Creation

Summary

The Director, Upstream Procurement Value Creation will define and lead Chobani’s upstream sourcing and value creation strategy, with a focus on developing resilient, traceable, and innovative supply chains at the origin of key commodities.  This role is responsible for advancing farm-, crop-, and seed-level strategies, building strategic supplier partnerships, and delivering long-term value while ensuring business continuity. The Director will partner cross-functionally to develop proprietary approaches to sourcing, improve upstream visibility and influence, and deliver measurable productivity aligned with Chobani’s growth vision.

This role requires a deep understanding of agricultural and commodity markets, upstream supplier networks, and risk dynamics, as well as the ability to translate upstream strategies into competitive advantage for Chobani.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute upstream sourcing strategies at the farm, crop, and seed level to increase resilience, traceability, and exclusivity where appropriate (e.g., proprietary varieties, strategic partnerships).
• Define how and where Chobani grows, sources, or co-develops critical agricultural inputs — from seed systems and on-farm production to processing and aggregation infrastructure
• Identify where strategic vertical integration, market partnerships, or cooperative models are viable and create long-term value.
• Build and maintain upstream roadmaps for key categories (e.g. dairy inputs), incorporating seed-level and farm-level strategies that enhance resilience, traceability, and proprietary advantage.
• Partner with internal stakeholders and external suppliers to identify opportunities for upstream innovation, quality improvements, and risk mitigation across Chobani’s direct materials.
• Assess and improve upstream supplier networks, optimizing footprint and ensuring alignment with business continuity and sustainability goals.
• Evaluate upstream production and sourcing strategies that mitigate tariff and trade exposure through regional diversification and domestic/localized sourcing (e.g., U.S.-based supply chains).
• Lead strategic negotiations with upstream suppliers, integrating value creation levers such as multi-year partnerships, incentive/penalty structures, and supply chain redesigns.
• Continuously monitor global commodity and agricultural markets to anticipate risks, capture opportunities, and inform sourcing strategies.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with R&D, Operations, NPD to align upstream strategies with business goals, innovation pipeline, and product needs.
• Establish clear KPIs and track the impact of upstream value creation initiatives, communicating progress to senior leadership.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Supply Chain, Agriculture, Food Science, Finance, or a related field; Master’s or MBA strongly preferred.
• Minimum of 10 years of progressive experience in Procurement, Supply Chain, or Commodity Management, with proven expertise in upstream/agricultural sourcing and value creation.
• Deep understanding of agricultural supply chains, global commodity markets, and the external factors that influence cost, quality, and supply continuity at the origin.
• Demonstrated ability to design and execute farm-level, crop-level, and seed-level sourcing strategies that drive long-term resilience and competitive advantage.
• Proven success building and maintaining strategic supplier relationships, with the ability to influence and co-create with key partners beyond transactional negotiations.
• Experience in the consumer packaged goods (CPG) industry, with preference for food/agriculture-related categories.
• Strong business acumen and financial/analytical skills, with the ability to link upstream strategy to bottom-line impact.
• Skilled in managing complex contracts and agreements, with an ability to balance risk, continuity, and value creation.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement skills, with the ability to align cross-functional teams around upstream priorities.
• Obsession and passion for excellence!
• A collaborative, solutions-oriented mindset with a passion for innovation and continuous improvement
• Proven leadership skills, including the ability to build, develop, and inspire high-performing teams.

About Us

Chobani is a food maker with a mission of making high-quality and nutritious food accessible to more people, while elevating our communities and making the world a healthier place. In short: making good food for all.  In support of this mission, we are a values-driven, people-first, food-and-wellness-focused company, and have been since Hamdi Ulukaya, an immigrant to the U.S., founded the company in 2005.  We produce yogurt, oatmilk, dairy- and plant-based creamers, ready-to-drink coffee and plant-based probiotic drinks. Chobani yogurt is America's No.1 yogurt brand, and it’s made with only natural ingredients without artificial preservatives.

Chobani uses food as a force for good in the world – putting humanity first in everything we do. Our philanthropic efforts prioritize giving back to our communities and beyond: working to eradicate child hunger, supporting immigrants, refugees and underrepresented people, honoring veterans, and protecting the planet. We manufacture our products in New York, Idaho, and Australia. Chobani products are available throughout North America and distributed in Australia and other select markets. For more information, please visit www.chobani.com and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

Chobani is an equal opportunity employer.  Chobani will not discriminate against any applicant for employment on any basis including, but not limited to: race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, military and/or veteran status, marital status, predisposing genetic characteristics and genetic information, or any other classification protected by federal, state and local laws.