Group Lead, GBS - Commercial Business Partner, EPDM

About the role

The EDM & WEM Zone Commercial Business Partner, EPDM, based in Amsterdam, is the senior point of accountability for the Europe Zone/Market partnership across Sales & Marketing (developed and emerging markets). The role owns executive stakeholder relationships, sets up and governs the operating model between GBS/GCCs, Europe Zone teams and Global Commercial functions, and is accountable for end-to-end service performance, transformation roadmap execution and measurable business outcomes. From year 2, the role will build and lead a team of functional SMEs.

Key responsibilities

• Executive partnership and governance: own relationships with senior Europe Zone and market leadership, run governance forums with clear decision rights, and ensure the GBS commercial roadmap is executed.
• Operating model ownership: define and improve the operating model (RACI, service catalog, intake, SLAs/XLAs, controls, handoffs), drive demand management and capacity planning, and govern standardization across Europe with documented exceptions.
• Performance and controls: partner with service delivery leads on quality, timeliness, productivity and stakeholder experience, run dashboards and reporting, and manage operational risk, audit readiness and business continuity.
• Transformation and value delivery: own productivity, cycle-time, quality, standardization, automation and analytics improvements, build business cases and govern benefits realization.
• People and capability leadership: build a two-layer team of market-aligned Business Partners and domain SMEs, set up skills and training pathways, and model inclusive, cross-cultural leadership.

Required profile

• Master's degree preferred (MBA, Economics, Marketing or related).
• Typically 12+ years in Commercial Operations, Sales/Marketing Enablement, Analytics/Insights, Strategy or Transformation in a global/regional setting.
• Demonstrated executive stakeholder management and governance leadership at zone/BU level.
• Proven track record leading cross-functional, multi-market transformation programs with measurable outcomes.
• FMCG experience required.
• Lean/Six Sigma/Design Thinking certification preferred, or equivalent CI leadership experience.

Required skills

• Strong operating model and service management expertise (RACI, SLAs/XLAs, intake and prioritization, performance frameworks)
• People leadership experience, scaling teams and building SME capability
• Travel expected across Europe, India and the Americas; hybrid role based in Amsterdam