MICHELLE TALKS ABOUT 32 YEARS IN SUPPLY CHAIN

Friday, March 17, 2023

Tell us about your career journey at MDLZ

I originally joined the business in 1991 and have worked for MDLZ for 32 years in a variety of Supply Chain roles.

I’ve had great opportunities in terms of cross functional movements throughout my career within Customer Service & Logistics doing General Manager and Distribution Operations Manager roles, Supply Planning and Product Change Management. In Manufacturing I was Senior Section Lead and then became a People Lead in Bournville in Human Resources.

My current role is Director of Procurement Operations where I lead a team of 70 people across Europe that manage contract execution of all direct & indirect spend with their business stakeholders. I am also the UK Procurement Hub Lead so look after 80 talented Procurement colleagues who have remote managers across the globe.

What do you like about working at MDLZ?

I love working with such a diverse and talented group of people and the opportunities it has given me to grow & develop.

What is the most exciting project that you have worked on?

Chipita was a really interesting project which I supported recently, it was about integrating the baked goods business into MDLZ and ensuring that all of their suppliers and contracts were mapped across to our ways of working, this in turn ensured continuity of supply.

My specific role was to integrate the procurement operations element and onboard 7 new people into my team.

Can you give us an example of how you stepped outside your comfort-zone in this role?

I had never worked in Procurement before or remotely managed a team of people – I now have a team of 70 people based in 15 countries!

I initially found it quite daunting, but soon realised that interaction with people can be just as effective & satisfying via Teams as it can be face to face as long as you maintain the human connection.

What is your biggest learning experience since working with us?

If you put people at the heart of everything you do, you can solve any problem together.

How would you describe the work culture at Mondelēz International and within your function?

The work culture at MDLZ is very inclusive, within our function in Procurement we encourage everyone to bring their unique self to work every day.

What is your favourite brand?

Having worked at the plant for 10 years as part of my career, I will always have an affinity with Bassett’s Jelly Babies!

How do you flex-work?

I currently split my time 50/50 between being in the office and working from home, this gives me the best of both worlds and allows me to manage my work and life balance.

What advice would you give someone that wants to join MDLZ in the Procurement function?

Within the business I would advise them to arrange a coffee and informal chat with someone who works in the team and learn more about joining the function, it will also provide great insight to how diverse Procurement is!

For external candidates I would advise to be passionate about collaborating with people and building relationships as this is the foundation for everything.