Gamechanger Sustainable Partnerships Manager

Hollybank Trustees Ltd; Coleshill Heath; On-site; GBP 80,000 - 105,000; Full time

Job summary

ABP UK is seeking a Sustainable Partnerships Manager to lead the key Gamechanger Farming customer account, combining strategic farming insight with commercial acumen to ensure a high-quality, sustainable supply.

You will report to the Head of Gamechanger Farming, line-manage the Agriculture Manager, and work across the Gamechanger team to deliver governance, planning and performance improvements for Sainsburys and other partners.

Qualifications

• Proven senior leadership experience within agriculture, food supply chain, or related sectors.
• Excellent cross-functional leadership and stakeholder management skills.
• Excellent attention to detail with the ability to forward plan.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills and strong interpersonal skills.
• Proficiency in animal husbandry and industry knowledge of the UK livestock industry.
• Commercial acumen with the ability to balance strategic objectives and operational realities.
• Experience working with data, forecasting models, and performance dashboards.
• Knowledge of ESG, sustainability, and carbon-reduction practices in farming or food production.

Responsibilities

• Lead liaison for partnership with Sainsburys on Gamechanger, ensuring alignment of customer objectives.
• Maintain relationships with customer partner and inform on Gamechanger activity.
• Translate strategic targets into actionable farming initiatives and drive supply chain improvements.
• Translate strategic targets into operational plans with accountability for landing performance metrics.
• Lead engagements with external stakeholders and technology solutions.
• Collaborate with GC team for governance and external engagements.
• Use GC data to inform procurement strategies, seasonal planning and efficiency.
• Drive on-farm excellence across producer network, focusing on health and welfare.
• Deliver sustainability goals with broader agriculture team.
• Work with Head of Gamechanger Farming and senior leadership on growth milestones.
• Support Head of Gamechanger and National Operations manager with delivery and reporting.
• Line manage Agriculture Manager.
• Foster cross-functional collaboration across Gamechanger departments.
• Lead project workstreams through a hybrid structure to deliver targets.
• Be active in internal cross-functional customer account team to support the account.
• Support customers at external shows and events.
• Develop and maintain relationships between partners and Gamechanger farming.
• Attend agricultural forums and events representing our brand.
• Support producer groups and innovation in livestock rearing.
• Embed best practice, process discipline, and operational efficiencies across the business.
• Ensure operations align with ESG commitments, including carbon reduction, welfare, and sustainability objectives.
• Identify innovations to strengthen circular economy and supply chain resilience.

Skills

Senior leadership

Cross-functional leadership

Stakeholder management

Animal husbandry

Data & forecasting

ESG & sustainability

Job description

ABP UK

Location: On site / Marston Green, Birmingham B37 7GN, UK
job type: Permanent / Full-time
Sector and subsector: Agriculture, Fishing, Forestry and Food Processing | General
Salary: Competitive salary

Position Overview

The Sustainable Partnerships Manager will lead the management of the key customer account for Gamechanger, while contributing to and supporting the broader objectives of the agriculture and sustainable sourcing team. This role will combine strategic thinking, agricultural supply chain knowledge and commercial acumen with practical experience of livestock production. The role serves as a crucial link between producers, partners and the end customer – ensuring a consistent supply of high-quality product that aligns with commercial and sustainability objectives to the key customer account.

Sustainable Partnerships Manager will play a critical leadership role in delivering the agricultural sustainability commitments of the programme, alongside supporting commercial and broader strategic objectives of Gamechanger Farming. Reporting directly to the Head of Gamechanger Farming, this position will have one direct report and a position of leadership and influence across the Gamechanger team.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic & Operational Leadership

• Act as lead liaison for our partnership with Sainsburys on Gamechanger, the role will ensure seamless alignment of customer objectives, effective project management and a proactive communication approach.
• Maintain active and professional business relationships with our customer partner, ensuring they are kept informed of all relevant activity within Gamechanger operations.
• Scope and establish key strategic goals for the programme. Work with the head of Gamechanger to translate these into actionable farming level initiatives, driving continuous improvement across the full supply chain.
• Accountable for translating strategic targets into operational plans, ensuring accountability for landing performance metrics within the Gamechanger team (antibiotics plans, carbon reduction, all key stakeholder relationships).
• Own and manage key external relationships, ensuring the Gamechanger team is maximising the opportunities to engage and grow, this includes but is not limited to:
• Technology solutions

Performance & Growth Delivery

• Shared accountability with the Head of Gamechanger for effective process and governance between GC and Sainsburys. Leading all key engagements with the customer on governance and external engagement.
• Utilising GC data to provide insight to inform and define procurement strategies, seasonal planning and efficiency improvements.
• Establish strong collaborative business relationships with the Gamechanger farming team, understanding each supply chain requirement, to drive on farm excellence across the producer network, keeping health and welfare at the forefront of activity.
• Execute and deliver Sainsburys sustainability goals for Gamechanger, working collaboratively with the broader agriculture team (e.g. emissions, welfare and antibiotic usage).
• Work closely with the Head of Gamechanger Farming and senior leadership to deliver on strategic growth milestones.
• Supporting the Head of Gamechanger and National Operations manager with operational delivery and reporting.
• Line manages an Agriculture Manager, setting clear objectives, accountability and excellence.
• Lean into cross-functional collaboration and alignment on the JS agricultural account and across all Gamechanger departments to ensure seamless operations.
• Lead the full Gamechanger team on project workstreams through a hybrid structure, to ensure key customer targets are delivered and progressed.

Stakeholder Engagement

• Be an active part in the internal cross-functional key customer account team to support on driving forward the account and deliver high-quality product.
• Support Customers at external shows and events, other related events, and marketing initiatives where required.
• Develop, nurture and maintain the relationships between partners and Gamechanger farming.
• Attend agricultural forums, industry groups, retail partner events representing our brand and agricultural commitments.
• Support producer groups, farming initiatives, and innovation in livestock rearing practices.

Operational Excellence & ESG

• Embed best practice, process discipline, and operational efficiencies across the business.
• Ensure all operations align with ESG commitments, including carbon reduction, welfare, and sustainability objectives.
• Identify and implement innovations to strengthen circular economy and supply chain resilience.

Skills & Experience Required

• Proven senior leadership experience within agriculture, food supply chain, or related sectors.
• Excellent cross-functional leadership and stakeholder management skills.
• Excellent attention to detail with the ability to forward plan.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills and strong interpersonal skills.
• Proficiency in animal husbandry and industry knowledge of the UK livestock industry.
• Commercial acumen with the ability to balance strategic objectives and operational realities.
• Experience working with data, forecasting models, and performance dashboards.
• Knowledge of ESG, sustainability, and carbon-reduction practices in farming or food production.

Key Attributes

• Strategic thinker with strong execution discipline.
• Resilient and adaptable leader, capable of managing growth in a dynamic environment.
• Highly collaborative, with the ability to align multiple teams to shared goals.
• Data-driven decision maker with a pragmatic approach.
• Passion for innovation in sustainable and integrated farming systems.

Reporting Line

• Reports to: Head of Gamechanger Farming
• Direct Reports: Agriculture Manager
• Mutually supporting internal stakeholders: Farming Sustainability Controller, Director of Agriculture and Sustainable Sourcing