Raw Material Leader

Company Description

Raw Material Area Forestry

Our journey towards responsible raw material sourcing is not new. With the newly established Raw Material Area we now have one leadership to drive the overall IKEA raw material strategy, we have integrated scope for responsible sourcing of raw materials and regional teams working on the deployment agenda across the business.

In the Raw Material Area, Forestry we are responsible to:

- Leading the raw material forestry agenda to ensure responsible wood sourcing and strategic wood supply direction.
- Monitoring the wood product market to identify risks and opportunities.
- Support implementation of responsible sourcing requirements and lead compliance verification when raw material competence is required.
- Advocacy through collaborative, fact-based, transparent dialogues to transform the industry and policy decision.
- Developing traceability systems and securing competence in forest value chain to enhance wood sourcing options.
- Secure 20 % of wood raw materials needs by own investments.
- Contributing land-use expertise to IKEA’s climate and biodiversity agenda.

We are now looking for a Raw Material Leader for Forestry value chains who will be part of our team.

Job Description

As a Raw Material Leader in Forestry, you will:

- Drive the Forest Agenda 2030: Lead the implementation and update of IKEA’s Forest Agenda 2030 with a focus on biodiversity, human rights, climate action, and responsible sourcing.
- Develop Strategic Wood Supply Direction: Support the execution and update of strategic wood supply direction, in alignment with IKEA’s business and sustainability objectives.
- Advocate for Responsible Forest Management: identify opportunities and work with policymakers, NGOs, and industry peers to promote sustainable forest management practices and balanced legislative frameworks.
- Engage with Forest Certification Systems: Collaborate with FSC, PEFC, and other stakeholders to uphold certification integrity and increase the availability of wood from More Sustainable Sources (currently FSC certified and recycled wood).
- Drive Innovation in Forest Management: Promote practices such as climate- and biodiversity-smart forest management, closer-to-nature approaches, and sustainable harvesting techniques.
- Engage Stakeholders: Identify and build partnerships with NGOs, academia, and other stakeholders to improve and advance IKEA’s leadership in responsible forestry.
- Strengthen Knowledge Sharing: Ensure forestry expertise is accessible across IKEA teams and aligned with IKEA sustainability strategies.
- Support Reporting and Traceability: Contribute to compliance with regulatory frameworks such as the EU CSRD by supporting data collection, metric development, and monitoring progress.
- Support Crisis Communication: Contribute to effective communication and stakeholder engagement during media and NGO campaigns related to forestry.

Qualifications

About you

We are looking for a dynamic leader passionate about forest and forestry and making an impact through collaboration and innovation. You can inspire, engage, and navigate complexity with confidence. Key qualifications include:

- Deep Forest and Forestry Knowledge: Expertise in forest management, conservation, restoration, and responsible wood sourcing.
- Strong Advocacy and Communication Skills: Proven ability to engage with stakeholders and promote responsible practices.
- Strategic Thinking and Leadership: strong leadership skills, ability to balance sustainability goals with business objectives.
- Stakeholder Collaboration: Good knowledge of certification systems (e.g., FSC, PEFC), NGOs, and forest industry.
- Commitment to IKEA’s Vision and Values: Passion for creating a positive impact for the planet, people, and business.
- Understanding of auditing in forest supply chain

To Succeed in This Role You will need:

- Good knowledge of responsible forest management, forest ecosystems functions, the role of forest and forestry in climate and biodiversity.
- Familiarity with relevant regulatory frameworks (e.g., EU Green Deal, Global deforestation-free regulations).
- Strong interpersonal skills to build relationships and drive collaboration.
- Knowledge of or experience of working with innovative practices in forest management or wood sourcing.

Additional information

Please note this position based in Älmhult, Sweden

Please send us your application – CV and letter of motivation – in English latest by 9February 2025 . For this position we have a preferred candidate, while we still encourage all candidates holding a similar ambition and finding the role interesting to send their application. We aim to be interviewing continuously for this position so please don’t wait and send us your application today.

If you have any questions regarding the position you are welcome to contact hiring manager Mikhail Tarasov mikhail.tarasov@inter.ikea.com

If you have questions about the recruitment process please contact P&C Recruiter, Femina Karlsson at femina.ladhani.karlsson@inter.ikea.com