Head of Strategy

About Zespri

Zespri is the world's top marketer of kiwifruit, operating in over 50 countries. With partnerships involving approximately 2,800 New Zealand growers and 1,500 international growers and post-harvest companies, Zespri ensures the highest quality kiwifruit reaches wholesale and retail customers worldwide. The company is deeply committed to sustainable long-term value creation for its growers and is a renowned New Zealand international brand.

Role Overview

The Head of Strategy is a newly created senior leadership position reporting directly to the Chief Strategy Officer within the Strategy, Innovation and Sustainability team. This role leads the company's enterprise strategy function to shape Zespri's long-term objectives outlined in Zespri 2035. It unites strategic planning, execution, and organizational alignment to ensure appropriate strategic dialogues occur at timely intervals among the right stakeholders, underpinned by evidence. Responsibilities include translating ambitious long-term goals into actionable frameworks and supporting strategic coherence across market and product portfolios.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the development and continuous alignment of Zespri's enterprise strategy with its 2035 vision.
• Oversee the strategy team's agenda, including business modelling and insights capabilities.
• Define strategic options, priorities, and trade-offs for executive leadership and the Board.
• Manage the Board Priority Plan process—setting, agreeing on, and tracking critical enterprise objectives and metrics annually.
• Translate enterprise strategy into sequenced, actionable execution steps, promoting organizational coherence.
• Collaborate closely with the Enterprise Project Management Office (EPMO) to secure resources and ensure initiative delivery aligns with strategic goals.
• Partner with Product Management and Market Strategy teams to adapt to workload changes and encourage operational cohesiveness.
• Apply a flow-to-work approach to allocate strategic resources, including business analysis and frameworks, to priority initiatives.
• Represent the Strategy function in governance forums and participate actively in the leadership team.
• Develop, mentor, and grow strategy talent while expanding the function's influence and mandate.

Candidate Profile

The ideal candidate is a strategic, commercially savvy leader adept at navigating complex environments. This individual excels in converting strategic ambition to concrete actions, clarifying uncertainty, and driving influence across multiple departments, cultures, and geographies. They must be capable of challenging senior leadership constructively while building trust and guiding teams in translating strategy into deliverables.

• More than 15 years' experience in enterprise strategy, corporate development, or equivalent senior commercial roles.
• Documented success in leading enterprise strategy formulation and execution within complex multinational organizations.
• Expertise in translating long-term strategy into prioritized and executable plans with close linkage to portfolio and operational delivery.
• Strong financial acumen and analytical skills, including business modelling, competitive evaluation, and value-driven decision-making.
• Proven ability to influence and lead across diverse teams, regions, and senior stakeholders.
• Experience managing product or portfolio strategies on a significant scale, preferably within FMCG, agribusiness, or branded consumer goods sectors.
• Strong leadership and coaching abilities with capacity to build and uplift the strategy team’s role and impact.
• High energy and a mindset focused on continuous improvement and navigating dynamic markets and ambiguity.
• A tertiary degree in business, economics, strategy, or related fields; postgraduate qualifications like an MBA are advantageous.
• Background in management consulting, corporate strategy, or equivalent strategic environments is beneficial.

Why Join Zespri?

Zespri fosters a vibrant and unique culture with a diverse team of over 850 employees across 23 global locations. The company values employees who are proactive, connection-driven, and eager to contribute to a lasting legacy. Working here means joining a fast-paced, culture-rich environment dedicated to innovation and growth.

Benefits

• Competitive remuneration package including eligibility for a Short-Term Incentive scheme.
• Flexible working culture combining remote work and office presence.
• An extra paid annual leave day called "Zespri Day."
• Two additional paid "Boost Days" to support mental, physical, emotional, and social wellbeing.
• Comprehensive Global Life and Permanent Disability Insurance coverage.
• Group Medical Insurance provided.

Application Details

Interested candidates are encouraged to apply promptly. Applications will close on 3 August 2026.