Director, Digital Capabilities Lead

Job Description:

Job Description:

Digital Technologies at Mars plays a crucial role in driving digital transformation and innovation initiatives as well as keeping our operations stable, secure, and efficient. Our work ranges from developing and managing digital platforms and tools that enhance business operations to leveraging data analytics and digital insights to inform decision-making. Our teams are implementing advanced technologies such as AI, machine learning, and automation to improve productivity and innovation.

We also support cross‑functional teams with digital solutions that streamline processes and foster collaboration, ensuring robust cybersecurity and compliance with company policies and regulations, and driving digital adoption and upskilling associates through training and resources.

The Digital Capabilities Lead leads the development and deployment of future ready critical digital capabilities (e.g. portfolio management, platform/product, digital foundations management, DT upskilling, digital upskilling, ) and best practices for Digital Technologies across Mars (segments, corporate, and MGS). Reporting to the Global Digital Strategy and Reinvention VP and in close partnership with P&O and the Digital Technologies Leadership Team (DTLT), this role will manage interdependencies and establish a consistent approach around digital capabilities that enable business outcomes.

This role formalizes a new operating relationship between business leaders and DT, driving alignment and standardization of digital capabilities that are fit for future business needs and scalable across a federated enterprise.

The ideal candidate will bring a strong mix of strategic thinking, capability building experience, operational excellence, and digital fluency, with a proven track record of leading complex, cross‑functional initiatives in a globally matrixed environment.

• Lead the development and deployment of DT differentiated capabilities across segments, corporate, & MGS prioritized with DTLT in line with the DT Reinvention agenda, including priority capability shifts across portfolio management, platforms, products, digital foundations management, DT upskilling, digital upskilling
• Partner with segments, corporate, and MGS to drive the integration and adoption of digital capabilities at pace and new ways of working, including agile implementation, portfolio management and value realization
• Partner closely with P&O to define a clear and differentiated DT capability model, role architecture, and activate digital upskilling across Mars via Digital College aligned to future needs to both DT and overall Mars Associates, leveraging the 70/20/10 model
• People leadership: lead and influence a federated community of DT and business SMEs to deliver expected outcomes across segments, corporate, and MGS
• Innovation & Best Practices:
  Stay abreast of external digital trends and technologies; identify opportunities to embed innovation and value creation capabilities into DT at Mars
• Executive Engagement: providing insights, progress updates, and recommendations on portfolio priorities

• 10+ years of experience in COE, portfolio management, agile implementation, value creation and execution, digital transformation within large, federated organizations
• Proven experience establishing and implementing best practices that connect world‑class capability building to enabling business outcomes
• Strong understanding of digital technologies (products, platforms, data, operating models, and emerging AI capabilities in an enterprise context)
• Strong financial and analytical acumen, with experience defining business cases, value metrics, and benefits realization approaches
• Experience in people leadership and line management
• Demonstrated ability to lead cross‑functional teams and influence senior business and DT leaders and reshape ways of working across organizational boundaries
• Exceptional communication, stakeholder management, and executive presentation skills
• Experience in FMCG or similarly scaled, multi‑segment organizations or consulting strongly preferred;…