Simplot Jobs in Illinois (NOW HIRING)

About Simplot

The J.R. Simplot Company is a global food and agriculture business partnering with customers around the world to deliver innovative food solutions, category expertise and long-term value.

Through our Global Food business, we work alongside some of the world's most recognized foodservice and retail customers, including McDonald's, supporting growth, innovation and operational excellence across global markets.

As a key strategic partner to McDonald's, Simplot plays an important role in supporting one of the world's most recognized and complex foodservice systems. This role is an opportunity to help shape the future of that partnership across the Americas while contributing to broader global priorities.

About Our Role

Reporting to the Vice President, Commercial Solutions & McDonald's, this newly created role forms part of Simplot's Global McDonald's leadership team and plays a key role in supporting one of the company's most important global customer partnerships.

Working within Simplot's Global Food business, the Commercial Director will partner closely with stakeholders across APAC, Americas and EMEA to drive alignment, identify growth opportunities and help shape the future direction of the McDonald's relationship globally.

With responsibility for the Americas region, you will translate global strategy into regional execution, lead strategic customer engagement, and drive growth through innovation, commercial planning and trusted partnership.

Operating within a highly matrixed environment, success will rely on your ability to influence across functions, build trusted relationships and navigate complexity while delivering outcomes across multiple markets.

Commercial Strategy, Growth & Value Creation

• Own regional commercial performance with accountability for category growth, revenue, margin, and long-term value creation
• Lead development and execution of regional commercial strategies aligned with Simplot and McDonald’s global objectives
• Identify, prioritize, and advance growth opportunities across product, innovation, supply chain optimization, and execution excellence
• Own regional leadership for RFPs planning and commercial negotiations, ensuring disciplined, competitive, and value-driven outcomes
• Supports the translations of regional macro and micro business drivers into clear commercial strategies and investment priorities

Innovation & Portfolio Leadership

• Lead regional innovation strategy in partnership with McDonald’s, including ideation, prioritization, and commercialization
• Partner with internal Marketing, Innovation, R&D, Operations, and Supply Chain teams to advance customer-relevant solutions
• Ensure innovation pipelines are aligned to McDonald’s strategic priorities and executable at scale
• Champion continuous improvement initiatives that enhance quality, cost, sustainability, and customer experience

Senior Customer & Ecosystem Partnership

• Serve as Simplot’s senior commercial leader for McDonald’s within the region
• Build and maintain trusted executive relationships across McDonald’s Supply Chain, Marketing, Quality, and Field Operations
• Lead alignment across the “three-legged stool,” including third-party suppliers and logistics partners
• Influence strategic direction through thought leadership, insights, and proactive partnership

Cross-Functional & Organizational Leadership

• Lead and align a complex cross-functional ecosystem to deliver commercial priorities at regional and market levels
• Ensure clear governance, decision-making, and accountability across initiatives
• Remove barriers to execution by aligning resources, priorities, and capabilities

People Leadership & Capability Building

• Lead and develop Market Leads and regional commercial teams
• Build strong leadership bench, succession plans, and commercial capability
• Set clear expectations for commercial ownership, accountability, and performance
• Foster a culture of growth mindset, collaboration, and disciplined execution

Global Integration & Enablement

• Actively participate in the Global McDonald’s commercial ecosystem
• Ensure strong communication and alignment between Global, Regional, and Market teams
• Educate Simplot stakeholders on regional and market-specific dynamics
• Enable markets to understand and operationalize global strategies locally

• Bachelor’s degree required; MBA or advanced degree preferred

• 12–15+ years of progressive experience in commercial leadership, category management, or strategic account roles
• Proven track record of driving growth, innovation, and commercial outcomes with large, complex customers
• Direct experience leading RFPs, negotiations, and competitive bid processes
• Extensive experience operating in global, matrixed organizations
• McDonald’s or comparable global QSR experience strongly preferred
• Significant experience in commercial leadership, strategic account management or customer leadership roles within complex organizations.
• Proven success managing large, strategic customer relationships and delivering commercial growth.
• Strong commercial capability, including experience with RFP processes, growth planning, commercial strategy and customer negotiations.
• Experience operating across multiple countries, regions or global business environments.
• Demonstrated ability to influence across matrixed organizations and align stakeholders around shared objectives.
• Executive presence, credibility and confidence engaging with senior customer stakeholders, including C-suite leaders.
• A proactive, relationship-led approach with the ability to anticipate needs, identify opportunities and shape future outcomes.
• Experience within McDonald's, QSR, foodservice or comparable global customer environments will be highly regarded

Why This Opportunity

This is an opportunity to lead one of Simplot's most important global customer partnerships. Working at the intersection of commercial strategy, innovation and customer leadership, you will influence growth outcomes across the Americas while contributing to the future direction of the broader global McDonald's relationship.

Location and Travel

Location: Chicago, Illinois

Travel: Up to 60% travel across the region and globally.

At Simplot, we are guided by our purpose, We Contribute to Feeding Our World, and by our shared values of Respect for Resources, Spirit of Innovation and Passion for People. We are committed to creating a workplace where our people feel supported, respected and empowered.

If this opportunity aligns with your experience, we welcome your application.