Here it is. Your chance to lead business development and create optimal conditions for sustainable growth and good financial result in the most influential small town in the world.

Can you really reach out to the whole world, while working in a tranquil idyll in the middle of nowhere? In Älmhult you can. Älmhult, Sweden is home to IKEA Range & Supply. IKEA Range & Supply has the responsibility to develop, design, produce and supply IKEA retail channels with home furnishing solutions available to the many people. Each year IKEA Range & Supply introduces 2,000 new products in the 420 IKEA stores and other multichannel touchpoints around the world with the turnover of 38.3 BEUR. The total range is almost 10,000 products. So what happens in Älmhult definitely doesn't stay in Älmhult. It reaches practically every corner of the globe.

At Business Area Cooking, Eating, Decoration and Home organisation (CEDO) we are recognised for our culture, where ideas are heard, where there is opportunity to learn new skills and where the goal always is “to create a better everyday life for the many people”. We give down-to-earth, straightforward people the possibility to grow, both as individuals and in their professional roles. We have a large share of IKEA’s total sales and stand for 55% of total sold quantities. We have a leading position on the market and we have ambitious plans to continue developing our range offer, business and people.

Are you a passionate senior leader with the ability, curiosity and courage to lead people, strategic business development and actions in a way that empowers People and Business to grow together? Do you want to contribute to create beautiful, functional, sustainable, high quality solutions for life at home at low prices for the many? Then we are looking for you! 

Right now we are looking for a Business Area Manager to lead our Business Area Cooking, Eating, Decoration and Home organisation (CEDO). Our business is about helping the many people making their homes come alive through a wide range of functional, surprising and inspiring solutions and decorations. We are a diverse group of professionals from across the world that are passionate about working together to create business results. To continue to be the leader in life at home, it is a necessity to utilise our curiosity and explore how to fulfil dreams and solve every day needs using both new and proven solutions.

The time ahead in CEDO is very exciting. We are on a continuous journey to become even more relevant for our customers, in all dimensions, building upon our proven strengths. 

About the assignment
You lead a Business Area with approximately 100 co-workers together with senior leaders in your management team. We want you to truly contribute in leading in line with our values, where togetherness, giving and taking responsibilities and simplicity in everything we do is key to success. The BA is leading a fast moving Home Furnishing accessory business agenda where we through our wide range is meeting and impacting many people’s lives at home. We have a strong business foundation to build from and lots of competent co-workers, fully engaged to grow and develop further. Together with your team you set out the direction towards further innovation where learning, joy and performance work hand in hand for a better IKEA. 

You will report to Deputy Managing Director, IKEA of Sweden AB, Jeanette Skjelmose.

Your main tasks and responsibilities will be:

• Sustained excellence in daily operations through trust, encouragement and people focused leadership
• Competence development and evolvement of the unique IKEA Culture
• Further development and execution of business plans in the long term perspective, creating optimal conditions for growth and innovation in a multichannel business environment
• Contribution and support of the total IKEA agenda within IKEA of Sweden, Range & Supply, and other relevant IKEA organisations. Collaborate across the company to lead common topics for business and people development
• Collaboration with the material categories to create the optimal conditions for full availability at lowest cost, optimal sourcing and close cooperation in the product development process
   

As Business Area Manager you lead in an end to end perspective across the range, supply and meeting the customer agenda. You need to have a deep understanding and honest belief in the values of the IKEA Culture and a strong passion and curiosity in people and how they live their “Lives at Home”. Furthermore, you need to have a strong interest in supplying and product development. In order for you to be successful in the job as Business Area Manager, you also need to have;

• Proven record of passionate and strong senior leadership – developing, inspiring, leading, coaching and influencing other senior leaders and specialists
• Proven record of successful business development and performance over time – business planning, setting and implementing action plans, providing clear direction and following up as well as consistently meeting agreed budgets and goals
• Strong communicative skills and great passion in leading, inspiring and empowering co-workers as well as other stakeholders, in a complex and fast paced organisation 
• Strong networking capabilities inside and outside of IKEA and the ability to engage a variety of receivers by creating a passion for our business and action plan
• Proven ability to prioritise and organise your own work as well as the work of others in order to make the most efficient use of time available 
• Curiosity driven problem solver with a playfulness in everything you do 
   

Please send your application – CV and letter of motivation – in English as soon as possible. We really want to get to know you, so make sure you tell us why you want to work at IKEA and why you would be a good fit for this role under message to Hiring Manager. If you have any questions regarding this the role or recruitment process please contact Recruitment Specialist, AnnaMaria Edring at +46 723 527178.

Please note that we will continuously look at applications so don't delay, make sure to show us your interest in the role as soon as possible, and by 13th of October at the latest. We look forward to receiving your application!