Business Development & Project Leader – West Africa
Our story goes back more than 150 years, to the chilly southern coast of Scandinavia. From our early success in Sweden and Denmark, we’ve grown into the world’s leading specialist producer of plant-based oils, employing more than 4,000 people all across the globe.
We work with our customers to make the products you love even better. The oils we produce go into making your chocolate extra-creamy or putting the crunch into your croissant. And it’s not just food — we work across industries to make products that are higher quality, healthier and better for the planet.
Everything we do is about Making Better Happen™.
AAK Malmö
This position is based in Malmö.
About the role
In this role, you will help drive AAK’s strategic agenda in West Africa by leading important projects and initiatives across Sourcing & Trading and Sustainability. West Africa is one of AAK’s most strategically significant regions, with a large and complex shea sourcing and trading operation across several countries, including Ghana, Burkina Faso, Benin, Nigeria, Ivory Coast, Mali, and others. The region is also home to major sustainability programs, including Kolo Nafaso, which reaches more than 275,000 women shea collectors, as well as a substantial multi-year investment agenda.
This is an individual contributor role based at AAK’s headquarters in Malmö, Sweden, with frequent travel to West Africa. You will report to the Head of Corporate Strategy, with a dotted line to the Head of West Africa, who sets priorities and strategic direction for the role. While the role has no direct reports, you will deliver impact through project leadership, strategic analysis, and close cross-functional coordination across countries, functions, and senior stakeholders.
No two days in this role look the same. One day you may be preparing strategic presentations and investment analysis for the Executive Committee, and the next you may be working hands-on with regional teams to coordinate field programs or support crop estimations on the ground. To succeed, you need to be comfortable operating across this full spectrum: moving between strategic discussions and practical execution, solving complex and often unstructured challenges, and helping turn ideas into action in a fast-moving international environment.
Responsibilities
- Strategic project leadership
- Lead and manage complex strategic projects in West Africa, including shea value chain development, local processing capacity, supply chain infrastructure, and sustainability programs such as Kolo Nafaso and the selected partnerships.
- Drive the structured execution of AAK’s strategic investment agenda in the region by coordinating activities across functions and countries, tracking milestones, managing risks, and keeping senior leadership informed of progress.
- Market insight and strategic analysis
- Build strategic intelligence capabilities to assess crop size, market developments, export and import data, trade flows, and supply-and-demand dynamics that support business decisions.
- Conduct market assessments, investment appraisals, scenario modelling, and competitive intelligence to support decision-making on AAK’s West Africa strategy.
- Monitor developments in the West African shea and oils industry, including competitive, market, and regulatory dynamics, and translate them into timely strategic insight for leadership.
- Governance, coordination and decision support
- Develop and maintain structured project plans, governance frameworks, reporting mechanisms, and risk overviews for major West Africa strategic initiatives.
- Act as the coordination point between AAK’s Malmö-based leadership and the West Africa regional organization, ensuring alignment between group strategy and regional execution across Sourcing & Trading, Sustainability, and sourcing programs.
- Collaborate closely with Sourcing & Trading, Sustainability, Finance, CD&I, Operations, and the M&A team to evaluate partnerships, investments, and strategic opportunities in the region.
- Prepare high-quality executive presentations, strategy papers, and decision documents for the Executive Committee and senior leadership, including progress updates, recommendations, and key decision points
About you
To be successful in the role you need:
- Master’s degree in Business, Finance, Engineering, Economics, or a related field (MBA or equivalent). This is a requirement for the role.
- 3–7 years of experience in strategy consulting, project management, business development, or a related role.
- Experience in international or emerging-market environments is strongly preferred.
- Proven ability to structure, lead, and deliver complex, multi-stakeholder strategic projects from initiation through implementation.
- Strong analytical and research skills, with the ability to assess investment opportunities, conduct market analyses, build business cases, and turn complex information into clear strategic recommendations.
- Strong capability in developing executive-level presentations and strategic documents, translating complex analysis into clear, compelling, and actionable materials for senior leadership.
- Experience working in or with West Africa or similar emerging markets is a significant advantage. Familiarity with the shea value chain, agri-commodity sourcing, or sustainability programs is a strong plus.
- Self-confident, proactive, and able to work independently in a fast-paced and ambiguous environment, moving fluidly between high-level strategic work and hands-on operational coordination.
- Culturally sensitive and adaptable, with the confidence to work effectively across diverse geographies and organizational cultures.
- Willingness and ability to travel frequently to West Africa, estimated at 30–40% of working time.
- Fluency in written and spoken English is required; French is a significant advantage given the francophone footprint of AAK’s West Africa operations.
In return AAK offer
- Join a pioneering company in specialty oils and fats, driving innovation and sustainability.
- In AAK you can work across 25+ countries, gaining international exposure and collaborating with a diverse team.
- AAK invests in your development with training, mentorship, and clear career paths.
- You will contribute to a greener world with AAK's sustainability-focused approach.
- Join a diverse and inclusive workplace that values every individual's perspective and talents.
About AAK
Everything AAK does is about Making Better Happen™. We specialize in plant-based oils that are the value-adding ingredients in many of the products people love to consume. We make these products better tasting, healthier, and more sustainable. At the heart of AAK’s offer is Customer Co-Development, combining our desire to understand what better means for each customer, with the unique flexibility of our production assets, and a deep knowledge of many products and industries, including Chocolate & Confectionery, Bakery, Dairy, Plant-based Foods, Special Nutrition, Foodservice and Personal Care.
Our 4,000 employees support our close collaboration with customers through 25 regional sales offices, 15 dedicated Customer Innovation Centers, and with the support of more than 20 production facilities. Listed on Nasdaq Stockholm and with our headquarters in Malmö, Sweden, AAK has been Making Better Happen™ for more than 150 years.
AAK prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, age, national origin, physical or mental disability, religion, veteran status, and any other class of individuals protected from discrimination under state or federal law in any aspect of the access to, admission, or treatment of students in its programs and activities, or in employment and application for employment.
