What are the responsibilities and job description for the Vice President, Operations, American Whiskies position at Pernod Ricard?
Location: Louisville, Kentucky, US
Careers that unlock the magic of human connection
Pernod Ricard is a global premium spirits and wine company. We’re the team behind leading brands such as ABSOLUT® Vodka, Jameson® Irish Whiskey, Malibu®, Kahlúa® Liqueur, Beefeater® Gin, and Avión™ Tequila, as well as many more superior wines and exquisite champagnes!
Working at Pernod Ricard is all about igniting conviviality in all that we do. Derived from the French word, convivialité…it means human connection, authenticity, friendly, and jovial. Conviviality is energy and spirit with a splash of je ne sais quoi and is a core philosophy around how we live and work at Pernod Ricard. Here, we are team players, dream makers, trailblazers, movers and (cocktail) shakers. We have a passion for living life to the fullest, making new friends every day, and realizing our potential as people and as a business!
The salary range for this role, based in Kentucky is $203,040.00 to $253,800.00. The range will vary if outside of this location. Base salaries are determined during our interview process, by assessing a candidate’s experience, skills against internal peers and against the scope and responsibilities of the position.
Role Purpose
Reporting to the Senior Vice President of Operations, you will lead the Pernod Ricard’s North American Distillers (NADL) American Whiskeys locations (Jefferson’s, Rabbit Hole, Smooth Ambler, and TX) with oversight of all processes from grain to glass.
Key Accountability
- Strategy & Insights:
- Overall responsibility for operations includes the long-term operations roadmap, team management, risk management, QSE system, budget process, investments, manufacturing performance, value engineering, continuous improvement, production planning and scheduling, whiskey contracts, barrel procurement, logistics, and warehousing.
- Lead the entities for all operations topics such as technical projects, product quality, environment, risk analysis, health and safety, ISO norms, whiskey and barrel procurement, logistics, bottling, and Capex.
- Based on the long-term commercial sequence, develop the wet goods supply and aging strategy.
- Health & Safety:
- Safety Focus. Building a strong safety culture across all sites to align with Pernod Ricard's class practices.
- Advocate and be the model for all safety standards.
- Partner with the QSE Group for new initiatives and projects.
- Ensure all locations are audit-ready at all times.
- Performance:
- Set, monitor, and evaluate operational KPIs.
- Continuously optimize the performance of our entities, execution, and speed to market to maximize efficiencies, profits, and operational capacity.
- Work closely with procurement, supply, and R&D teams to deliver outstanding quality to our clients and seek opportunities to deliver value engineering and cost optimization.
- Drive continuous improvement and efficiency strategies.
- Operational Impact:
- Leverage NADL Operations network to ensure outstanding operational service. to our internal and external clients.
- Propose an efficient and transversal supply strategy.
- Design the long-term operations roadmap.
- Partner with Engineering on Capex and key industrial projects.
- Optimize continuously the performance of our American Whiskey Locations, execution, speed to market and maximize efficiencies, profits, and operational capacity.
- Management:
- Develop synergies and improvements through procurement network, supply chain structure, and development organization.
- Lead site leaders and provide mentoring and coaching.
- Ensure contract obligations and customer service targets are met.
- Manage and ensure strong cooperation between the American Whiskey Locations.
- Build a strong and diverse team and empower them to go to the extra mile.
- Drive the organization's development and cultural change.
Required Qualifications
- Prior Experience: Equivalent experience of 10 to 15 years of bourbon and/or spirits industry experience.
- Technical Expertise: Strong technical and operational background (bulk processes, regulatory requirements, QSE…).
- Must be able and willing to travel to site locations, as needed.
- Leadership: Ability to inspire and motivate teams and stakeholders, including contract distillation and bulks sales.
- Business Acumen: Excellent synthesis capacity with financial and analytical skills. Proven negotiating, influencing, and problem-solving skills.
- Strategy: Ability to make operational recommendations based on sound financial planning and analysis and long-term business strategies
- Collaboration: Ability to create and maintain strategic working relationships that promote operational effectiveness, high customer service levels, and maximize profits.
- Communication: Ability to interact with a variety of cross-functional teams at all levels of the organization.
Required Leadership Competencies
- Courage: Steps up to address difficult challenges, confront tough organizational issues, make unpopular decisions, forge new ventures, and champion change.
- Strategic mindset: Seeing ahead to future possibilities and translating them into breakthrough strategies.
- Cultivates innovation & experimentation: Creating new and better ways for the organization to be successful. Experimenting and daring to fail to learn and find new solutions.
- Drives results: Consistently achieving results, even under tough circumstances. Being agile and valuing simplicity to execute at high pace.
- Drives engagement: Creating a climate where people are motivated to do their best to help the organization achieve its objectives.
- Builds diverse & effective teams: Building & growing strong-identity teams that apply their diverse skills and perspectives to achieve common goals. Promoting diversity and inclusion.
- Collaborates: Building partnerships and working collaboratively with others to meet shared objectives. Be open to different perspectives.
When you join Pernod Ricard, you’ll experience a workplace that is rich in heritage, driven by our iconic brands and a long-standing commitment to sustainability, safety, and giving back to the people and communities where we work. We know that happiness at work starts with that feeling of belonging you get from an inclusive culture where being uniquely you is celebrated. Our values are lived, they drive our behaviors, and it’s what brings our
culture to life
.Our work philosophy celebrates the magic of human connection with the flexibility needed to provide one's most meaningful contribution. We offer a flexible work policy, with most of our positions offering a hybrid or remote option. As a global employer, we understand that not everyone’s working hours are the same, and we empower our employees to work the hours that make the most sense for their and their team’s schedules.
We offer employees great benefits and perks to toast to a life filled with support. Check out
PRUSABenefits.com
for details.Pernod Ricard USA is an Equal Opportunity Employer. It employs qualified individuals based solely on ability, training, and experience, and does not and will not, discriminate for or against any employee or applicant for employment or promotion based upon actual or perceived race, color, religion, sex, age, disability, national origin, citizenship, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, military service or any other classification protected by law. Offers will be subject to United States local terms.
Pernod Ricard USA is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, Pernod Ricard USA will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations for the hiring process. To request reasonable accommodation during the application process, contact your talent acquisition manager.
Job Posting End Date:
Target Hire Date:
2025-04-07
Target End Date:
Salary : $203,040 - $253,800
