Vice President and Head of Strategy, M&A and Sustainability

Vice President and Head of Strategy, M&A and Sustainability within the Kanthal Division

Kanthal is looking for a Vice President and Head of Strategy, M&A and Sustainability to lead the division’s strategic agenda and support continued growth, profitability and long-term development. This is a senior leadership role where strategy, market intelligence, mergers and acquisitions, and sustainability come together to support business impact across the division.

Your Mission

As Vice President and Head of Strategy, M&A and Sustainability, you are responsible for driving and governing Kanthal Division’s strategic process You will ensure alignment between Group strategy, divisional priorities and Business Unit Strategies, while preserving Business Unit accountability for strategy development, execution and business performance. Your role is to provide direction, structure and challenge, enabling the Business Units to translate strategic priorities into business results.

Working closely with the President of Kanthal, the Division Management Team, Business Units and key stakeholders across Kanthal you will combine long-term strategic direction with practical execution to strengthen Kanthal’s market position, profitability and long-term competitiveness.

A central part of the role is to establish clear frameworks, processes and ways of working that support strategy development, execution and follow-up. You will ensure that strategic activities reinforce each other and support both organic and inorganic growth ambitions, as well as revenue and EBIT targets.

You will lead a team of three specialists, report to the President of Kanthal and be part of the Kanthal Division Management Team. The position is based in Stockholm, Hallstahammar or Sandviken and has an international scope, including regular interaction with stakeholders across Kanthal and Alleima as well as international travel.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the Division’s strategy process and act as a trusted advisor to the President, Division and BU Management Team.
• Lead and develop the Strategy, M&A and Sustainability team.
• Drive strategic initiatives that strengthen Kanthal’s market position, profitability and long-term competitiveness.
• Coordinate the annual strategic planning cycle, including strategic analyses, scenario planning, portfolio reviews and recommendations.
• Develop business intelligence capabilities covering market, competitor, technology and macroeconomic insights.
• Lead the Division’s M&A agenda, from opportunity identification, target screening and strategic assessment to due diligence oversight, valuation support and integration planning.
• Build and maintain a proactive acquisition pipeline aligned with Kanthal’s strategic priorities.
• Ensure sustainability considerations are integrated into strategy, business planning, and investment decisions.
• Initiate and lead strategic projects supporting both Divisional and Business Unit priorities.

Background and Experience

We are looking for a commercially minded and analytical leader with a strong strategic foundation and experience creating business value in complex international environments. You have a relevant university degree, for example within Industrial Engineering and Management, Finance, Business Administration or a related field, and bring senior experience from management consulting, corporate strategy, business development, M&A or a similar strategic role in a global organization.

You have experience from strategy development and execution, business transformation, market and competitive analysis, M&A and integration activities, as well as leading cross-functional initiatives and influencing senior stakeholders. You combine data, market insights and strategic thinking into clear recommendations and practical actions and are able to translate long-term ambitions into measurable business outcomes. You are comfortable challenging established thinking, facilitating strategic discussions and translating long-term ambitions into measurable business outcomes.

As a leader, you build trust and engagement through collaboration, transparency and clear communication. You create alignment around a common direction and have experience developing teams and talent. You are comfortable navigating uncertainty and working across functions, cultures and organizational levels. Excellent communication and presentation skills in English are required, and Swedish is considered an advantage.

If this sounds like your kind of challenge, apply today by submitting your CV no later than the 27th of September. 

In this recruitment process Kanthal is collaborating with Novare Executive Search. For more information about the position, please contact Viktor Karlsson, viktor.karlsson@novare.se. Please note that we do not accept applications through e-mail. The screening and interview process can start before the last day of application

Work with Us

At Kanthal and Alleima, we believe that diversity and inclusion drive innovation and business success. We offer a workplace where people are empowered to grow, contribute and make a lasting impact.

Safety and health are always our highest priorities. We offer competitive compensation and benefits and continuous learning opportunities.

You will become part of a global industrial leader with ambitious growth plans, strong sustainability commitments and a culture characterized by collaboration, innovation and accountability.