Americas Ombudsman - Veterinary Health

Location: CAN-Ontario-Toronto

We are seeking an experienced and highly trusted Mars Associate to join the Ombudsman team as Americas Ombudsman for the Veterinary Health division.

The Ombudsman plays a unique and important role within Mars. As a confidential, informal, neutral and independent resource, the Ombudsman provides Associates with a trusted channel to discuss any work-related issue, question or concern.

At the same time, the role partners with leaders and the broader organization to strengthen Associate engagement, identify emerging themes and opportunities, and help ensure that our everyday actions remain aligned with The Five Principles and the Associate Concept.

At its heart, this is a role for someone who cares deeply about our Associates, understands our culture and business, and can build trust at every level of the organization.

What will you do?

Provide a neutral, independent, informal and confidential channel for Associates to raise work-related questions, concerns and issues.

Listen, coach and help Associates explore constructive options for addressing workplace challenges.

Support conflict resolution through coaching, facilitation, mediation, informal fact-finding and other appropriate approaches.

Help Associates understand relevant Mars policies, practices, The Five Principles and the Associate Concept.

Where appropriate and with the Associate's permission, engage relevant parties to clarify issues and support mutually agreeable resolutions.

Guide Associates toward appropriate formal channels where concerns involve matters such as whistleblowing, fraud, inappropriate behavior or other issues requiring formal investigation or resolution.

Encourage effective use of existing internal resources, including Line Managers, P&O, Ethics & Compliance and other relevant channels.

Develop strong, trust-based partnerships with leaders while maintaining the independence and neutrality essential to the Ombudsman role.

Provide senior leaders and key stakeholders with anonymized insights, themes and analytics arising from Associate concerns.

Act as an organizational “sensor,” identifying emerging trends, Associate relations risks and potential areas of concern before they escalate.

Provide upward feedback where there may be gaps between the organization’s stated values, policies or objectives and Associates’ lived experience.

Recommend improvements to policies, processes, systems and ways of working that can help Mars become an even better place to work.

Coach leaders on people-management challenges and approaches where appropriate.

Conduct Associate outreach to gather insights that can help leaders develop meaningful action plans.

Support the orientation and onboarding of new leaders.

Promote awareness and understanding of the Ombudsman Program through site and market visits.

Contribute to or lead initiatives that strengthen the Ombudsman Program, including communications, analytics, capabilities and continuous improvement.

Coach and mentor Associates in taking ownership of their career development and progression at Mars.

Operate in alignment with the International Ombuds Association Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice.

What are we looking for?

This role calls for a highly experienced Mars Associate with strong judgment, credibility, empathy and the ability to influence without formal authority.

Experience and qualifications

• A Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience preferred.
• A minimum of 10 years’ Mars experience, or a combination of approximately 5+ years in an acquired business and 5 years at Mars.
• Broad and diverse career experience within the organization.
• Experience across different geographies, segments and/or functions is highly desirable.
• A strong understanding of Mars, its culture, business environment, regional and global strategies, and organizational challenges.
• Demonstrated ability to build trusted relationships with senior executives, leaders and Associates across all levels.
• Strong coaching, consulting and influencing skills, particularly in situations where you do not have formal authority.
• Experience navigating complex, sensitive and ambiguous situations with discretion and sound judgment.
• Strong oral and written communication skills.
• Strong analytical capability and confidence using technology, including emerging tools such as AI.
• Excellent command of English; an additional language relevant to the Americas and complementary to the team’s existing capabilities would be an advantage.
• Demonstrated effectiveness working across cultures and within diverse teams.
• Candidates may come from any Mars segment or function. What matters most is the breadth of experience, depth of cultural understanding, credibility and ability to establish trust across the organization.
• The qualities that will help you succeed
• Integrity and trust
• Exceptional listening skills
• Approachability and empathy
• Emotional intelligence
• Patience, compassion and composure
• Managerial courage
• Strong conflict-management skills
• Organizational agility and business acumen
• The ability to influence without authority
• Sound problem-solving and decision-making
• Strong collaborative relationships
• Authenticity and openness
• Flexibility and adaptability
• Personal resilience
• A unique career opportunity
• The Ombudsman role is unlike most roles at Mars. It requires independence, discretion, resilience and the ability to operate effectively across a wide range of complex and often sensitive circumstances.
• There is also a significant travel component, expected to be 40% or more, reflecting the importance of building relationships and maintaining visibility with Associates and leaders across the Americas.
• Given the nature of the position, the Ombudsman assignment is expected to be the final role in an Associate’s Mars career.
• This is an opportunity to use your experience, credibility and understanding of Mars to make a meaningful contribution to Associates, leaders and the continued strength of our culture.
• Interested?
• If you are passionate about The Five Principles, committed to creating an environment where Associates feel heard and supported, and interested in using your experience to help strengthen our culture across the Americas, we encourage you to apply.
• We welcome interest from Associates across functions and segments who believe their experience, judgment and personal qualities align with this unique opportunity.
• The base pay range for this position at commencement of employment is expected to be between the below range CAD 169,766.00 - CAD 222,817.00. Please note: This job posting is for an existing vacancy. AI is used as a supporting tool in our recruitment process.