Executive Assistant CPCO

At Barry Callebaut, we are on a journey to transform the cocoa and chocolate industry. As the world’s leading manufacturer of high-quality chocolate and cocoa products, our actions truly shape the future of our industry. We are a business-to-business company, serving the entire food sector, from the cocoa bean to the finest chocolate product. We are a company with a purpose, we believe in doing well by doing good and reinvesting in the communities we operate.

We have a long-standing commitment to sustainability and our goal is to shape a sustainable cocoa and chocolate future. We are headquartered in Zurich, and have more than 12,000 passionate Employees working in more than 40 countries worldwide. We are very proud of who we are and what we do. And of course, we are always looking for talented people to help us have a positive impact on our industry and beyond!

The Executive Assistant to the Chief People & Culture Officer (CPCO) and VP Global Total Reward provides high level administrative and organizational support to enable effective leadership and smooth daily operations. Serving as a trusted partner, this role ensures efficient coordination, clear communication, and strong stakeholder engagement.

Beyond supporting the CPCO, the Executive Assistant leads the Zurich Assistant Network, driving best practices, mentoring peers, and acting as a central coordination point for internal stakeholders.

Executive Support

• Manage and optimize the CPCO’s agenda, ensuring time is allocated to the highest value priorities
• Coordinate complex meeting scheduling, prepare briefing materials, and ensure timely follow ups
• Handle all travel arrangements, including flights, accommodation, transportation, and visa requirements
• Manage invoices, vendor setup, and expense reporting for the CPCO
• Prepare materials, presentations, and documentation for internal and external engagements

Stakeholder & Communication Management

• Serve as a professional and trusted point of contact for internal and external stakeholders
• Build strong working relationships across all levels of the organization
• Ensure clear, timely, and effective communication between the CPCO, leadership teams, and key partners
• Maintain the highest level of confidentiality when handling sensitive HR and organizational matters

Operational & Team Support

• Organization of the annual Chairman’s Awards
• Support the organization of team events, leadership meetings and offsites
• Coordinate onboarding for newcomers, including agendas and integration support
• Track key deliverables, follow up on action items, and help drive operational excellence within the HRLT

Leadership within the Assistant Community

• Lead the Zurich Assistant Network, fostering collaboration and continuous improvement
• Mentor peers, share best practices, and contribute to building a strong, cohesive assistant community
• Act as a central coordination point for assistants supporting leaders

• Commercial apprenticeship with further education as an Executive Assistant (Direktionsassistentin) or equivalent
• Minimum 7–10 years of experience supporting senior executives in fast‑paced, multinational environments
• Demonstrated experience supporting C‑suite leaders, ideally within HR or people‑centric functions
• Fluent in German and/or Swiss German and English; additional languages are an asset
• Strong IT proficiency, particularly in the Microsoft 365 environment
• Experience working in complex, matrixed organizations with multiple stakeholders
• Experience with Concur, SAP, Success Factors, and Service Now
• Familiarity with HR processes, terminology, and organizational dynamics
• Experience leading or contributing to an assistant network or community of practice

At Barry Callebaut, we are committed to Diversity & Inclusion. United by our strong values, we thrive on the diversity of who we are, where we come from, what we’ve experienced and how we think. We are committed to nurturing an inclusive environment where people can truly be themselves, grow to their full potential and feel they belong.#oneBC - Diverse People, Sustainable Growth.