Identification & Standardisation Leader - Master Data and Traceability
IKEA Supply Services (Sweden) AB · Älmhult · Tills vidare · Deadline 2026-11-03
IKEA Supply Services (Sweden) AB is looking for an **Identification & Standardisation Leader - Master Data and Traceability** to be based in Älmhult. Working within the Centre of Expertise for Identification and Standardisation, the role focuses on developing a consistent, scalable approach to identifying products, assets, locations, parties, transactions, and events across IKEA’s global value chain. Responsibilities include defining frameworks based on GS1 standards, advising digital and business teams during transformation initiatives, and establishing governance for master data and interoperability. The position also entails **representing IKEA externally** in GS1 working groups, industry forums, and regulatory networks to track evolving standards and requirements. Candidates must hold a **university degree or equivalent professional experience** alongside deep expertise in identification systems, GS1 standards, master data management, and traceability. The role requires strong technical familiarity with concepts such as GTIN, GLN, SSCC, GDSN, EPCIS, and GS1 Digital Link, as well as an understanding of Product Information Management, enterprise architecture, and emerging regulations like Digital Product Passports and EUDR. Applicants should also demonstrate proven experience influencing stakeholders without formal authority in complex global environments and have full professional fluency in English.
Company Description
IKEA Supply is responsible for securing that the IKEA product offer is produced and delivered to customers. Within IKEA Supply, Supply Chain Development brings together capability development across the value chain and supports how we evolve the way we operate Manage Goods Flow End-to-End.
Job Description
At IKEA, identification and standardisation are strategic capabilities that enable trusted data, connected business processes, traceability, regulatory compliance, and seamless information exchange across the value chain. Core capabilities for IKEAs business and digital transformation.
As an Identification and Standardisation Leader, you will be part of IKEA's Centre of Expertise for Identification and Standardisation, guiding and enabling organisations, teams, and initiatives to realise business value through a common approach to identification, master data, traceability, and interoperability. By connecting business needs with global standards and industry best practices, you will help create the foundation for, trusted data, connected processes, efficiency and automatization, regulatory readiness, and business and digital transformation across IKEA
Together with a team of subject matter experts, you will help IKEA establish and evolve a common approach to how products, assets, locations, parties, transactions, and events are identified and connected across business processes, digital products, platforms, and external ecosystems.
The Centre of Expertise works across organisations and functions to ensure that global standards are translated into practical business value. Through expert guidance, governance, and collaboration, the team enables business development, digital transformation, operational excellence, and future regulatory readiness across IKEA's global value chain.
In this role, you will work closely with business leaders, product teams, architects, data specialists, suppliers, and external partners to ensure that identification standards and traceability capabilities are understood, adopted, and implemented in ways that create long-term value for IKEA.
Your Assignment
Develop and Strengthen IKEA's Identification Capability
- Contribute to the development and evolution of IKEA's identification and standardisation capability.
- Define, maintain, and communicate principles, standards, frameworks, and guidance related to identification and GS1 standards.
- Secure a consistent and scalable approach to identifying products, assets, locations, parties, transactions, and events.
- Drive awareness and understanding of how identification supports business performance, data quality, compliance, and traceability.
Enable Business Development and Transformation
- Act as a trusted advisor to organisations, initiatives, and teams seeking to adopt identification standards and traceability capabilities.
- Assess business needs and recommend suitable standards, approaches, and implementation strategies.
- Define and support business and functional requirements related to identification, master data, product information, and information exchange.
- Support pre-studies, proof of concepts, business development initiatives, and digital transformation efforts where standards play a key role.
- Ensure identification requirements are considered early in solution design and business planning.
Drive Collaboration and Governance
- Establish clarity around ownership, decision-making, governance, and exception handling related to identification standards.
- Facilitate alignment across business areas, digital products, platforms, and data domains.
- Promote common, reusable, and interoperable ways of working across IKEA.
- Support stakeholders in balancing local business needs with enterprise-wide consistency and long-term scalability.
Represent IKEA Internally and Externally
- Represent IKEA in GS1 communities, industry working groups, and relevant standardisation initiatives.
- Build strong relationships with external partners, standards organisations, suppliers, and regulatory stakeholders.
- Monitor developments in standards, regulations, and industry practices, translating opportunities and implications into recommendations for IKEA.
- Identify gaps between business needs and existing standards and contribute to the continued evolution of industry standards together with the GS1 community.
Qualifications
Is this the right challenge for you?
You are a strategic and collaborative leader with deep expertise in identification, standards, master data, and traceability. You enjoy working across organisational boundaries and helping others navigate complexity through clear guidance, strong relationships, and a pragmatic approach.
You understand that standards create value only when they are widely understood, adopted, and integrated into everyday business practices.
We believe you have
- Deep expertise in identification systems, GS1 standards, master data, traceability, and interoperability.
- Strong technical knowledge of total Trade Item concept, standards and capabilities such as GTIN, GLN, SSCC, GDSN, EPCIS, GS1 Digital Link, and emerging AI capabilities connected to reaching the next level of use of standards.
- Experience within Master Data Management (MDM), Product Information Management (PIM), data governance, and information exchange.
- Good understanding of traceability requirements, Digital Product Passports, EUDR, and emerging regulatory developments.
- Strong understanding of IKEA's business model, value chain, and operating model.
- Proven experience leading in the unknown and within complex initiatives and influencing stakeholders without formal authority.
- Experience in developing governance models, frameworks, standards, and enterprise capabilities in a global environment.
- Understanding enterprise architecture, digital platforms, integration patterns, and data ecosystems.
- Strong analytical, facilitation, and communication skills.
- Proven ability to build trustful relationships and collaborate across organisations, functions, and geographies.
- University degree or equivalent professional experience.
- Fluent in written and spoken English.
Additional information
We look forward to receiving your application in English. This position can be based in Älmhult, Sweden. We regret that we are unable to handle applications made by e-mail. We encourage you to apply as soon as possible, but no later than 3 Nov. 2026.