A Global Company with Family Values

From its humble beginnings in the Tacoma, Washington kitchen of Frank Mars, Mars, Incorporated has grown into a company of global scope with six business segments including Chocolate, Petcare, Wrigley Gum and Confections, Food, Drinks and Symbioscience, generating annual revenues of $30 billion.

As a family-owned company for nearly a century, we are guided by our Five Principles: Quality, Responsibility, Mutuality, Efficiency and Freedom. We continually strive to put our Principles in Action in everything we do: making a difference to people and the planet through performance.

Mars Australia

Our Australian business began when we commenced selling the MARS® bar here in 1954. Our first factory was built in 1967, and since then we have grown significantly. We now have six manufacturing sites across Australia, and employ more than 2,000 Associates.

With a turnover exceeding $1 billion we are one of Australia's leading consumer brands companies, supplying local and export customers with high quality Food, Petcare, and Chocolate products.

Although most of our sales are in Australia, we export to more than 15 countries around the world.

Whether it's the simple pleasure of savouring the world's best-loved chocolate and confectionery, the warmth that a healthy and contented pet brings to your family, or the rewards that come from creating fantastic tastes in your own home, Mars is the company behind many of the enduring brands Australians have come to know and trust.

Our Brands

® Registered Trademark

Purchasing & Commercial

Commercial, our purchasing function, manages the global network of suppliers who provide our goods and services. Understanding the consumer's perspective, material functionality and the entire supply chain for the materials we buy, we use this understanding to influence the direction of our businesses and relations with our suppliers, the industry and regulatory agencies. At Mars, the purchasing function is known as Commercial due to the broad perspective and understanding that is gained. We take a long-term view on the goods and services we use and the businesses that provide them. We work to ensure that our sourcing practices reflect our mutuality principle in every respect including long-term sustainability of all the materials we use. We are free to invest in the long-term development of materials, technologies, origin countries and suppliers to advance our sustainability and business objectives.

The Commercial function at Mars attracts applicants from a wide and diverse range of studies. There is no right or wrong formula when placing a graduate into a Commercial role. What is important however, is that you enjoy working in a fast paced environment and have good negotiation and interpersonal skills.

Qualifications we look for

Whether you have studied Agricultural Science, International Trade, Environmental Studies, or another degree that you never thought would be applicable to the Mars business - take a look below to find out why a role in Commercial might be just what you are looking for:

Agricultural Science/Animal Science

Many of the raw materials that go into our products are sourced from the cereals, poultry, beef and diary industries. It is vital that we have people who understand these disciplines and the suppliers and producers who operate within them.

Business/Commerce

As our Commercial function deals with a diverse external supplier base it is critical that our Associates have a broad understanding of key external and internal influences that affect purchasing decisions. Different economic conditions, currency volatility, historic pricing trends, etc. can all impact the decision on when and how to procure the range of goods and services required.

Engineering

When dealing with highly sophisticated suppliers, we need people who have the technical understanding to ensure that our materials are produced and delivered to a predetermined specification to deliver the efficiencies and quality standards that our consumers expect.

International Trade

When dealing with the huge range of raw materials, packaging materials and services required by Mars it is inevitable that many of these products will be sourced from outside Australia. As a result Commercial Associates need to know how to trade in foreign countries and deal with people from different cultural backgrounds.

Logistics

It's not all about getting product out to market - we also have to make it! Commercial play a vital role in ensuring that our manufacturing plants are running to plan and that materials are delivered on time, in the most cost effective manner possible while ensuring inventories are kept to minimum.

Procurement & Purchasing

Our buyers are constantly looking to develop and strengthen relations with suppliers while ensuring products are sourced at the best quality and lowest price.
Environmental Studies - a changing consumer environment is demanding the use of more sustainable materials. Commercial is committed to the sourcing of sustainable raws and packaging materials to minimise the impact we as a business have on the environment.

Applications are welcome from all disciplines. Current Commercial Associates hold qualifications in all of the above plus other related areas.

Commercial Graduate: Kate (Petcare)

Studied: Bachelor of Animal Science & Management

I joined Mars as a Commercial Graduate two years ago. From day one I was an important part of the Commercial team with a real role and real responsibilities.

Price and supply risk management are a key aspect of my role. Through a better understanding of this, I now have a far greater appreciation for global economic trends and markets and the impact these have on businesses locally. Commercial in Mars also involves bringing innovation from our suppliers in-house and driving sustainability initiatives through our supplier base.

One of my first roles was as Activity Coordinator where I worked on project teams helping bring innovative ideas to fruition such as the PEDIGREE® Restage in 2008. This involved a re-launch of the PEDIGREE® brand to a stronger balance of health and taste via a product upgrade to improve protein levels, nutritional claims and kibble format. This role gave me great exposure to other internal departments and a broader understanding of the Mars business both locally and overseas.

During my second year of the Graduate Program I was responsible for a number of raw material buying portfolios including: dairy, egg, fresh vegetables and frozen vegetables. In July, I visited our carrot and capsicum suppliers in Queensland to view their extensive farming and processing facilities. I also spent time at James Cook University in Townsville with their Aquaculture Professor investigating the potential application of marine based products in our Petcare range.

One of the great things about working in Commercial is that we get to interact with so many different suppliers and stakeholders within the supply chain across a number of industries providing great variety in a challenging environment.

The opportunities to learn and develop my skills in a career at Mars are limitless. I would highly recommend the Mars graduate program to prospective graduates.

It's all about you!

Mars Australia graduates join a 2-year program aimed to develop both their functional and technical skills as well as provide adequate time for development of leadership capability to enable them to progress to more senior roles. The program expands across all sites and divisions giving graduates the opportunity to work with a range of large brands in Chocolate, Petfood, and Food.

At Mars Australia we believe that our graduates are the future leaders of our business, therefore from the outset, we give them real roles with real responsibility. To support our graduates in achieving this we have structured our program in a way that allows graduates to have the freedom to explore new areas whilst giving them the support and tools they need to develop.

Key Features of the Mars Australia Graduate Program are:

• A comprehensive orientation and induction
• Enrolment in Mars University and in particular the Graduate School designed to fast track graduates 
• Membership with the Australian Institute of Management 
• Real jobs with real responsibilities, from the start
• Line Managers are clear on their role in our Graduate's development 
• Mentoring Program 
• Buddy System 
• Exposure to senior leaders within the Mars business
• Total Rewards - clarity on the full Mars Australia offer

There are far more benefits to working for Mars than just great pay!

At Mars your total rewards are the unique attributes of your employment experience and contribution to our success. Clearly, important elements of this package are our competitive and comprehensive base pay, retirement planning opportunities, paid leave, and income security for death and disability. Our pay principles are simple, competitive, appropriate to sphere of influence, and motivational. We foster the thinking that "if my business unit does well, I will do well" and are prepared to pay 'premium pay' for 'premium performance'. We expect all functions in our business to add value to the total business results.

As we have communicated, your total rewards go beyond traditional pay and benefits to help you prosper. For your contribution to our success, we offer you learning and development opportunities, an autonomous environment that offers open communication and exciting challenges, and recognition and engagement programs.

All of the elements of the total rewards package are consistent with The Five Principles that define us, and are specially designed to meet our Associates' diverse needs.

To give you an idea of what's on offer at Mars......

• Performance based variable pay 
• Matching superannuation contributions (up to 4%) 
• 13 weeks paid parental leave
• Income protection (death & disability) 
• Associate Assistance Program (confidential counseling services FOC for Associates) 
• Discounted health cover
• Discounted mortgages 
• Subsidised canteen meals 
• Staff discounts on Mars products 
• Corporate travel rates (hotels, hire cars etc) 
• Associate celebrations (Associate Christmas party, Family Christmas party, social clubs) 
• Social Clubs 
• Free car parking 
• Bike rack 
• Showers
• Mentoring
• Buddy Program 
• Study Assistance 
• Global Company
• Green & environment policies

Locations

Many Mars Australia sites are located in regional areas where we offer a unique opportunity for our Associates and their families to enjoy fantastic lifestyles in major regional centres whilst offering challenging and diverse employment and career opportunities in one of the World's leading food companies. Mars Australia is a major employer and an important member of these communities and we strive to contribute in many ways to provide local communities with the opportunity to grow and prosper as we do.

Engineering roles are offered at all manufacturing sites, which include Wodonga, Ballarat, Bathurst and Wyong where graduates will be working with our Petcare, Chocolate or Food products. There is a strong bond between our graduates and many make the most of what's on offer in their local areas!

A private business for almost a century, Mars truly has a unique culture. Our focus is our people!

Our Associates

It's all about our people at Mars. We're a family business and this culture pervades every aspect of life here.

Each Associate is directly involved in bringing our business objectives to fruition. We've worked hard over the years to create an atmosphere in which everyone feels personally responsible for the success of our business and reaps the rewards of that success.

Our Associates come from all walks of life and from different countries all over the world. Yet they all share a common passion: they enjoy being part of a business that is diverse, responsible, entrepreneurial, and focused all at the same time.

Mars Associates embrace a culture that promotes teamwork, innovation, and entrepreneurialism. It is the individuality, independent thinking, and creativity of our Associates that drives our growth. It is their passion and commitment that ensures our continued success.

At Mars our business success depends solely on the skills and efforts of our people. That's why we prefer the term "Associate". All Associates have a direct role to play in the pursuit of business objectives, and this common purpose links all who work in the company.

Our continued success depends solely on our people and their personal contribution to our organisation. And that's why at Mars, you're an Associate rather than an employee.

The Five Principles

We at Mars share unique values about our company and the way it should be run. These values - The Five Principles - are the cornerstone of our culture and they set us apart from others, requiring us to think and act differently towards our Associates, our brands, our consumers, our environment, our suppliers, and our business.

With our Associates guided by principles, along with our open work environment, our autonomous operating style, and the freedom we have to shape our own future, we believe, makes Mars a truly unique culture.

Quality

The consumer is our boss, quality is our work and value for money is our goal.

Responsibility

As individuals, we demand total responsibility from ourselves; as Associates, we support the responsibility of others.

Mutuality

A mutual benefit is a shared benefit; a shared benefit will endure.

Efficiency

We use resources to the full, waste nothing, and only do what we can do best.

Freedom

We need freedom to shape our future; we need profit to remain free.