Associate Director Global Procurement Surfactants

JOB PURPOSE

You will lead innovations, big and small, that will make our business win and grow. You will learn from brilliant business leaders and colleagues in a truly global and diverse culture to ultimately become a better you. If you are passionate about procurement and its role in driving a positive impact for the business, our customers, and consumers then this role is just for you.

In this role you will be responsible for playing a leading role in the end to end professional sourcing strategy and its ongoing evolution with the surfactants teams, the business groups and R&D teams.

You will be responsible for the professional sourcing of a highly strategic Oleochemical and Surfactants portfolio across North America, Latin America and our global business. As one of the world’s leading players within the Home, Personal Care, Beauty and Well Being categories, Unilever is therefore one of the largest users of Surfactants and Oleochemicals. This role is responsible for the procurement of core surfactants like Sodium Lauryl Ether Sulphate, Alcohol Ethoxylates, Taurates and Isothienates. The spend responsibility of the role is > €300mln per year.

Responsibility will include supplier relationship management & contract management (commercials) of several global, regional, and local partners as well as End-to-End supply chain operations management and innovation support.

Consumption is spread across clusters with a large number of local, regional, and global suppliers. Since Unilever directly procures primary feedstock of surfactants, it is extremely critical to understand the value chain and manage each step in the chain. The procurement process involves good understanding of the surfactant and feedstock markets and close alignment with both internal and external stakeholders. The role encompasses both business and procurement skill sets.

The role has a leading part to play in our Value Chain Integration activities across the surfactant spend base and geographies from developing ideas to formal business case proposals to final execution of integration plans, capex and builds.

You’ll be part of a team that believes in doing work that matters — for people and the planet.

Because here, we don’t just hire for jobs. We invite you to be part of something bigger.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Executive Procurement management of a surfactant’s portfolio mostly in the America’s region but also global: Decides where to buy, how to buy, when to buy for the spend of > 300m Eur.

• Lead the continuous techno economic assessment of surfactant value chains to identify and unlock trapped value in surfactant value chains all the way to end use.

• Structure and manage key partnerships within Surfactants industry to deliver against value, purpose, and future-fit goals.

• Lead or play a leading role in several business-critical value chain integration projects for Unilever. This includes supporting the business cases and adapting them to new realities, landing the programs, and supporting engineering and service contracts, business, and supply contracts.

• Develop and implement strategies for procurement of the respective portfolios and assess, identify, and select the appropriate supplier base that would meet the needs of the business.

• Responsible for delivery of Procurement Key Value Platforms (Our Lighthouse Programs), such as Competitive Buying, Value Chain, Sustainability, Partnership, Superior Availability and Powered by Technology.

• Ensure the right degree of resilience is delivered for the business through our supply strategies continuously developing flexibility and alternative supply sources.

• Support the security of supply of key materials through the development of contingency plans and alternative materials/suppliers.

• Close working with Suppliers and consuming countries to ensure material availability.

• Work closely with the business groups and support the launch of innovations and new product development.

• Work closely with the Business and suppliers to drive key initiatives such as Sustainable Sourcing, living wage, NDPE, RSP, all aligned with Unilever Sustainability Goals.

• Support the business with accurate price forecasting. Prepares information on purchase prices and conditions to enable proper budgeting and cash forecasting.

• Identify metrics, tools, and process to optimize sourcing, supplier activities, and efficiencies.

• Support delivery of cost savings in line with sourcing strategies and compliance management.

• Deliver the Operation Cash Flow and Working Capital plans for the specific materials/services and suppliers.

• Lead together with our strategy and insights teams the digitization of the portfolio generating more headspace for strategy implementation.

• Support and manage supply chain issues (e.g., crisis management).

• Develop, coach and mentor resources within a high performing and motivated team responsible for interfacing with internal stakeholders and suppliers.

• Work with teams on assessing the best pathways to deliver GHG reductions from feedstock programs through the complex network of surfactants partnerships and suppliers at the lowest imaginable cost to serve.

• Scout for challengers and new capacities that would meet the evolving needs of the business, keep and maintain a healthy pipeline of new projects and programs.

• Responsible for the accelerated delivery of Procurement Key Value Platforms (Our Lighthouse Programs), and influencing across Benchmarking, Competitive Buying, Value Chain, Sustainability, and Technology adoption.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Minimum of 10 - 15 years’ experience in procurement and/or supply chain with preference for experience in surfactant or chemicals industries.

• B.A. in Finance, Commercial Engineering or related field.

• Deep domain experience in Surfactants, Oleochemicals and or other related surfactant industries

• Strong financial and business case acumen to interrogate, design and propose business models and business cases.

• Strong stakeholder management skills

• Drive for operational excellence and execution as well as strategic thinking and foresight

• Understanding Green House Gas management and decarbonization.

• University degree and background in science and technology/value engineering fields.
  

Preferred:

• Experience working in/with global organizations.

• Experience in dealing with cultures and time zones.

• Experience with complex contracting clauses, deal design and

• Outstanding in idea generation, ideas that are forward thinking, and that contribute to creating sustained competitive advantage.

• Strong at selling ideas to his/her business partners, internally and externally, translating these into effective proposals conveying value and communicating it accordingly.

Skills

• Domain experience in Surfactants, Oleochemicals and Bio-surfactant industries.

• Value engineering and deep value identification skills needed to continually understand trapped value and methodologies to identify and unlock.

• Deep cost and should cost value modelling capabilities.

• Supply and Material Strategy process and development - Strategic Sourcing.

• Strong/leading skills in respect of capital expenditure management and business case design.

• Supplier risk and resilience management

• Negotiation strategy and formulation.

• Identifying value creating and innovation opportunities

• Managing Sustainability in complex value chains

• Understanding of exploiting technology for procurement efficiency

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