Demand Creation Chef

Unilever is currently hiring for: Demand Creation Chef

Location - Cape Town

ABOUT UNILEVER
With 3.4 billion people in over 190 countries using our products every day, Unilever is a business that makes a real impact on the world. Work on brands that are loved and improve the lives of our consumers and the communities around us. We are driven by our purpose: to make sustainable living commonplace, and it is our belief that doing business the right way drives superior performance. At the heart of what we do is our people – we believe that when our people work with purpose, we will create a better business and a better world.
At Unilever, your career will be a unique journey, grounded in our inclusive, collaborative, and flexible working environment. We don’t believe in the ‘one size fits all’ approach and instead we will equip you with the tools you need to shape your own future.

UFS
Unilever Food Solutions (UFS) is the €2.5bn+ foodservice division of Unilever, across 22 Multi Country Organizations (MCOs) in 72 countries. It leads the dynamic food service market across its categories and has ambitious growth objectives. We service operators via providing solutions for restaurants, hotels, contract and independent caterers and deli’s.
UFS is accelerating its digital transformation to fuel growth through data driven and technology enabled go-to-market capabilities.

JOB PURPOSE
As the Demand Creation Chef, you will be responsible for driving new/additional demand via Culinary training for a specific region, working closely with Trade and Territory team members you will connect with operators, trade partners, DSRs and CROs as well as new leads/opportunities.
You will work closely with CD as part of a multi touchpoint contact strategy, led by an integrated digital ecosystem, your focus will be to drive reach and penetration via data driven growth opportunities.
Unilever is the place where you can bring your purpose to life with the work that you do – creating a better business and a better world. If you are a Chef with excellent culinary skills that can be used to build Chef connections and gain influence to inspire and support Chefs to use our solutions and thereby driving growth, this role is just for you!

WHAT WILL YOUR MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES BE (But not limited to):
•Culinary thought leadership with a particular focus on the commercial benefit that UFS can deliver either directly or indirectly via our product or value-added services.
•This will be across key areas such as Food Service Operators, RTM ie. C&C/Trade Partners, Chef’s knowledge exchange and other industry forums.
•Culinary visits will be via planned UFS CRM application, working within the Trade & Territory contact strategy for all F2F calls (and digital when needed). Calls to be focused on creating demand through OTIF implementation of product sampling, relevant ideation session and training program that empowers and stretches the UFS Operators. This will incorporate chef skills, selling skills, presentation and commercial acumen skills enabling UFS operator improve their efficiency and profitability.
•Develop and create world class solution by working closely with key customers and develop solutions (product or service) that increase the reach and penetration benefits that UFS can derive from customer engagements. These solutions will be as below:

• Brilliant Sampling Execution and cooking demo via dish concept solution, product usage application and cooking demo.

• Effectively communicate commercial benefit of UFS product ie. cost benefit, efficiency, and additional profit.

• Present with confidence, enthusiasm, deep knowledge, and passion, while communicating the commercial rationale of UFS products and services.

• Responsible to create higher demand via effective operator recognition of UFS product, dish concept and solutions presented.

• Closure of demo with clear call to action for sales conversion for CD

•Ensure deep understanding of the challenges/pain point that our customers face in their kitchens/operations and solutionise accordingly.
•Fully understand and align to business strategy, along with developing the regional culinary strategy that will enable the sales team to meet area /regional targets of Turnover, volume, reach and penetration Target.
•Ensure KPIs are met and participate in idea generation and execution through regional sales team.
•Build, maintain and utilize a broad food service industry network.

Administration:
•Manage spend to agreed budgets - as per activities on customer route plan (sampling, demos, and training ingredients)
•OTIF submission of reports and 100% utilization of CRM Tools.

Experiences & Qualifications
Minimum:
•Professional Degree from a Culinary Institute
•Proven track record as Chef or Operator, preferably in multiple channels
•Commercially oriented interventions to FS customers (products, solutions)
•Experienced with social media
•Presentation skills
•Food Styling

Preferred:
•Food photography/video and video editing qualification / experience

Skills

•Excellent culinary skills
•Mastering demo’s offline and online
•Kitchen management skills
•Content Curation (Trend & need based), and creation skills.
•Delivering interactive training
•Food Styling, Food Photography
•Social Media influence with impact
•Team Player - Ability to work cross-functionally in order to deliver on customer needs
•Agility - Ability to adapt & drive the change and flexibility to pivot self & others towards business requirements.
•Strong Communication Skills - Ability to use all company digital tools for external & internal communications.
•Knowing the Business - The ability to demonstrate awareness of the food industry and its markets,
•Insights (from data) into action
•Presentation via PowerPoint skills – to create training content

Leadership
•You are energized by delivering fantastic results. You are an example to others – both your results and your resilience. You are constantly on the lookout for better ways to do things, engaging and collaborating with others along the way.
•As an individual you are the one responsible for your own wellbeing and delivering high standards of work. You must also focus on the Consumer and what they need. You are humble and have your head up, looking around to interpret evidence and data smartly, spot issues and opportunities to make things better.

Critical SOL (Standards of Leadership) / UL Behaviors

• PASSION FOR HIGH PERFORMANCE: Takes personal responsibility and accountability for execution and results. Has an owner’s mindset, using data and insight to make decisions.

• PERSONAL MASTERY: Sets high standards for themselves. Actively builds own wellbeing and resilience.

• CONSUMER LOVE: Whatever their role, always looks for better ways to serve consumers. Invests time inside and outside to understand the needs of consumers.

• PURPOSE & SERVICE: Has humility, understanding that leadership is service to others, inside and outside Unilever.

• AGILITY: Explores the world around them, continually learning and developing their skills.

• BUSINESS ACUMEN: Creates sustainable growth with purpose, engaging different partners across the system for change.

Unilever embraces diversity and encourages applicants from all walks of life! This means giving full and fair consideration to all applicants and continuing development of all employees regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, marriage and civil partnership, and pregnancy and maternity. 

Please apply via this portal as e-mail applications will not be processed. By applying to this role, you are confirming that you have informed your Line Manager and that you are at a point in your career with Unilever where it is appropriate for you to be applying for other positions.  

Unilever is an organisation committed to equity, inclusion and diversity to drive our business results and create a better future, every day, for our diverse employees, global consumers, partners, and communities. We believe a diverse workforce allows us to match our growth ambitions and drive inclusion across the business. At Unilever we are interested in every individual bringing their ‘Whole Self’ to work and this includes you! Thus if you require any support or access requirements, we encourage you to advise us at the time of your application so that we can support you through your recruitment journey.