Procurement Packaging Director

Unilever Procurement is responsible for over 30B Euro of material and services spend globally with more than 50,000 suppliers. Getting the right materials, sustainably sourced and ensuring responsible procurement is critical to ensuring our brands with purpose grow. Our teams work closely with the business to understand brand needs, bring supplier innovation to meet changing consumer needs and drive financial value for Unilever through competitive buying. We are at the forefront of digital procurement, bringing new tools and analytics to drive data-based decisions.  

With over 1400 employees globally, we support a network of thousands of suppliers, more than 1.5 million smallholder farmers who in turn support communities of over 7 million people. Our procurement lighthouse strategy has Competitive Buying in the center and focusses on Sustainable sourced, Partnerships, end to end Value Chain optimization and superior availability of materials and services. Our lighthouse strategy supported by a Talent powerhouse and inclusive team and powered by Technology.

The Impact of the Procurement Materials Team

The Materials team is composed of portfolios such as Fragrances & Flavors, Palm & Oleochemicals, Packaging and the management of Unilever Oleo Chemicals Indonesia factory. The purpose of Raw Materials team is to drive the implementation of the Procurement Lighthouse Strategy in the sourcing and supply strategy of our materials being managed in and servicing all Unilever Business Groups and Unit. Together with the 300 procurement professionals and 700 manufacturing colleagues, we manage all the portfolios globally, with close connection to our business spread around the globe.

Main Job Purpose:

(A concise statement setting out the main purpose and objectives of the job.)

Best balance cost, availability, sustainability and partnerships in the Packaging portfolio, helping achieving Unilever Growth Action Plan and the procurement Lighthouse strategy. The packaging portfolios of Pumps & Triggers, Moulds for Rigids applications, Tub & Lids, Tubes, Labels and Sleeves. Spend approx. 600m Euro. The role is also responsible for the development of the Premium Packaging strategy, together with the other packaging portfolios, and further expands the Southeast Asia Packaging hub. Leading team of approx. 20 procurement profession based in our global, market locations.

Key Accountabilities:

(Please describe the responsibilities and end results that would be expected.)

This places great demands on skills and expertise but also requires huge amount of pioneering, entrepreneurial and partnership spirit.

• Develop and maintain the material Portfolio strategy for Pumps & Triggers, Moulds for Rigids applications, Tub & Lids, Tubes, Labels and Sleeves.
• Ensure that the Portfolio strategy is leveraging Global scale, but tailored and addresses specific Business Groups needs, such as premiumization.
• Ensure that the Portfolio strategy is leveraging our lighthouse strategy (Value chain optimization, sustainability: plastic ambitions, superior service and resilience)
• Develop the supplier partnership framework and engagement model to be deployed globally for today and tomorrow’s portfolio.
• Conduct joint business development plans with key partners and manage ongoing relationship.
• Create multi-year, cost savings program funnel for market deployment, optimizing E2E chains.
• Develop best in class contracting strategies for commercial agreements. Leverage global benchmarking to identify areas of commercial opportunity across markets.
• Liaise with other senior executives across the organization to ensure procurement. strategies and activities are integrated with other parts of the business and aligned with the overall objectives.
• Support the business delivery and professional development of the direct reports (managers) and indirect reports (assistant managers).
• Agree on best strategies on Risk management for the portfolio, together with Commodities Risk Management team, identify and execute physical hedging opportunities, including support on definition of economic assumptions for forecast purposes.
• Provide reliable and accurate forecast of market and UL portfolio prices. This role is part of Materials Procurement Leadership Team.

Skills & Experience Required:

(The minimum requirement from the JSP should be described, incl degrees, qualifications preferred.)

Below are the differentiating skills which are important to be effective in this Portfolio Sourcing role.

These skills include:

Key Skills

• Procurement sourcing strategy; Supplier analysis
• Value chain understanding Supplier negotiation;
• Contract negotiation Strategic partnerships;
• Sourcing resilience Collaboration
• Stakeholder management

Additional Skills

• Risk management
• Industry analysis
• Competitive analysis
• Cost modelling
• Contract management
• Supplier relationship management
• Sustainable sourcing
• Innovation sourcing
• Crisis management
• Effective Communication
• Program management
• Financial acumen

Travel:

(Please make it clear if the job will require travel within the country or abroad and give an idea of how often the candidate will need to be away from home.)

• The role has a global responsibility, therefor some amount of flexibility is required for catering for time-zone differences.
• The role will require regional and global travel (20% of the time)

Contacts:

(Please list any internal and external contacts arising from the job.)

INTERNAL:

Procurement:

• Procurement teams (Portfolios teams, Business Units and Business Groups, Strategy & Insight team, Supplier Operations, and Sustainability)
• UPLT (procurement leadership team) and PCLF (extended procurement leadership team)

Supply Chain

• SC global and regional leaders

R&D

EXTERNAL:

• Suppliers
• Audit companies

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.