Research & Development Manager - Consumer Technical Insights & Product Claims

The Deodorants category is a key part of the Unilever Personal Care Business Group. With a family of Power Brands – Rexona/Sure, Dove, Axe – which are critical growth drivers of the company. This role will be the key Consumer Technical Insights (CTI) & Claims partner of the R&D Head of Rexona Innovation & Antiperspirant Technology Platform benefit platform. 

The role holder will be responsible forleading consumer research claims support for our Rexona/SureBrand, maximising our technology through compelling claims, brought to life through outstanding activations (e.g., demos) – all with appropriate claims support, including executing technical, human panel, clinical or consumer testing.The role holder will also be responsible for bringing new insight to support Rexona innovation and future technology development.

MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES:

The main responsibilities and accountabilities of the role are:

• Delivery of all consumer insight & testing needs for Rexona/Sure innovation projects - this may entail designing Consumer Insight plans, validating consumer perceivable differences in new technologies & new research to unlock new insights on benefit/formats which may lead to new ideas, concepts or projects.  

• Leading the consumer testing programme for Rexona/Sure in key lead markets ensuring product performance is better than key competitors. Ensuring test design & data quality follows best practice outlined by CTI capability. 

• Lead the planning & execution of the technical claims programme for a portfolio of global Rexona/Sure projects using a range of tools to maximise the product story, in order to bring innovation to life for consumers, creating the maximum amount of news from our science and innovation.Through kitchen science demonstrations all the way through crafting animatic and mode of action videos to bring the science to life digitally.

• Delivery of claims substantiation and defence strategies, delivering outstanding communications for our innovations that are robustly supported with technical and consumer evidence – with full alignment of critical business partners (eg marketing, legal, regulatory).

• Support competitor challenge activities by providing guidance, leadership and R&D points of view on competitor claims challenges inbound and outbound.

• Lead consumer insights to inform and underpin programme of work being led from Antiperspirant Technology Platform through to the brand. This may entail leading strategic initiatives, informing, developing & refining work on ‘growth spaces’ relevant to Rexona/Sure. Be resident expert on Sweat consumer insight to provide general support on unanswered consumer questions.

• In partnership with CTI Capability & Clinicals team, ensure the appropriate protocols & methodologies are developed to validate a spectrum of antiperspirant technologies.

• Be a key member of Claims & CTI Community of Practiceto drive consistency, best practice & sharing of learnings & know-how. Driving skills & talent development of your Claims & CTI Team.

SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE REQUIRED:

• Preferred experience in Beauty & Personal Care categories with knowledge of category & consumer fundamentals

• Must have understanding of sensory/clinical/consumer research (quantitative & qualitative), and an appreciation for thefundamental requirements for claims substantiation in FMCG

• A consumer first mindset,a track record of bringing insight to the heart of brands & innovations, to help teams craft compelling mixes

• A creative thinker, with the ability to inspire ideas from insights and spot opportunities for superior claims to outperform our competition

• Ability toform excellent partnerships with internal (e.g., marketing, legal) & external partners (e.g., agencies).