Ice Cream Establishments - Vice President HR Services

UNILEVER IS LOOKING FOR AN ICE CREAM VICE PRESIDENT HR SERVICES

JOIN OUR ICE CREAM TEAM!

Location: Weena, Rotterdam – The Netherlands - moving to Amsterdam in Q1-2025.

Local conditions apply  

For the recruitment of this position, we would like to emphasize that local conditions apply to the position and for this vacancy in principle we will first consider candidates based in the Netherlands. If you are based outside of the Netherlands and you are interested to apply, please feel free to do so but we can only take your application on if a decision is made to also recruit outside of the Netherlands.

COMPANY OVERVIEW:

Unilever Ice Cream is the largest global Ice Cream Company in the world, with over 100 years of experience delivering a diverse range of indulgent, yet responsible, craft food experiences and treats delighting consumers. Committed to innovation, quality, and sustainability we have 35 brands, including 3 one billion Euro brands (Magnum, Wall’s, Ben & Jerry’s), a strong presence in over 60 countries, generating annual revenue of over $8 billion.

As we proceed to create world’s largest and leading Ice Creams company, we are seeking dynamic, entrepreneurial & passionate talent with strong expertise & a desire to make an impact.

JOB SUMMARY:

Unilever Ice Creams will form a standalone separate organization from Unilever effective July ’25. This role is tasked to set up an HR services organization that forms the backbone of the HR Operating Model for the new organization. The role offers a unique opportunity to create ground up an HR Services organization (including founding principles that guide the design) and lead the same in the newly formed company.

It will drive focus, expertise and end to end accountability of People Experience services being deployed across the new organization. The role will be leading a large organization across all the markets consisting of Talent Partners, People Partners, Payroll and Operational Hubs. The role will be accountable to the HR Leadership Team (HRLT) as key business stakeholder in bringing to life the HR Total Operating Model. The incumbent will also work closely with the Ice Cream’s Chief Technology Officer and Unilever’s People Experience & Operations VP. Post official separation of Ice Creams organization, the incumbent is expected to continue as the HR Services Lead for the Ice Creams business.

The candidate must have prior leadership experience in HR Services and significant leadership & senior stakeholder experience under their belt. Experience of large-scale change management, organization design, transformation is preferable.

Key Responsibilities:

• Design the HR Services organization that forms the foundation of the Ice Cream HR Target Operating Model including framing the core design philosophy, organization architecture & roles required to deliver a seamless experience.

• Build teams that deliver brilliant Tech enabled self service, Tier 1 support & routine people partnering, talent management & payroll support to this global organization.

• Construct an HR Tech strategy that underpins the low touch hi tech HR design and develop the roadmap for the business to transition into the new tech platforms that meet the dual objective of affordability and high service standards.

• Own the 'translation' of people policies into seamless operation and execution through the service delivery model, creating Service Level Agreements, and bringing the mix of tech and human touch.

• Design workflows that enable simpler, seamless and more effective HR decision making & brilliant experience for customers in HR and business.

• Lead the change management for landing the new HR operating model & be a harbinger of change in the HRLT and the wider Ice Creams organization.

• Stand up the new HR Services organization ensuring no dependence on Unilever in time for Day 0 of separation, actively plan to dis-engage from Transition Service Agreements (where required).

• Provide focused leadership to the delivery of day-to-day People Experience core operational processes (HR Services & Payroll).

• Drive and own the People Experience service strategy across location, people and cost.

• Engage with HR Leadership Team and their leadership teams on People Experience Services topics.

• Actively contribute to the creation of the Marketing Business Service strategy for the Ice Creams organization.

• Build a robust capability plan for continuously upskilling the newly formed HR services organization.

• Lead complex problem resolution relating to People Experience services. Develop service definitions and key indicators to measure the value People Experience provides across the organization.

• Own project delivery for People Experience service management and oversee local deployments at scale.

• Act as the interface between the HR function and Global Service Line Owners.

• Ensure timely delivery on SLA’s against key metrics

• Motivate and mobilise teams with an engaging and persuasive leadership style.

WE ARE LOOKING FOR FOLLOWING EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS:

• An HR professional with 17+ years of experience across a wide range of roles and leadership positions.

• Prior leadership experience in HR Services is a must.

• Experience of large scale change management, organization design, transformation is preferable

• Owners’ Mindset: The Ice Creams separation is an exceptional opportunity to design something new – with no holy cows or periphery to limit your vision. We need someone who can think boundary-less & fully own this agenda

• Agile Mindset & Design Thinking: Fast, iterative, prototype thinking.

• Working Knowledge of HR Tech.

Why Join Us?

When Mr. Thomas Walls declared, “We take pleasure seriously” in 1922, he set a standard that has defined us for generations. As the original house of ice cream, we hold this promise at our core, aspiring to be the ultimate pleasure food company by creating an environment where our people thrive, knowing that their growth and success directly fuel our journey in outpacing the industry.

“We take pleasure seriously,” is not merely a slogan – it is a commitment. A commitment to our consumers, our customers, our employees, our shareholders, and the shared future we are building together.

WHAT DO WE OFFER

This is the place where you can be yourself and bring your purpose to life with the work that you do – creating a better business and a better world. We offer an exciting & dynamic work environment where you can make things happen. Furthermore, we offer some great reward and benefits!

• Attractive total remuneration package; excellent company pension, bonus, share scheme.

• Flexible cross-disciplinary career opportunities and a wealth of training opportunities & wellbeing resources whenever and wherever.

• Plenty of company-paid holidays to further ensure your work-life balance is maintained.

• We encourage an inclusive culture, which comes to life with interchangeable public holidays, paid paternity leave of 6 weeks and our transgender policy.

• Under the Hybrid Working principles, you will be expected to spend a minimum of 40%-60% in the office or at customers, suppliers or partners to connect and collaborate.  For the time you work from home, we will ensure you are well equipped. When you are at the office , you can enjoy our tasty canteen with prepped food and own products.

• Informal culture and being the first one trying our new products. 

• My Fitness Plan (reduction on your Fitness Subscription).

• Home work allowance

• Company laptop and mobile phone

• Green Mobility Policy.   

EXCITED?

Join Unilever and our team! To apply, you must do so online. Please do not forget to upload your CV and a motivation letter.  Your application will be reviewed against our requirements and we will be in touch shortly after the closing date to provide you with an update on the status of your application.

Looking forward to meeting you! 

Please note this is a Direct Search led by Unilever. Applications from agencies will not be accepted, nor will fees be paid for unsolicited CVs.

Disclaimer

Equal Opportunity Employer: Unilever is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, or any other basis protected by applicable law, and will not be discriminated against on the basis of disability.