Assistant Procurement Manager (Senior Buyer) - Packaging - Flexible packaging

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. Our strategy begins with a purpose that places consumers at the heart of everything we do: Brighten everyday life for all. Our goal is to deliver best-in-class performance with market-making, unmissably superior brands. 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 collaborative, and flexible working environment. Our organizational ambition centers around creating workplaces that foster equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging across all aspects of our business. 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.

ABOUT PROCUREMENT

Part of the Supply Chain family, Procurement is responsible for over 30B Euro of material and services spend globally with more than 60,000 suppliers. Getting the right services and 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 stakeholders needs, bring innovation to meet changing consumer, employees and customers needs, and drive financial value for Unilever through competitive buying. We’re at the forefront of digital procurement, bringing new tools and analytics to drive data-based decisions. Our strategy is ‘Procurement with Purpose’ and focuses on buying responsibly, buying better, and growing together with partners around the world. Our ambition is based on three key drivers: being Purpose-Led, Value-Driven, and Future-Fit.

JOB PURPOSE:

The Category Procurement team is the face of the business to the Portfolio Procurement teams (buyers) and suppliers and the face of procurement to the full cross functional team, such as Marketing, Supply Chain, R&D, etc. In the position, you will be supporting and representing Procurement to the specific Category in Europe. Be ready to get exposed and out of your comfort zone! You will be directly exposed to all major functions and to the regional category leadership team frequently.
If you are looking for a “step-up” on your learning, see pressure as motivation, enjoy negotiations (internal and external), want to have an E2E business mindset, love sustainability, love people interaction, love project management, love people development… This role will create high visibility across different functions and can be a great step for future careers both within Procurement as well as with the other functions we work closely with. So come join us!

WHAT WILL YOUR MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES BE:

Procurement:

· Execute buying strategy aligned with the EU and global strategy business needs

· Supplier Relationship Management responsibility and accountability.

· Support the Procurement Packaging Manager for the global or regional negotiations or even lead some local tender & negotiations on specific parts of the EU Decoration portfolio

· You will need to constantly develop suppliers and new origins needed in line with business growth and innovation priorities.

· Communicate and execute the supply strategies and maintain connections with key Business Units/Business Groups.

· Follow market conditions, and lead price forecasting cycles.

· Execute contract negotiations, leveraging the business and digital tools for support as needed.

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

· Drive portfolio management together with the relevant material expert teams to deliver portfolio excellence in specifications management, formulation and blend flexibility and other R&D pillars.

· Support the Cash Flow and Working Capital plans for the portfolios.

· Manage supply chain issues (e.g. crisis management) involving stakeholders as needed.

Innovation / rejuvenation projects:

· Participate in cross functional project teams for Innovation and Rejuvenation as the Procurement partner

· Lead Procurement input for decision making at leadership team level (innovation gatekeeping meetings for example) e.g. pricing of materials, risk statements, lead times, savings potentials and financial impact

· Brief Portfolio Procurement on upcoming innovations and initiate contracting requests to the buyers,

· Identify (new) raw and pack materials introduced by Innovation projects together with business partners and ensure timely introduction, at a competitive price, ensuring supplier selection is in line with our Procurement Strategies and with sufficient capacity for growth

· As part of OTIF project delivery follow-up with Portfolio Procurement and suppliers to secure supplier capacity and capability for strategic growth and ensure contract creation and 1st delivery in a timely manner to meet first production dates

5S / Value Improvement

· Act as the procurement interface for the Category team’s 5S related activities.

· Support on delivering the material cost savings target via Smart Buying and Smart Product and building the strategic roadmap for the value improvement workstream, in line with USLP strategy.

· Support on 5S projects (e.g. alternative supplier approvals, material changes) and ensure they are recorded by the Procurement Portfolio teams in our savings reporting systems.

Other

· Support ASA/ AMA (alternative supplier/alternative material) projects delivery for either resilience or 5S reasons

· Support on regulatory related topics (e.g. origin of materials, regulatory changes that may impact business and category)

· Support Procurement Operations with insights from business

· Lead/support Sustainability projects (ex. better, less and no plastic agenda)

This role will interface with the following stakeholders:

Internal:

· Procurement:

o Procurement portfolios (global and regional)

o Procurement operations (global and regional)

o Collaborative manufacture

o Sustainability teams

· Supply Chain (P&I, Manufacturing, Planning)

· R&D (RDC, GDC, MET, TPLs)

· Marketing

· Finance (Category, Procurement)

· CCBT teams

· Quality

· AW team

External:

· Suppliers

WHAT YOU NEED TO SUCCEED

·

Experience & Qualifications:

· University/Bachelor degree or relevant experience

· Minimum 3 years working experience in Procurement or Supply Chain (preferably within category procurement)

· Experience in Procurement and/or Innovation Management preferably in FMCG

· Experience of working in cross functional project teams

· Basic understanding of Finance

· Experience within MS Office and SAP will be of a great value

Skills:

· Self Management (priority setting, risk analysis, resources)

· Take ownership and responsibility; have energy and drive

· Be result and solution oriented

· Networking and relationship management

· Excellent communication skills

· Analytical skills

· Project management skills

· Drive for team alignment; be able to work in networks; be able to work independently

· Ability to work in virtual teams

· Good understanding of business economics

· Supply Market Intelligence and Analysis - Collecting Relevant Information; Analyzing Supply and Demand Market Behavior and Understanding Key Cost Drivers & Price Trends

· Managing Partnerships and Relationships (e.g. managing the ongoing relationship to deliver value to the business)

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.

SOL (Standards of Leadership) Behaviours

• PASSION FOR HIGH PERFORMANCE: Takes personal responsibility and accountability for execution and results. Generates intensity and focus to motivate people to deliver results at speed.
• PERSONAL MASTERY: Sets high standards for themselves. Actively builds own wellbeing and resilience.
• CONSUMER & CUSTOMER LOVE: Brings the voice of the consumer into everything we do, always.
• PURPOSEFUL IMPACT: 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.
• TALENT CATALYST: Inspire people to grow, with support and honesty.

WHAT WE OFFER

• Hybrid work and flexibility.
• Opportunities for the development and improvement of qualifications.
• Sharing the cost of professional training & courses.
• Benefits: life insurance, private medical care, pension fund, sharing the cost of sports activities, Benefits System – Cafeteria and many others.
• Extra days off to take care of yourself and others.
• Unilever store - Our products at attractive prices.

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. 

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.

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.