Ice Cream Global Media Trading and Agency Management Lead

UNILEVER IS LOOKING FOR An Ice Cream Global Media Trading and Agency Management Lead

ABOUT ICE CREAM: Life Tastes Better with Ice Cream

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. All brands are driven to transform moments into memories through indulgent yet responsibly made and marketed products. We have a well-developed strategy to deliver growth and value creation which is clear on where to play and how to win.

We turn the ordinary into the extraordinary by designing unique and innovative Ice Cream experiences that make life taste better, creating joyful experiences. In our Ice Cream business, we’re crafting the future through innovation and imaginative minds, creating unique products. We spark moments of happiness for people and within the communities where we operate. However, it is not as simple as it may seem. As Ice Cream makers we are serious about happiness. With warm hearts, we create the coolest products.

BUSINESS CONTEXT:

Media investment (Advertising) is a critical growth driver for Ice Cream and a significant expense item on the P&L. Maximising return on this marketing investment and delivering competitive advantage for business growth is therefore a key priority. As the media landscape changes, so does our consumer’s behaviour and this requires us to change the way we invest our media/marketing budgets and analyse both value and performance.

We need to make more informed choices on our media deployment and how we reward our partners, ensuring that the remuneration model is fit for purpose and is rewarding the right behaviours given the current landscape.

We also need to ensure that all our contracts are structured appropriately and have the right KPIs embedded within, whether they are competitive relies on us enhancing our understanding and performance across all areas of media and driving innovation and outputs that deliver a real commercial advantage and maximises ROI.

JOB SUMMARY:

The role will be responsible for managing and leading the commercial conversions with all our major partners (including digital media) within the media eco-system. This will include our agency networks, our media partners and other suppliers in the media/ad-tech space. They will be responsible for leading some of our larger negotiations, this will include the development of the strategy, conducting the negotiation, developing KPIs and agreeing terms. They will also be responsible for ensuring delivery over both the short and long term of the agreed contracts and will be expected to track and monitor performance of all partners.

This person will be an expert in negotiation, will understand how to run and manage complex value programmes and agency deal books. They will be required to have a high level of knowledge around how media deals are structured (both visible and hidden) and should be able to manage relationships with external companies who will assist them in the delivery of terms for Ice Cream.

Given the digital nature of Ice Cream Media budgets, the role will be responsible for leading and developing best in class solutions for all areas of digital trading and performance measurement from both our media partners and agencies. This will be across technology, data, value and performance areas, relating to predominantly to Programmatic and Biddable media planning, trading and buying.

They will need to be able to manage multiple stakeholders inside and outside the business with differing levels of seniority. They need to explain the complex in an easy and simple manner and must be able to relate to, manage and support all members of the team and those in Market.

The manager will also play a crucial role in helping to establish and evolve working practices in media trading (incl. digital), agency management and for trading performance benchmarking and analysis Ice Cream. They will work very closely with the media partners and the media leads in the markets, The role will drive learning and knowledge across the whole of Ice Cream and will offer full support to the media teams, our agencies and marketing.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Agency Management

• Manage media reviews and support media leadership on running reviews, agency selection and the identification of additional business benefits both quantitative and qualitative
• Appointment and management of media advisors to manage the global agency relationships
• Ensure the Master Services Agreement and key agency terms are always up to date, working with external legal consultant for implementation of the contract.
• Ensure compliance with all agency contract terms
• Ensure that all terms are fully implemented in market
• Dispute resolution on specific items within in the contract ion areas such as pricing, fees, incentives, KPIs, or scope of work

Buying and performance management

• Management of media cost and savings delivery in all clusters through active management of agency performance
• Resolution of discrepancies in relation to pricing commitments
• Review and authorisation of significant adjustments to media delivery that has a direct impact on KPIs or changes the investment structures within the MSA/LSAs or similar.
• Provide guidance to media teams and markets on pricing, inflation measurement, audit and calculation mechanics etc.

Media Audit Management

• Appointment, contracting, and monitoring of [media] Audit Company(s), ensuring timely and accurate delivery of media agency performance
• Management of financial audit for verification of agency fee, rebates, inflation
• Working with Unilever corporate audit teams and ensuring that all specific issues highlighted in the audit reports are actioned
• Support Marketing on the continued development of the productivity programme for BMI Advertising and identify, quantify and validate savings opportunities

Financial /Reporting/Scorecard:

• Identify indirect taxation opportunities with tax team and action
• Regularly reporting for Global Marketing, Global Finance etc on delivery, ongoing status and potential changes within the value management.
• Ensure the global agency appraisal process is completed on time and in full and action plans agreed and implemented
• Compiling, reporting and collection of rebates

Vendor management and deal negotiation

• Negotiation of the commercial side of the Media Vendor JBP’s
• Tracking and recording value delivery against the deals
• Tracking spend levels and informing the markets of opportunities
• Monitoring overarching spend and development of new value initiatives

Digital trading excellence and ad tech management

• Drive Media ad-tech roadmap across technology, data, planning, and performance tracking and auditing
• Deliver best in class technology stack including ad serving, dynamic content delivery, ad verification, DSPs and DMPs and related areas to drive best practice and deliver competitive advantage.
• Develop methodologies to track and monitor digital competitive advantage
• The role will focus on delivering the following key success measures
• Effective management of Agency MSA’s
• Effective implementation of MSA at BU level via LSA’s
• Monitoring of pricing/savings/inflation/deflation targets/KPIs
• Effective administration productivity programme in BMI Advertising
• OTIF delivery of internal reporting formats

WHAT YOU NEED TO SUCCEED:

SKILLS:

• Value and effectiveness mind set
• Ability to see and develop a full strategic approach
• Expert and experienced negotiator across all forms of media
• Strong communication, stakeholder management and consultative skills
• High Bias For Action
• Accountability & Responsibility mindset
• Innovative and creative approach to structuring negotiations and outcomes
• Analytical
• Financially astute
• Ability to be a self-starter and take personal ownership

EXPERIENCES & QUALIFICATIONS:

• Minimum 8-10 years’ experience in media trading, of which a portion should be in a digital media trading environment.
• Must understand how media dealing works and the agency trading books.
• Good knowledge of the media consultancy space and media vendors and relationships at a senior level.
• Must also understand digital performance and value analysis.
• Experienced with all types of data and how to develop and deploy it correctly.
• Should also have practical financial and experienced administrative skills.
• Must be able to build relationships with senior stakeholders, peers and vendors.
• A good knowledge of Unilever process and protocols would be desirable but not essential.