Senior Global Foods Consumer Technical Insight Manager

UNILEVER IS HIRING FOR SENIOR GLOBAL FOODS – CONSUMER TECHNICAL INSIGHT MANAGER

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. We are driven by our purpose: to make sustainable living commonplace, and it is our belief that doing business the right way drives superior performance. 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 inclusive, collaborative, and flexible working environment. 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.

We want our business to flourish, and we know that our success depends on others flourishing around us. That's why our purpose is to make sustainable living commonplace, and why sustainable, long-term growth is at the heart of our business model.

ABOUT UNILEVER FOODS R&D

Foods Business Group (BG) is home to global multibillion-dollar brands such as Knorr and Hellman’s and many strong regional and local brands. Foods BG’s vision is to Bring the taste everyone loves to brighten every day. Foods R&D develops and delivers unmissably superior products and solutions that are Boldly Healthier for People and Planet, rooted in differentiated science and technology. With our global innovation center Hive, in the heart of the Silicon Valley of Food, in Wageningen, The Netherlands, and our network of R&D teams across the world, we work closely with many internal and external partners to create market-winning innovations. Increasingly, Digital and Data are the currency of how we work in R&D, from discovery through product development and deployment. New developments in AI and Data Science will be the crucial differentiator for us to win.

JOB PURPOSE

We are seeking a highly experienced, creative Senior Consumer Technical Insights Manager to join our dynamic team within our Foods business.

The Consumer Technical Insights (CTI) Manager plays a pivotal role in driving the delivery of a Bigger & Bolder innovation pipeline, rooted in insights, and holistically superior products in the marketplace through qualitative, quantitative consumer and sensory research.

In this role, you will both be responsible to build capability and lead the program to drive strategic business decisions. The CTI Manager will work closely with R&D, Marketing, and other business partners to ensure that consumer insights are effectively integrated into innovation, claims and marketing strategies.

If you have a passion for shaping the strategic program and consumer and sensory research, enjoy team work, and have an ability to translate insights into new business opportunities – this is a role for you!

WHAT WILL YOUR MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES BE?

• ​​Offer foresight as well as insight, by proactively identifying consumer and market trends, and using these to help identify strategic opportunities.
• Lead Strategic Understanding Program to apply (new) insight approaches, through partnering with agencies, which improve our understanding of the key drivers of preference.
• Design and implement comprehensive research strategies for long term innovation funnel to gather qualitative and quantitative data on consumer behaviors and delivery for benefit-led technology innovation.
• Drive superior product experiences and holistic design thinking in core brand programs, ensuring practical execution, and winning in the market.
• Collaborate with R&D and marketing teams to integrate consumer insights into product development, ensuring our products meet and exceed consumer expectations.
• Leadership of the capability program (qual, quant and sensory): maintaining our high-quality standard, developing/piloting new methods and models enabled by digital and AI for speed and agility.

SKILLS YOU SHOULD HAVE

• ​​​​Drive for impact. Be pro-active bringing insights and support decision making.
• ​Digital savvy. Leverage technologies aiming to be data driven obsessed (Real-time, predictive insights) and avoid non-add value tasks (Smarter automation).
• ​Build constructive tension in customer interactions to push the customer out of his comfort zone.
• ​Provides a different view of the world to business partners or Finance community
• ​A self-starter with a learning mindset who is exceptionally curious
• ​Comfortable operating in ambiguity and a fast-paced environment; able to take ownership and thrive with whatever is available.
• ​Skilled in preparing effective and well-structured presentations with clear narratives​

THE QUALITIES WE LOOK FOR

• Professional finance qualification equivalent to CA, CIMA, ACCA with 3+ years’ experience in financial, operational and business partnering roles
• ​Excellent analytical and communication skills with ability to respond under pressure
• ​Collaboration: able to interact effectively in a wide network of stakeholders
• ​Clarity of thinking – ability to see the big picture, whilst interested to dive into details
• ​Strong engagement, presentation, and communication skills
• ​Experience in driving P&L performance improvements (e.g. closing gaps vs. target)

WHAT IS IN IT FOR YOU?

Unilever 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).
• Homework allowance
• Company laptop and mobile phone
• Green Mobility Policy.

EXCITED?

Join Unilever and our team!

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

By highlighting the gender diversity at the workplace, Unilever encourages women equally men to apply. If you look for a job after a long career break or after any type of leave, do not hesitate to apply.

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