Global Procurement Packaging Director

Title : Procurement Director – Packaging WB, Plastics, Other Portfolios

Reports To: Bas Jansen, VP Materials

Work Level : WL3X

Location (City, Country): Kingston Sunlight House

A strong candidate has been identified through our succession planning.

While a strong internal candidate has been identified through our succession planning process, we remain open to additional applications to ensure that all individuals who meet the required skills, performance, experience, and leadership criteria outlined in the JD have a fair opportunity to be considered.

Unilever Procurement is responsible for over 30B Euro of material and services spend globally with more than 50,000 suppliers. Getting the right 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 brand needs, bring supplier innovation to meet changing consumer needs and drive financial value for Unilever through competitive buying. We are at the forefront of digital procurement, bringing new tools and analytics to drive data-based decisions. 

With over 1400 employees globally, we support a network of thousands of suppliers, more than 1.5 million smallholder farmers who in turn support communities of over 7 million people. Our procurement lighthouse strategy has Competitive Buying in the center and focusses on Sustainable sourced, Partnerships, end to end Value Chain optimization and superior availability of materials and services. Our lighthouse strategy supported by a Talent powerhouse and inclusive team and powered by Technology.

The Impact of the Procurement Materials Team

The Materials team is composed of portfolios such as Fragrances & Flavors, Palm & Oleochemicals, Packaging and the management of Unilever Oleo Chemicals Indonesia factory. The purpose of Raw Materials team is to drive the implementation of the Procurement Lighthouse Strategy in the sourcing and supply strategy of our materials being managed in and servicing all Unilever Business Groups and Unit. Together with the 300 procurement professionals and 900 manufacturing colleagues, we manage all the portfolios globally, with close connection to our business spread around the globe.

Main Job Purpose:

Competitive cost, availability, sustainability and partnerships in the Packaging portfolio, helping achieving Unilever Growth Action Plan and the procurement Lighthouse strategy. The role is responsible for a range of Packaging portfolios, Wood Based, Plastics with an approx. spend of 1bn Euro. The role is also responsible for the development of the Packaging strategy, together with the all other packaging portfolios of Plastics Feedstocks, Moulds and Premium Packaging. Leading team of approx. 40 procurement professionals based in our global/market locations.

Key Accountabilities:

This places great demands on skills and expertise but also requires huge amount of pioneering, entrepreneurial and partnership spirit.

• Develop and maintain the material Portfolio strategy for the relevant Packaging Portfolios
• Ensure that the Portfolio strategy is leveraging Global scale, but tailored and addresses specific Business Groups needs, such as premiumization.
• Ensure that the Portfolio strategy is leveraging our lighthouse strategy (Value chain optimization, sustainability: plastic ambitions, superior service and resilience, net zero). Focus on Competitive Buying.
• Develop the supplier partnership framework and engagement model to be deployed globally for today and tomorrow’s portfolio.
• Conduct joint business development plans with key partners and manage ongoing relationship.
• Create multi-year, cost savings program funnel for market deployment, optimizing E2E chains, to drive ultimately the packaging competitiveness in all markets.
• Develop best in class contracting strategies for commercial agreements.
• Leverage global benchmarking to identify areas of commercial opportunity across markets.
• Liaise with other senior executives across the organization to ensure procurement. strategies and activities are integrated with other parts of the business and aligned with the overall objectives.
• Support the business delivery and professional development of the direct reports (managers) and indirect reports (assistant managers).
• Agree on best strategies on Risk management for the portfolio, together with Commodities Risk Management team/ identify and execute physical hedging opportunities, including support on definition of economic assumptions for forecast purposes.
• Provide reliable and accurate forecast of market and UL portfolio prices.
• This role is part of Materials Procuremen