Associate Director, Collaborative Manufacturing Operations-Foods

Background & Purpose of the Job:
Collaborative Manufacturing (CM) is one of the biggest growth networks in the North America supply chain. It accounts for 20% of TO and over 200M spend, with plans to continue optimizing the network to support future growth. The CM team deals with more than 15 CM suppliers to procure approximately 600 different finished goods and is responsible for getting them at the best possible prices while securing continuity of supply and agility according to Unilever’s needs.
The Associate Director, NA Foods CM Ops and UFS Network Strategy, and the extended Supply Chain team work collaboratively to unlock agility and resilience. They are responsible for the co-development of the SC CM strategy, approach, and execution and supports business requirements by ensuring innovations and existing products support Unilever’s quality, cost, customer service and continuous improvement objectives.

Who You Are & What You’ll Do: 
The Associate Director, NA Foods CM Ops and UFS Network Strategy should have exceptional leadership and be an innate problem-solver, with the ability to support the business in developing and executing effective business strategies. Some of the key responsibilities of the role include:
• Generates significant value to the business via innovation support, speed to market, manufacturing flexibility, capital avoidance, and lower total cost of goods.
• Consulted and a key contributor to the Make vs. Buy analysis with inputs from the respective functional areas.
• Participates on Unilever project teams in support of brand development and brand growth business targets, interaction with procurement, marketing, product and package development, engineering, finance, planning, quality, customer development, and legal.
• Ensures long term sourcing and capacity planning are aligned between Unilever’s ambition and the CM’s available capacity with appropriate bandwidth.
• Monitors KPIs including output reliability, schedule attainment, continuous improvements, cost savings opportunities, project and innovation management, serves as liaison with CMs and partners with CM procurement.
• Responsible for operational issue resolution in areas such as quality, customer service, production issues, and material supply constraints. Identifies performance “triggers” and engages Unilever category expertise and support as needed, leads issue investigation, ensures multi-function technical visits occur.
• Effectively supports multiple new product launches in tight timeframes as “speed to market” times decrease, ensures that CMs pass technical evaluations.
• Ensures that the CM validates implementation of new standards, new processes, new materials, new suppliers, and other changes with risk tolerances aligned with Unilever.
• Ensures the basics are in place such as GMPs and USQS and technical standards and specifications are transferred from quality and R&D to CM and that the CM understands and implements them, ensures CMs pass technical qualification for all new standards, products, lines and other requirements.
• Pushes the F4G and continuous improvement agenda.
• Manages operational contract agreements, implementation and termination and joint assessment of the relationship and project portfolio.
• Business Partner with Food Solutions Leadership on Key initiatives and represent in Key Forums (ie: S&OP, Investor Board, Ops Forums…)
• Develop and implement long-term supply chain strategy including network, CMs, and cost transformation (F4G) with Food Solutions Division team and key cross-functional teams.

You love to win and have fun doing it: The Associate Director CM Operations will play a fundamental role in landing the CM strategy and operational capability management to meet the ambitious NA growth plan, with full involvement in the category, innovation, and network strategies.
You're a changemaker: Strong analytical skills and excellent stakeholder management are key to success in this role. The role requires strong change management abilities and will champion the digital agenda for the team.
You're a paradox navigator: The ability to manage the big picture and at the same time dive efficiently into details is critically important.
You're a culture & change champion: Exceptional interpersonal skills and the ability to build collaborative relationships with multiple and diverse stakeholders.

What You'll Need To Succeed
• Undergraduate Degree in Engineering, Technical, Science, or Supply Chain discipline
• Minimum 5+ years of broad-based Supply Chain responsibilities with a strong manufacturing background preferred
• 3+ years as a manager or within a leadership position including responsibilities for the oversight of a team.
• Demonstrated ability to Lead, collaborate and influence all internal and external relationships
• Demonst