Supply Chain Procurement Accountant

Unilever is currently hiring for Supply Chain Procurement Accountant

Reports to: SCF Procurement Manager

Scope: South Africa

Location: La Lucia Ridge

Terms & Conditions: Full-time

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.

JOB PURPOSE

The Supply Chain Procurement Accountant plays a critical role in safeguarding and optimizing business profitability by managing the financial impact of material cost drivers across the value chain. This position is responsible for analysing and controlling cost fluctuations arising from global commodity price movements, foreign exchange volatility, and material usage efficiencies through Design-to-Value initiatives. The role ensures competitive procurement by benchmarking against industry peers, driving value chain strategies to secure favourable material pricing, and managing fixed infrastructure costs associated with cost that are outside of standard material pricing.

Additionally, the position oversees the financial implications of global commodity hedging activities, sustainability programs, and waste reduction efforts during production. By providing accurate cost visibility, saving initiatives, actionable insights, and strategic recommendations, the Supply Chain Procurement Accountant enables informed decision-making that supports margin improvement, cost competitiveness, and long-term business resilience.

WHAT WILL YOUR MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES BE

Key Responsibilities

• Cost Analysis & Reporting

  • Monitor and report material price changes driven by commodity market movements and forex fluctuations.

  • Track and analyze the impact of global commodity hedging gains/losses on procurement costs.

  • Provide monthly and quarterly cost variance analysis for procurement-related expenses.

  • Tracking PPV, Savings and MUV monthly and adjusting business forecast by Business Group.

• Value Chain & Cost Optimization

  • Partner with Procurement, R&D and supply chain teams to implement Design-to-Value initiatives, material usage savings and material price standards.

  • Support value chain strategies to secure better material prices and benchmark against competitors.

  • Identify opportunities for cost reduction through inbound logistics and infrastructure optimization to reduce costs outside of material prices.

• Sustainability & Waste Reduction

  • Assess and report the financial impact of global sustainability initiatives on material costs.

  • Monitor and quantify savings from waste reduction during production processes.

• Forecasting & Budgeting

  • Develop accurate forecasts for material costs considering commodity trends, FX rates, and hedging positions.

  • Support annual budgeting and long-term planning for procurement-related costs.

• Compliance & Governance

  • Ensure adherence to financial controls and compliance standards in procurement accounting.

  • Maintain accurate documentation for internal reporting by Business Group/Category for month end & quarterly forecast financial reviews.

• Invoice & Credit Note Management

  • Manage the review and validation of sundry invoice collections to ensure accuracy and compliance.

  • Oversee the outsourced offshore team responsible for:

    • Processing credit notes for material returns.

    • Executing writebacks of accruals for material receipts older than six months.

Experiences & Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance

• Professional accounting qualification (CIMA/CA) would be highly advantageous

• A solid foundation in supply chain accounting and cost management.

• 2 years of experience in analyzing material variances, commodity market trends, and implementing saving strategies.

Skills

• Advanced Microsoft Excel, SAP knowledge desirable

•  Self-starting & proactive mind-set

• Highly agile and proactive, with proven ability to prioritize effectively, communicate clearly, and influence stakeholders across functions.

• Strong team player

• Skilled at steering conversations to achieve alignment and deliver outcomes under pressure, both independently and collaboratively, while meeting tight deadlines.

• Combines technical expertise with strong time management and problem-solving skills to support cost optimization and enhance supply chain performance

• Demonstrates exceptional analytical capabilities with a strong bias for action, ensuring timely and accurate insights that drive business decisions.

Leadership

You are driven by achieving outstanding results and demonstrate resilience that inspires others. Constantly seeking smarter, more efficient ways of working, you collaborate and engage with others to deliver improvements. You take ownership of your wellbeing and the quality of your work while keeping the consumer at the center of every decision. Humble yet proactive, you interpret data intelligently, identify issues and opportunities, and act decisively to make things better.

Unilever is an equal opportunities employer and committed to diversity and inclusivity in the workplace.  We are intentional in employing the best talent that reflects the demographics of our country, and which will help build representation of currently under-represented groups. We therefore invite applications from all candidates representing diversity of age, sex, disability, sexual orientation, race, religion or belief. When appointing potential candidates, the South African Employment Equity and Broad Based Black Economic Empowerment Legislation will be considered.  

We are required by law to verify your ability to work lawfully in South Africa. If you are applying as a foreign national, please note that you may be requested to provide supporting documents supporting this.

This is an office-based role in Durban, La Lucia Ridge Office and requires 100% of time attendance on site.

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.