Procurement Manager - Soft Commodities & Ingredients South Asia & South Africa

Work Location: Mumbai, India

Function: Procurement-Supply Chain

Terms & Conditions:

If you are in the Unilever Ice Cream business or consider choosing to work for the Unilever Ice Cream business, you will work for the Global, leading Ice Cream player with €7.9bn Turn Over in 2023. The Ice Cream business is operating in a highly attractive category, as we are part of the 1 trillion snacking and refreshment industry, growing consistently at high pace. We have strong brands equities: 5 of top 10 selling brands including Wall’s, Magnum, Ben &Jerry’s. We are investing to unlock the full growth potential of Ice Cream as a standalone entity, once we separate from Unilever, which is planned to happen by November 2025.

Ice Cream has distinct characteristics from Unilever’s other operating businesses and the growth potential of Ice Cream will be better delivered under a different ownership structure. As Ice Cream company we are committed to developing and nurturing talent within our Ice Cream company. You will have ample options for career growth and exploration, allowing you for you to explore roles and opportunities across the new organization. Your career development will be a priority for us, and we are dedicated to supporting your growth journey within the new company. We hope that you will want to build the new chapter of our Ice Cream history together with us.

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.

JOB PURPOSE

Are you passionate about building and designing the right procurement strategies enabling a competitive commercial advantage for Ice Cream Business goals? Then this role is tailored for you.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Executive Procurement of Soft Commodities and Ingredients portfolios for South Asia & South Africa Ice Cream Business. The scope will include all the raw materials used in Ice Cream production (Cocoa, Dairy, Sugar, Oils, Confectionary & Bakery, Farmed Ingredients, etc.)

• Develop and lead portfolio procurement strategies aligned with the business priorities and requirements to deliver against value, purpose, and future-fit goals

• Lead regional negotiations, delivering of savings and cash targets via excellent market understanding, strategy implementations, negotiation skills and application of price risk management (PRM) principles

• Manage contracts ensuring high quality & service levels to sourcing units across South Asia & South Africa markets, ensuring compliance of Responsible Sourcing Policies

• Develop strong relationship with suppliers and analyse their capabilities to develop long term supplier strategies and partnership opportunities

• Lead cross-functional initiatives, collaboration with senior functional leaders to establish short term and long term business objectives.

• Strong connection with global teams to apply best practices in the region

• Support innovation projects through strong collaboration with R&D-team, providing market intelligence, supplier capabilities and capacity

• Work closely with the finance community to support the business with accurate price forecasting, including market price trends and future market trends to enable proper budgeting and price forecasting

• Identify metrics, tools and process to optimize sourcing, supplier activities and efficiencies, including but not limited to:

  • To deliver cost savings based on sourcing strategies and compliance management. 

  • Work with IC R&D teams to drive initiatives on supplier approvals / reformulations, resilience programs cost efficiency.

  • Initiate and drive complexity reduction (e.g. harmonization of specifications and suppliers).

  • Deliver the Operation Cash Flow and Working Capital plans for the specific materials/services and suppliers

  • Support and manage supply chain issues (e.g. crisis management). 

  • Measure and manage overall performance of suppliers.

  • Continuously improve ways of working and optimize procurement activities. 

  • Work in projects like Value Chain Analysis, Vertical Integration, Joint Buying.

WHAT YOU NEED TO SUCCEED:

SKILLS & LEADERSHIP BEHAVIORS REQUIRED:

• Self-starter with strong accountability, responsibility and leadership skills

• Act as an entrepreneur, treats business as his/her own, sets trends and is willing to lead, follow or get out of the way. 

• Outstanding in idea generation, ideas that are forward thinking, and that contribute to creating sustained competitive advantage. 

• Strong on execution, have analytical skills and an eagle eye for detail

• Be result and solution oriented; be able to solve (unexpected) problems (at short notice)

• Experience in and understanding of business processes & priorities and external market dynamics

• Able to work independently and virtually with strong agility & resilience skills  

• Advance in talent mastery, including spotting, fostering, encouraging and retaining talent, is non-negotiable

• Able to build relationships with people across the business (internally & externally).

• Strong communications skills and ability to engage and influence others

• Critical SOL (Standards of Leadership) Behaviors:

• PERSONAL MASTERY: Sets high standards for themselves. Has emotional intelligence to take feedback, manage mood and motivations, and build empathy for others.

• PASSION FOR HIGH PERFORMANCE: Generates intensity and focus to motivate people to deliver results at speed. Takes personal responsibility and accountability for execution and results.

• TALENT CATALYST: Invests in people – coaches individuals and teams to realize their full potential. Creates an inclusive climate, empowering everyone to be at their best.

• PURPOSE & SERVICE: Has humility, understanding that leadership is service to others, inside and outside Unilever.

• CONSUMER LOVE: Invests time inside and outside to understand the needs of consumers.

• BUSINESS ACUMEN: Creates sustainable growth with purpose, engaging different partners across the system for change.

EXPERIENCES & QUALIFICATIONS:   

• Min. bachelor’s degree required

• 5+ years of relevant Procurement experience required, preferably in Consumer-Packaged Goods or Food & Beverage or Commodities

• Experience on large-scale change management projects

• Fluent in English