Ice Cream Head of R&D

Job Title: Ice Cream Head of R&D

Location: Colworth Science Park

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. We are the proof that an unbroken chain of happier people works – for a happy planet and winning smiles. As the largest ice cream company in the world, we have over 100 years of experience in delivering smiles, and we plan to continue this for many more years to come, with our people and planet first.

We have 35 brands, including 3 one billion Euro brands (Magnum, Wall’s, Ben & Jerry’s), in over 60 countries. All driven to spread happiness 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.

JOB PURPOSE

The Global Ice Cream Head of Research and Development (R&D) plays a pivotal role in our organisation, primarily developing new, disruptive products that delight consumers and provide our brands with a source of competitive advantage and growth, crafting food experiences and occasions. This role is also responsible for improving our existing portfolio and keeping abreast of emerging technologies and trends that could impact the industry or provide new opportunities. This involves crafting and owning the vision for a Future-fit IC R&D Model through its people, skills, and facilities worldwide. 

The Global IC Head of R&D will work closely with the Chief Creative Officer team, and all BU leads to have an end-to-end integrated view of the business to ensure breakthrough product superiority and quality, making products unmissable in the market. This role requires a strong understanding of both the technical aspects of product development and the strategic considerations of business management, holding functional responsibility for: product safety, environmental safety & sustainability science; ingredient stewardship; technical advocacy; and regulatory affairs.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Strategic & Change Leadership: Establish and lead the company's R&D strategy in alignment with its overall business goals. Leading and landing transformative change, comfortable experimenting with new approaches, pushing themselves and others to achieve outstanding outcomes 
• Innovation Management: Foster a culture of innovation within the organisation, encouraging creative thinking and the exploration of new ideas. This also involves staying abreast of industry trends and technological advancements that could affect the company’s products or market.
• Product Development and Enhancement: Responsible for setting up, implementing, and executing new product development strategies by providing scientific leadership and technical oversight, leading the team to drive projects from initiation to product launch, and improving existing or developing new technologies based on brand needs by following appropriate new product development process. Provide direction regarding development of long-term technical capabilities required to meet the growth and profitability targets of the business.
• Elevating Product Superiority and Quality: Strategically lead Formulation and Product development teams to create products that are best in class in clinical efficacy and performance. Develop breakthrough product superiority and quality, making products unmissable in the market.Strategically allocating resources to invest in core capabilities in R&D such as Science and Technology, Digital, and culinary craftsmanship.
• Breakthrough Product Technology: Keeping abreast of emerging technologies and trends that could impact the industry or provide new opportunities. This involves evaluating and adopting new technologies that can enhance business operations or product offerings. Lead Package modernisation plus sustainability initiatives and work closely with operations and quality teams to ensure streamlined launches.
• Budget Management: Responsible for efficiently allocating and managing the R&D budget, ensuring that resources are optimally used to achieve the desired outcomes.
• Risk Management: Assess and manage the risks associated with R&D projects, including technological feasibility, market acceptance, and compliance with regulatory standards.
• Regulatory Affairs Safety: Define and execute the regulatory science capability strategy for the company, ensuring alignment with business objectives and technology / innovation pipelines.
• Product Safety & Sustainability: Ensure compliance with all applicable laws, regulations and policies related to product safety, ingredient stewardship and environmental safety & sustainability across the product life cycle, establishing strong cross-functional governance approaches.
• External Partnerships: Establish and leverage strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders, including regulators & policy makers, suppliers, industry associations, NGOs, customers and academia, to influence and shape the regulatory landscape and advocate for science-based policies and standards.
• Intellectual Property Management: Ensure the protection of the company’s intellectual property resulting from R&D activities, including patents, trademarks, and copyrights.
• Digital & Data Capability: Design data systems to ensure end to end connectivity, deliver data models that give insights to drive the business decisions, and drive quality of data to meet the current and future business needs for product deployment, reporting, modelling and compliance.
• Talent Management: Attracting, developing, and retaining talent within the R&D department. This includes fostering an environment that supports professional growth and innovation.

ALL ABOUT YOU

Experiences & Qualifications

• Advanced degree in the sciences (Chemistry, Biology, Chemical Engineering or equivalent) and relevant years related experience.
• A strong track record of high performance, leading R&D in highly interdependent, end-to-end cross-functional leadership teams.
• Proven track record managing effective transformations and change.
• Proven track record of talent management and development. 5+ years of experience leading other R&D leaders and large, highly engaged R&D teams
• Global and local experience is required.  
• Experience in Foods or Ice Cream industry
• Proven track record of successfully leading a R&D and/or Product Development group, with demonstrated examples of new product launches to the market by going through the whole product development cycle.

Skills

• Ability to influence strategic deliverables in a widely matrixed organisation. International business/cultural sensitivity.
• Strong technical (R&D), project management and commercial acumen & negotiation skills.
• Strong leadership & communication skills and experience managing cross-functional teams.
• Excellent project and team management skills with a strong growth mindset.
• Strong analytical and strategic thinking abilities.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, dynamic environment and adapt to changing market conditions.
• Ability to lead teams through change

Leadership

• Systemic and strategic thinking. Considering longer-term implications for the business. 
• Owner’s mindset. How they have used their financial acumen, data and insights to inform their thinking that both makes the complex simple for others, creates a sense of urgency with a business edge and can show how those insights have created impact and delivered business value. 
• Business Acumen. Depth of understanding of how Unilever serves consumers and how the business needs to respond to changing needs and habits.  How they have identified and inspired others, bringing the outside in to create new and sustainable improvement for the business.  
• Change Leadership. Leading and landing transformative change, comfortable experimenting with new approaches, pushing themselves and others to achieve outstanding outcomes 
• Talent Catalyst. Can show how they have created an inclusive climate, empowering their teams and their business partners to be their best, building talent intimacy and successful teams and building trust and respect with business leaders 
• Must have strong commercial acumen, organisational awareness, and the ability to connect, collaborate and leverage resources for successful business growth, delivery and impact. 

Unilever embraces diversity and encourages applicants from all walks of life! This means giving full and fair consideration to all applicants and continuing development of all employees regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, marriage and civil partnership, and pregnancy and maternity.

NOTES

About Unilever

Unilever is one of the world’s leading suppliers of Food, Home and Personal Care products with sales in over 190 countries and reaching 2 billion consumers a day. Unilever has more than 400 brands found in homes around the world, including Dove, Tresemme, Lynx, Lifebuoy, Shea Moisture, Persil, Domestos, Ben & Jerry’s, Magnum, Marmite, The Vegetarian Butcher, Graze and Pot Noodle.

Faced with the challenge of climate change and the need for human development, we want to move towards a world where everyone can live well and within the natural limits of the planet. That’s why our purpose is ‘to make sustainable living commonplace’ 

What We Offer

Not only do we offer a competitive salary and pension scheme, we also offer an annual bonus, subsidised gym membership, a discounted staff shop and shares. You’ll have the opportunity to work directly with our renowned and exciting brands in a flexible and hybrid working environment.

Whilst the role is advertised on a full-time basis, we would be happy to discuss possible flexible working options and what this may look like for you. We are a key advocate of wellbeing and offer a variety of support for our people including hubs, programmes and development opportunities. We strive to achieve a family-friendly and inclusive workplace and to, above all, create possibilities for all.

Diversity at Unilever is about inclusion, embracing differences, creating possibilities, and growing together for better business performance. We want to push boundaries, and have the flexibility needed to keep adapting in an ever-changing, more dynamic world. This means giving full and fair consideration to all applicants, regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, marriage and civil partnership, and pregnancy and maternity. 

As part of your hiring journey, we are happy to support requests for reasonable adjustments, to improve your recruitment experience.

To find out more, including more information about our Employee Resource Groups, please click here.

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How is Unilever tackling this?

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