R&D Manager PC North Africa

Company Profile:
At Unilever you are more than your job title, you are part of the world's most
successful, purpose-led business. Work with brands that are well-loved around
the world, that improve the lives of our consumers and the communities around
us.
We produce world-leading brands including Lipton, Knorr, Dove, Axe, Hellmann's
and Omo, alongside trusted local names and innovative-forward thinking brands
like Ben & Jerry's, The Dollar Shave Club and Surf.
Be part of the most successful purpose-led business in the world. Have the
opportunity to see the true impact that you're having in the work you do -
every small thing counts.
Job Scope:
Unilever recognises R&D as an important function and business partner. Not
only does it fulfil a very important functional role, it also serves as the
"touchpoint" with the consumer, and must engage the consumer, reflecting the
brand proposition, and delivering a delightful shopper and product experience.
This involves leading a robust process to ensure the mix is fit for the
shopper, the consumer, wins vs competition, and delivered at the right cost
and price.
Working closely with other Unilever functions as part of a cross-functional
team, the job holder will be the R&D lead on Personal Care for North Africa,
partnering with the business to implement innovation, be a core member of the
team leading for cost savings, support the supply chain for sourcing,
localisation and resilience initiatives, and lead the R&D elements of the
program which includes Positive Beauty and Specification Management. The ideal
candidate will have the profile to lead a team for ‎6-‎8 R&D team members across
North Africa, and be able to inspire, motivate, coach and develop a team.
This position will interface with local business functions such as Brand,
Supply Chain, Procurement, Finance, Customer, Regulatory, Global R&D
functions, as well as suppliers and other external partners.
In addition, you will be a strong and passionate Digital and Data leader
willing to go the extra mile to deliver data-driven digital solutions and new
ways of working, and building and supporting digital transformation across
R&D.
Roles & Responsibilities
* Responsible for leading the R&D Program including Innovation, Savings, Positive Beauty, Specification Management, and partnering closely with the business unit on in-market activities
* Responsible for shaping and providing input to the technical aspects of innovation projects, providing local insights, and leading formulation development and product testing, ensuring local needs are met in rolling out global mixes
* Leads the savings agenda and partnership with SC for margin improvement
* Leads the processing agenda and strategic direction on SC Support projects
* Responsible for risk management, claims and legal compliance based on local legislation and regulatory requirements
* Responsible to build capability to support the strategic agenda for ‎1-Unilever North Africa
* Would participate in talent development within the geography and be responsible for long term talent development and short-term people management, including performance management and coaching to ensure a future fit R&D team
* Responsible for managing R&D budgets
* Will develop a working knowledge of consumer habits and attitudes within the geography
* Would be responsible for business partnering and stakeholder management which includes stakeholders such as business unit heads, directors and managers across all partner functions, as well as with R&D category teams
* Will play a leadership role in the soap bars technology roadmaps and partner with supply chain to implement
* Will play a leadership role in the Deos localisation agenda ensuring the technology roadmaps are built into supply chain
* Will provide requisite support for all sourcing units in Cleanse, Oral, Deos to ensure the needs of the sourcing units are met to service other geographies.
* Responsible for partnering with consumer carelines by providing technical input and insights
* Would be a key role player in managing quality issues with SC, and will take a proactive approach to in-market quality
* Management of labs and pilot plants and pilot plants related activities, including resourcing, maintenance, and budget management
* To comply with the Unilever Code of Business Principles and all SHE and QA policies, including the support of product claims, risk management and environmental awareness
Critical Success Factors for the Job:
Key competencies:
* Bias for action
* Accountability & Responsibility
* Growth Mindset
* Consumer & Customer focus
Key Skills:
* Basic awareness to working knowledge of soap bar technology, and basic awareness of oral care and deodorants technologies
* Technical Specification & Supply Chain Support
* Working Knowledge to Fully Operational Project Management Skills
* Preferably a Science or Engineering degree
Relevant Experience:
* Minimum ‎5 years' experience in R&D within an FMCG company, with >‎3 years' experience in a management role
* Evidence of being a thought leader in data and digital
* Minimum of ‎2 years Project Management experience
* Experience in managing or coaching teams
Any other critical personal characteristics:
* Able to work effectively in multi-disciplinary, multi-cultural teams across the North Africa geography, with occasional travel
* Resilience and flexibility to manage a large team, a full R&D program, and demanding supply chain requirements for support
* Intermediate to Advanced Level English (person must be able to write emails and reports in English which can be easily understood and can actively participate at English-speaking business meetings).
* Occasional travel.
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.