Assistant Strategic Sourcing Manager

Background & Purpose of the Job

There has never been a more exciting time to be working in Procurement when you consider the sheer scale of what we are seeking to do.

As Unilever Procurement adapts to the ever-dynamic business environment, we will need to be agile in order to continue our track record of delivery in contributing to the top and bottom line. As well as ensuring that we are best in class in delivering the basics, we must also look to the future and continuously evolve to meet the needs of our changing environment - reinventing ourselves for sustained competitive advantage. And of course, we are only half of the picture.  Our suppliers are at the heart of everything we do. We need to work more closely than ever with suppliers to co-create sustainable practices and bigger and better innovations.

The Marketing and Business Services Procurement organization manages over €1 Billion spend in Marketing Services. Digital Marketing Experience plays a key role within Marketing Services, more specifically leading the way forward by leveraging technology and innovation to improve external and internal connectivity whilst disrupting the traditional end to end marketing value chain. Digital solutions and analytics provide supplier market intelligence and generate real-time fact-based insights. This allows digital marketing spend to be tracked robustly using KPIs to maximize ROI.

• To be support the development and implementation of the Digital Marketing Experience Portfolio. To maintain in scope portfolio management and sourcing activities on a day-to-day basis.
• To execute standardized strategic sourcing processes when required within the Digital Marketing Experience Portfolio with the focus being on adding value. To build and maintain strong working relationships with key Marketing stakeholders.
• To build and maintain relationships with key suppliers in the Digital Marketing Experience Portfolio.
• Be a strong business partner with all key stakeholders to maintain trust and add value to the business.
• This role requires a creative, high energy candidate who demonstrates strength in white space and is comfortable interfacing with and influencing senior leaders to land and implement new business models, delivering business growth and bottom-line impact. Key deliverables include savings and cash delivery, ROI, demand management, and cost avoidance. To deliver, it is essential to quickly learn the respective businesses in coverage, establish credibility with stakeholders, and understand vendor/market capabilities to ensure Unilever is fully leveraging supplier partnerships. As such, SRM/CRM expertise is essential. You must be viewed as a key business partner by internal stakeholders, and as a sharp, challenging steward of Unilever resources by external vendors.
• It will be critical for the successful candidate to understand and unlock the power of digital technology to identify, eliminate, and where possible, automate non-value added processes in both within Unilever procurement, and across the business more broadly. Therefore, an understanding of systems and processes and strong analytical acumen to drive insights and action from data around how we operate is essential.

Who You Are & What You’ll Do

You’re curious about tech and innovation.  You are fascinated about technology and impatient to realize the value it can bring within the portfolio. You are hooked on staying close to the marketplace, keeping up with trends and up to date with the latest developments within AI (artificial intelligence).

You’re a strategy guru. With great analytical skills, you are able to do gap analysis and act on the insights found. Working closely with stakeholders, you will be able to transform the value chain by finding ways to bring the outside into Unilever. You will spot opportunities to track measure their outcome and determine success, always looking at the end-to-end impact.

You’re a storyteller. You are aware of your audience and able to show passion to inform, influence and persuade. Motivate and make others want to take action.

You’re a culture and change champion. You are able to navigate into an ever-evolving environment requiring agile adaptation and reaction.

You’re a dot connector. Working with marketing services procurement, you will be the connector between internal and external stakeholders, making sure that needs are translated and understood correctly and delivered in the best way possible.

What You’ll Need to Succeed

• Self-Starter
• Bachelor’s Degree required
• 7 - 9 years of relevant experience
• Experience and knowledge of the in-scope products and services being managed
• Capabilities and skills in Strategic Sourcing for Marketing Services
• Previous experience in Digital Marketing Procurement / Digital Marketing /Technology is desirable
• Managing cross geographical teams
• Experience of procurement transformation, change and business engagement
• Experience and knowledge of business models in digital marketing, advertising production, marketing agencies management