Procurement Assistant

Main Job Purpose:

Category, sourcing unit and supplier management 

Key Accountabilities:

Category Ownership: 

• Develop strategies that’s aligned to the business direction
• Business partnering: manage internal and external stakeholders (e.g. R&D, logistics, operations, sourcing units) 
• Ensure competitive buying through industry benchmark, should-cost analysis, product innovation, market price movement monitoring 
• Work with cross-function teams to achieve product spec and manufacturing optimization
• Be the Go-to Person for the assigned categories for procurement and supplier related tasks & questions

Supplier E2E (end-to-end) Management & Ownership: 

• Strengthen business partnerships
• Lead business reviews: together with cross function teams, measure and manage overall supplier performance to meet business KPIs
• Commercial & Contract Negotiations
• Innovation projects: OTIF (on time in full) deliveries
• Savings: smart buying, product logic, cash, e-tender, volume rebate, 5s workshop, optimization projects
• Onboard and partner with suppliers on Unilever sustainability agenda
• Account management: onboarding, RSP, USQS compliance, contract management (creation, update, signatures, systems administration), service level maintenance/improvement
• Other operations: e.g. incident management, product specification confirmation

Procurement Activities: 

• Take part of the overall sourcing strategy of Customer Packaging in Europe
• Supporting the team to achieve its goals and objectives and monitor target delivery
• Owning and co-ordinating procurement/supply chain projects whereas required 
• Price forecasting (of assigned categories & suppliers)
• Invoice management: DCIW, payment resolution
• Support WoW (way of working) improvements: identify metrics, tools (e.g. digitalization), process, align and collaborate with cross-function teams to optimise WoW. 
• Support the Procurement Manager whereas required

Professional Skills:

• Self-starter with high accountability & responsibility standards.
• Strong analytical and IT skills: advanced Excel, PowerBI, SAP, iCAT, Aravo, DCIW (Invoice systems), SRS, PLM knowledge essential
• Strong stakeholder management skills: build relationships with people across functions, geographies and companies.
• Excellent negotiation skills
• Good understanding of business economics 
• Strong communication and presentation skills: ability to present key findings in a crisp way and get people onboard
• Strong project management and organization skills: strong at execution and proactively finding solutions and improvements 
• Comfortable in fast paced, fast changing, complex and ambiguous environment
• Must be able to work independently and virtually 

Experience Required: 

• Procurement experience required, minimum 3 years. Contracting and supplier management experience essential
• Experienced in cross-function team collaboration