Job Title: SUIT Innovation Leader
Business Function: Supply Chain
Location: Port Sunlight
Unilever Personal Care has a deep heritage as a pioneering force for innovation and a hallmark for trusted brands. For over 100 years, we've been market-making and category-shaping and today empower more than a billion people every day with confidence, wellbeing, and self-care.
We are the experts in understanding people's wide-ranging needs for clean and healthy skin, sweat protection and odour control, and good oral hygiene. Our industry-leading geographical footprint, balanced across developed and emerging markets, means we are well placed to reach consumers all over the world.
Our brands, across Skin Cleansing, Deodorant, and Oral Care categories, provide more than just functional benefits, with superior ingredients and premium fragrances designed to work with our bodies. And we don't stop there. We see the pauses that people take in their daily routines and rituals offer so much more - where self-care is about health, body, and mind, intersected with beauty and joyful experiences. And where superior science and technology enable products that not only take care of our bodies but improve health and wellbeing too.
That's why Unilever Personal Care is Reinventing the Power of Care
JOB PURPOSE
Unilever Port Sunlight is a large manufacturing site located on the Wirral in the Northwest of England. The site has 3 Homecare factories and 1 Personal Care Factory responsible for the Global supply of multiple products to the markets.
Due to the competitive nature of our markets, innovation projects are becoming increasingly more technical, unique and demanding. The role of SUIT Innovation Leader plays an essential part in the efficient and effective introduction of new products and supply capabilities into the Factory.
This role supports the Innovations Manager to lead and land "right first time" innovations into the Factory and act as a guardian of complexity balance management through harmonising speed and quality of innovation delivery and positively influencing design for manufacture.
The key focus of the SUIT Innovation Leader is representation of the Factory t for innovation projects through all relevant Innovation Process Management (IPM) processes and stages from the idea phase onwards through Charter, Contract & Market Ready Gate up to the roll-out including post launch evaluation.
RESPONSIBILITIES
* Deploying Innovation and Blue Funnel - Value Improvement Projects (VIP) into the Factory.
o Working closely with Make Operations, Run to Standard Cell Leaders and Engineers
o Working closely with the SUIT – Digital & Innovation Project Technician.
* Ensuring clear communication to all cross functional teams for forthcoming innovation/VIP plan, issues and products. Using cross functional trackers to capture make and pack related improvement/changes.
* Establishing, recording, reporting and setting desired targets for innovation/VIP projects.
* Leading a reliable and effective system to flexibly manage Main Plant Trials and Monitored First Productions of new product and packaging introductions to the SU (before, during and after trials)
* Ensuring capability within the Factory for forthcoming innovation/VIP requirements, working closely with cross functional teams, e.g., Operations, Quality and Planning Teams to deliver innovations on time in full (OTIF).
* Monitoring and acting upon first production performance of innovation/VIP
* Supporting process implementation of the digital factory platform e.g. support Power BI roll out working closely with the SUIT - Digital & Innovation Project Technician.
* Contributing to complexity reduction.
* Utilising the recognised Project Management Process in project managing resource, ensuring work alignment to network timings and ensuring implementation of innovation projects through the Factory.
* Influencing the provision of performance specifications with new components as part of the innovation project implementation
* Support an Early Product Management Process for innovation allowing a smooth and successful transition through ideas, feasibility, capability and launch phases of the funnel' Link EPM to the selection and purchase
* Demonstrating awareness and understanding of process risks and standards, Unilever and site regulations, to ensure inherently safe plant and equipment, proper environmental protection and safety of personnel. Use relevant Risk assessment methods.
* Ensuring that all incidents are reported and analysed using the proper procedures and resultant actions are implemented
o Supporting incident investigations in his/her area when required and ensure that all learning's are cascaded across the factory.
o Ensuring that the correct PPE is used by the teams, leading by example and reinforcing the rules
o Performing regular site audits (SBO / DCA's) and ensure that all audit actions are completed
o Being familiar with Preliminary Hazard Analysis (PHA) and HAZOP techniques
o Promoting a culture of continuous improvement.
* Managing PLM – Make & Pack related BOM / specification checks and sign off.
ALL ABOUT YOU
Essential
A Degree in an Engineering or Scientific discipline or equivalent relevant industrial experience
The successful candidate will have an excellent understanding of project management with a track record of successful project implementations plus experience of liquids processing, packing technology and planning experience.
In addition, ideally, they will have a minimum experience of 2 years working in SUIT (Sourcing Unit Implementation Team) and have a working knowledge of Unilever's innovation process, experience of managing the interfaces with R&D, P&I and/or Brand Development.
Desirable
* Understanding on CDM regulations.
* An understanding of the Early equipment management tools and techniques.
Experience and skills required
* Excellent Organisation and Leadership skills
* Excellent analytical skills
* UMS and Run to Standard knowledge
* Core digital competencies and /or abilities to learn new skills
* Advanced excel skills and Power BI database & front-end development / management
* Excellent communications skills
* Self-motivated with strong delivery focus
* Cost conscious/commercially minded
* Flexible
* Creative
* Ability to build strong networks
* Experience within a FMCG environment
* PLM system experience
* PC and B&W Liquids processing knowledge
* PC and B&W Packaging Knowledge
* An understanding of the Early equipment management tools and techniques.
NOTES
Location
In September 2020, Unilever announced the intention to build a new sustainable campus site in Kingston, London to house the employees who currently work in 100 Victoria Embankment in Blackfriars, Lever House in Kingston, Unilever House in Leatherhead and Graze in Richmond. We are creating our own Unilever sustainable, agile work environment, purposefully bringing us together in our own Unilever ecosystem. The campus is due to be completed in early 2025 and will consist of two interconnected buildings, as well as landscaped surrounding areas.
What We Offer
Not only do we offer a competitive salary and pension scheme, we also offer an annual bonus, free gym, 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 embrace diversity in our workforce. 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. We are also more than happy to provide reasonable adjustments during our application and interview process to enable you to be present your best self. To find out more, click here: Equity, Diversity & Inclusion.
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