Bcs-Research & Development Manager Africa at Unilever

Your Role

Your Main Responsibilities: -

• Responsible for the Africa BU R&D team as functional lead and forming part of the Africa BU leadership team.
• First point of contact for R&D in Africa and business partner to the Africa BU leadership.
• Working closely with other functions, as part of a cross-functional team, the job holder will be the R&D leader for Innovation, Renovation, VIPs, Quality improvements, Simplification & Harmonization and USLP projects.
• Responsible for the shaping of the Africa program together with Africa BU leadership to support growth ambition and in partnership with the global teams.
• Ensuring compliance with mandatory policies and relevant local legislation.
• Manage prioritization within the R&D program vs business needs and expectations.
• Responsible for demos and activations relevant to the BU while consistently providing a view on the local competitor landscape
• Engage in claims, risk and stakeholder management at a Africa BU level.
• Establishment and refinement of the processes and interfaces within the newly formed R&D unit, within the BU and with other functions with the aim to establish a way of working.
• Ensure continuous people development, performance management and efficient resource allocation within the Africa R&D team.
• Responsible for the Africa product portfolio and therefore owner of specifications and management thereof within the Africa R&D team to maintain highest quality standards.
• Liaise with raw and packaging material suppliers for new / alternate raw or packaging material development as relevant and in partnership with procurement.
• Together with local QA, is active in complaint Management through monitoring issues and recommending/implementing corrective action and supports Care line.

Skills, experience and qualifications: -

• Tropical spreads technology knowledge/expertise and experience a plus
• Growth mindset
• Team leadership & development
• Influencing skills
• Business Acumen
• Consumer & Customer Focus
• Project Leadership
• Flexibility to work with diverse cultures, personalities and work styles
• Relevant Science Degree (Bachelor or Masters) in Food Science/Technology/Chemistry/Engineering
• Experience in a Foods Environment is key. Minimum 3 years relevant experience.
• Project leadership experience

Your Personal Power! :-

At BCS we want you to bring your ideas, your motivation and desire to succeed! This part of the role is up to you to complete.

Culture

We are a highly entrepreneurial fast-paced team running a multi-billion Euro business across 60+ countries with the mind-set of a start-up! We are agile, creative, fast-to-market and obsessed with customers and consumers.