Assistant Innovation Planner

Who we are? 

If you are in the Unilever Ice Cream business or consider choosing to work for the Unilever Ice Cream business, you will work for the Global, leading Ice Cream player with €7.9bn Turn Over in 2023. The Ice Cream business is operating in a highly attractive category, as we are part of the 1 trillion snacking and refreshment industry, growing consistently at high pace. We have strong brands equities: 5 of top 10 selling brands including Wall’s, Magnum, Ben &Jerry’s. We are investing to unlock the full growth potential of Ice Cream as a standalone entity, once we separate from Unilever, which is planned to happen by November 2025.

Ice Cream has distinct characteristics from Unilever’s other operating businesses and the growth potential of Ice Cream will be better delivered under a different ownership structure. As Ice Cream company we are committed to developing and nurturing talent within our Ice Cream company. You will have options for career growth and exploration, allowing you for you to explore roles and opportunities across the new organisation. Your career development will be a priority for us, and we are dedicated to supporting your growth journey within the new company. We hope that you will want to build the new chapter of our Ice Cream history together with us.

About Ice Cream:

Life Tastes Better With Ice Cream 

Unilever Ice Cream is the largest global Ice Cream Company in the world, with over 100 years of experience delivering a diverse range of indulgent, yet responsible, craft food experiences and treats delighting consumers. Committed to innovation, quality, and sustainability we have 35 brands, including 3 one billion Euro brands (Magnum, Wall’s, Ben & Jerry’s), a strong presence in over 60 countries, generating annual revenue of over $8 billion. All brands are driven to transform moments into memories through indulgent yet responsibly made and marketed products. We have a well-developed strategy to deliver growth and value creation which is clear on where to play and how to win.

We turn the ordinary into the extraordinary by designing unique and innovative Ice Cream experiences that make life taste better, creating joyful experiences. In our Ice Cream business, we’re crafting the future through innovation and imaginative minds, creating unique products. We spark moments of happiness for people and within the communities where we operate. However, it is not as simple as it may seem. As Ice Cream makers we are serious about happiness. With warm hearts, we create the coolest products.

A job at Unilever is a career made by you, with development opportunities, benefits and a working culture that embraces diversity and is pioneering flexibility. There’s no better time to join our team!  

Job Summary

We are looking for an Assistant Innovation Planner who will play a pivotal role in delivering our strategy: crafting ice cream products that are irresistibly superior, sustainable, and offer great value. In this role, you will contribute to key initiatives, ensuring the successful execution of New Product Development (NPD), Value Improvement Projects (VIP), and other cross-functional projects aligned with our business goals.

Role Responsibilities:

• Act as a key support to Market Innovation Planner (MIP) for IC business.

• Facilitate cross-functional taskforce meetings, ensuring decisions and actions including task completion and project milestones are clearly communicated

• Lead the delivery of all assigned projects, including NPD, promotions, artworks update, and other operational initiatives.

• Collaborate closely with Marketing, Supply Chain, R&D, Finance, and Sourcing Units to ensure seamless project execution

• Facilitate the approval sessions and Investor board (IB) meetings with pre-read and alignment.

• Develop and manage detailed project plans, identifying risks, mitigation strategies, and contingency plans.

• Proactively manage project issues, ensuring timely resolution and escalation when necessary.

• Champion the Innovation Process Management (IPM) and ensure compliance with other organizational processes and maintain accurate reporting for local and global reporting.

What You Will Need to Succeed:

Experiences & Qualifications

• Proven project management skills ideally within Project Management, Marketing, Trade Category, Supply Chain, Finance, or R&D with cross-functional exposure

• Strong stakeholder management and communication capabilities, efficiency in assigning people and materials to meet project objectives.

• Ability to develop and manage detailed project networks and risk mitigation plans throughout the project lifecycle

• Analysing project data to make informed decisions and track progress

• Familiarity with Innovation Process Management (IPM) systems such as Innoflex is an advantage

• Working knowledge of Agile, Scrum, Waterfall, Lean and/or Six Sigma is beneficial

• Developing cost estimates, managing project budgets, and ensuring financial accountability of all projects

• Ability to collaborate across cross-functional teams and drive accountability for timely delivery

• Ability to manage competing priorities effectively

• Ability to leverage AI driven tools to enhance productivity

Skills

• Project Planning & Scheduling

• Attention to detail

• Risk Management

• Stakeholder Management & Negotiation Skills

• Effective Communication & Presentation Skills

• Change Management & Prioritization Skills

• Discipline & brilliance in execution

Key Interfaces

• Planning Team

• Brand Communities

• Cross functional teams: Marketing, CMI, CD, R&D, Artwork excellence

• International factories, supply chain & marketing

Make no mistake we expect a lot from our people as they do of us. So, if you can rise to the challenge, don't waste any time - apply now!

Unilever embraces diversity and encourages applicants from all walks of life! 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 committed to making reasonable adjustments to provide a positive, barrier-free recruitment journey. Should you require additional information or reasonable adjustments to allow you to present your best self during this process, please contact [email protected].

Unilever is an organization 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.

This means we encourage people with all backgrounds to apply, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, Māori and Pacific Peoples, and people with disabilities. Interested in learning more, check out our Reconciliation Action Plan and Workplace Adjustment Policy on the Unilever webpage.

At Unilever we are interested in every individual bringing their ‘Whole Self’ to work and this includes you! We encourage you to advise us at the time of your application if you require any reasonable adjustment so that we can support you through your recruitment journey.