Earlier this year, Unilever announced an agreement to combine its Foods business with McCormick & Company, creating a scaled global flavour powerhouse. The proposed combination would bring together iconic Foods brands, including Hellmann’s and Knorr, with McCormick’s portfolio to create a global leader across spices, seasonings, condiments and complementary food categories, supported by strong retail and foodservice platforms. McCormick brings more than 135 years of heritage, a presence in 150+ countries and territories, and a portfolio of trusted brands. The transaction remains subject to regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions, with completion estimated for mid-2027.
Job Title Media & Marketing Procurement Director
Function Procurement
Scope Global
Country Location and Worksite Details Netherlands – Hofplein 19, Rotterdam
Salary range: € 100.800 - € 138.600 gross per year, depending on experience and internal peer positioning.
JOB PURPOSE
This role exists to define the global procurement strategy for marketing, media, creative, agencies and related services, covering an approximately €750+ million spend base and setting portfolio priorities, commercial frameworks, governance and performance expectations for execution by global and regional teams. The role shapes a future-fit operating model that combines global scale with Business Group, Business Unit, brand and market responsiveness, reduces fragmentation and pools expertise across geographies. Working with Marketing, Media, Brand leadership, Business Groups, Finance, Legal and strategic supplier partners, the role enables growth, marketing effectiveness, responsible sourcing, social sustainability, digital transformation and long-term value creation across the marketing value chain.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
- Lead, develop and empower a 16-FTE Global Media & Marketing Procurement organisation comprising this role, seven Managers—all reporting directly to this role—and eight Assistant Managers, with responsibility for approximately €750+ million in global spend.
- Define the global Marketing and Media procurement strategy, including portfolio priorities, commercial frameworks, governance and performance expectations for global and regional execution.
- Shape a future-fit operating model that combines global scale with Business Group, Business Unit, brand and market responsiveness while reducing fragmentation and pooling expertise.
- Set measurable portfolio outcomes across financial delivery, marketing effectiveness, return on marketing investment, innovation, risk and responsible sourcing, holding portfolio leaders accountable for delivery.
- Build strategic partnerships with agencies, media owners, platforms and marketing-service providers through joint roadmaps, transparent remuneration models, commercial benchmarks and outcome-based incentives.
- Lead multi-year value programmes and major global agency reviews, tenders and RFPs in close collaboration with Marketing, Media, Finance, Legal, Business Groups and Business Units.
- Set global contracting, supplier-governance, media-measurement and data standards that strengthen transparency, brand safety and decision quality across traditional media, digital platforms, retail media, ad-tech and mar-tech.
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Extensive senior procurement leadership experience across Marketing, Media, Creative, Agency or related indirect portfolios in large, complex multinational organisations.
- Demonstrated success defining global and multi-regional portfolio strategies, operating models and value agendas that support business growth and marketing effectiveness, with experience operating at comparable spend and organisational scale.
- Deep commercial expertise in strategic sourcing, negotiation, contracting, agency economics, remuneration models, benchmarking and media measurement.
- Proven success leading global agency reviews and RFPs and governing strategic partnerships with major agencies, platforms and media partners to deliver measurable value beyond savings.
- Strong financial and business acumen, executive stakeholder engagement, influencing capability and proven leadership of global, virtual and cross-cultural teams.
- Enterprise leadership mindset, with the ability to set clear priorities, lead through ambiguity and rapid market change, balance strategic thinking with execution, build trusted senior stakeholder relationships and develop high-performing procurement talent.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Experience in a major consumer goods, retail or similarly marketing-intensive multinational organisation.
- Exposure to retail media, ad-tech, mar-tech, data and AI-enabled commercial models, or to responsible-sourcing and social-sustainability practices.
- Experience developing procurement capability, team engagement or succession pipelines in a global or matrix environment.
Skills Required
- Extensive senior procurement leadership experience across marketing, media, creative, agency, or related indirect portfolios in large, complex multinational organizations.
- Experience defining global and multi-regional portfolio strategies, operating models, and value agendas at comparable spend and organizational scale.
- Deep commercial expertise in strategic sourcing, negotiation, contracting, agency economics, remuneration models, benchmarking, and media measurement.
- Proven success leading global agency reviews and RFPs and governing strategic partnerships with agencies, platforms, and media partners.
- Strong financial and business acumen, executive stakeholder engagement, influencing capability, and leadership of global, virtual, and cross-cultural teams.
- Enterprise leadership mindset, including prioritization, ambiguity management, strategic execution, senior stakeholder relationship building, and procurement talent development.
- Experience in a major consumer goods, retail, or similarly marketing-intensive multinational organization.
- Exposure to retail media, ad-tech, mar-tech, data and AI-enabled commercial models, or responsible sourcing and social sustainability practices.
- Experience developing procurement capability, team engagement, or succession pipelines in a global or matrix environment.
Unilever Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Unilever and has not been reviewed or approved by Unilever.
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Healthcare Strength — Healthcare coverage is described as comprehensive, spanning medical, dental, vision, life insurance, and occupational health support alongside a 24/7 employee assistance program. Wellbeing offerings such as health checks, resilience tools, and counseling support the perceived depth of health-related benefits.
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Retirement Support — Retirement support includes a 401(k) match that reaches up to 5% of base salary, strengthening the overall value of the package. Share and savings options are also referenced as part of longer-term financial support beyond salary.
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Flexible Benefits — Benefits customization is enabled through tools such as a “My Reward” system and a “Benefits Envelope” that allows employees to personalize selections. Flexible working approaches are also associated with improved overall satisfaction, reinforcing perceived choice and adaptability in the total rewards offering.
Unilever Insights
What We Do
Be part of the world’s most successful, purpose-led business. Work with brands that are well-loved around the world, that improve the lives of our consumers and the communities around us. We promote innovation, big and small, to make our business win and grow; and we believe in business as a force for good. Unleash your curiosity, challenge ideas and disrupt processes; use your energy to make this happen. Our brilliant business leaders and colleagues provide mentorship and inspiration, so you can be at your best. Our portfolio ranges from nutritionally balanced foods to indulgent ice creams, affordable soaps, luxurious shampoos and everyday household care products. We produce world-leading brands including Lipton, Knorr, Dove, Axe, Hellmann’s and Omo, alongside trusted local names and innovative-forward thinking brands like Ben & Jerry’s, The Dollar Shave Club and Dermalogica. Every individual here can bring their purpose to life through their work. Join us and you’ll be surrounded by inspiring leaders and supportive peers. Among them, you’ll channel your purpose, bring fresh ideas to the table, and simply be you. As you work to make a real impact on the business and the world, we’ll work to help you become a better you.
