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 Business Services Procurement Director
Function Procurement
Scope Global
Country Location and Worksite Details Netherlands – Hofplein 19, Rotterdam
Salary range: €100.800 to € 138.600 gross per year, depending on experience and internal peer positioning.
JOB PURPOSE
This role exists to define and lead the global procurement strategy for Business Services, covering approximately €400+ million in spend across Workforce, HR Services, Workplace & Facilities, and Outsourcing. The role sets portfolio strategies, commercial frameworks, governance and performance expectations for global and regional execution, applying global scale while responding to business, market and regulatory requirements. Working with functional leaders, regional teams and strategic suppliers, the role drives value, service quality, productivity, compliance, risk management, user experience, sustainability and decarbonisation outcomes, enabled by digital procurement, analytics, automation and technology-enabled service delivery.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
- Lead, develop and empower a 14-FTE Global Business Services Procurement organisation comprising this Director role, six Managers and seven Assistant Managers, with all six Managers and one Assistant Manager reporting directly to the Director, and responsibility for approximately €400+ million in global spend.
- Define the global procurement strategy, commercial frameworks, governance and performance expectations across Workforce, HR Services, Workplace & Facilities, and Outsourcing for consistent global and regional execution.
- Shape an expertise-driven operating model that challenges demand, simplifies specifications and service models, rationalises supplier panels and promotes preferred buying channels to reduce fragmentation and improve productivity, compliance, adoption and user experience.
- Set strategic-sourcing and commercial-model standards for complex global and regional programmes across BPO, KPO, consulting, professional services, workforce solutions, HR services, workplace, facilities, travel, fleet and outsourced operations, supported by should-cost, lifetime-cost, benchmarking and market-intelligence disciplines.
- Build strategic supplier ecosystems and measurable service-governance frameworks using SLAs, KPIs, service credits, benchmarking, business reviews and continuous-improvement plans to improve value, service quality, innovation, resilience and user experience.
- Govern supplier transitions, mobilisation and service implementation through clear accountabilities, milestones, readiness criteria, knowledge transfer and change management, while managing data-privacy, operational-resilience, regulatory, financial-health and supplier-concentration risks.
- Build and land multi-year value-creation programmes with senior business stakeholders and partner functions, delivering savings, productivity, released capacity, service quality, compliance, working capital, risk reduction, sustainability and decarbonisation outcomes.
- Sponsor digital procurement, e-tendering, analytics, automation and technology-enabled service delivery that improve sourcing productivity, transactional compliance, supplier visibility, governance, adoption and decision quality.
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Extensive senior procurement leadership experience across Workforce, HR Services, Workplace & Facilities, Outsourcing or related indirect-service portfolios in large, complex multinational organisations.
- Enterprise leadership mindset, with the ability to set clear priorities, lead through ambiguity and organisational change, balance strategic thinking with execution, and build high-performing teams, capability and succession.
- Demonstrated success defining global sourcing, operating-model and supplier strategies for Business Services and leading complex programmes across multiple geographies, with experience operating at comparable spend and organisational scale.
- Deep commercial expertise in service-cost and should-cost models, strategic sourcing, e-tendering, negotiation, contracting, statements of work, service-level agreements, service credits and benefits realisation.
- Strong understanding of BPO, KPO, professional-services and managed-service delivery models, including supplier transitions, mobilisation, service governance and operational, financial, data-privacy and concentration risk.
- Strong financial and business acumen, external-market orientation, benchmarking capability and executive communication skills, with proven leadership across global, virtual and cross-cultural stakeholder environments.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Relevant postgraduate or professional qualification in Procurement, Supply Chain, Business, Finance or a related discipline.
- Experience leading global change, adoption and operating-model implementation programmes across complex matrix organisations.
- Experience using digital procurement, analytics, automation, e-procurement or e-tendering solutions to improve sourcing, supplier governance, service delivery and decision quality.
We welcome applicants from all walks of life and are committed to creating an environment where everyone can thrive/succeed. All applicants will receive fair and respectful consideration, and we actively support the growth and development of every employee.
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 your Talent Partner.
Skills Required
- Extensive senior procurement leadership experience across workforce, HR services, workplace and facilities, outsourcing, or related indirect-service portfolios in large multinational organizations.
- Enterprise leadership experience setting priorities, leading through ambiguity and organizational change, and building high-performing teams and succession capabilities.
- Demonstrated experience defining global sourcing, operating-model, and supplier strategies across multiple geographies at comparable spend and organizational scale.
- Deep commercial expertise in service-cost and should-cost models, strategic sourcing, e-tendering, negotiation, contracting, statements of work, service-level agreements, service credits, and benefits realization.
- Strong understanding of BPO, KPO, professional-services, and managed-service delivery models, including supplier transitions, mobilization, service governance, and operational, financial, data-privacy, and concentration risks.
- Strong financial and business acumen, market orientation, benchmarking capability, executive communication skills, and experience leading global, virtual, and cross-cultural stakeholders.
- Relevant postgraduate or professional qualification in Procurement, Supply Chain, Business, Finance, or a related discipline.
- Experience leading global change, adoption, and operating-model implementation programs across complex matrix organizations.
- Experience using digital procurement, analytics, automation, e-procurement, or e-tendering solutions.
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.
