Unilever is currently hiring for a Strategic Sourcing Manager, Business Services Europe.
Function: Procurement
Scope: Regional/Market
Location: Poland
Terms & Conditions: full-time, right to work in Poland required.
JOB PURPOSE
Find your purpose at Unilever. You will lead innovations, big and small, that will make our business win and grow. You will learn from brilliant business leaders and colleagues in a truly global and diverse culture to ultimately become a better you.
MBS, Unilever’s Marketing and Business Services Procurement team, is responsible for Unilever’s sourcing and supplier strategy and execution for all third party spend across Marketing, Business Services, and IT, supporting the business requirements of Brands, Divisions, Markets, and functions to drive growth through strategic supplier management, cost and value management, sustainability, and innovation, aligned with Unilever’s Compass. The team manages an annual spend of ~9B Euro with a supplier base of about 40,000.
Within MBS, the Strategic Sourcing Manager Business Services Europe is responsible for the sourcing strategy implementation, and procurement of categories like external workforce, workplace and HR Services. The role will be reporting to the Global Procurement Director – Business Services.
The role will need to foster and build a culture of collaboration and support excellent execution of our strategies while fostering deep relationships with our stakeholders and suppliers.
WHAT WILL YOUR MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES BE
Understand the Europe business needs related to functional areas of spend in categories like HR services and Workforce Management, Workplace & Supply Chain and bring deep expertise and insights across the value chain and supply base to translate the business requirements into effective future-fit procurement strategies.
Connect strategy & execution aligned to Unilever’s structure, Business Groups, Functions & Markets goals, and priorities, aligned our Growth Action Plan 2030, our Procurement 2030 Strategy and OneMBS strategies and principles.
Implement transformational sourcing strategies, operating models, and cater for supplier relationships including a focus on Sustainability and Responsible Sourcing strategies.
Work with senior stakeholders to deliver complex globally led projects across Europe.
Deliver against financial targets and other KPIs (including value delivery) as per business plan objectives.
Lead European Supplier relationships and work with the global team to implement our strategy with defined suppliers.
Future proof the portfolio by driving digital approaches, while building technology enablers to help manage selected portfolio and scope.
Lead internal performance management and reporting including creation and stewardship of relevant key performance indicators
WHAT YOU WILL NEED TO SUCCEED
The successful candidate:
Is a caring leader, ready to bring the best out in people; strong in collaboration and influencing skills; and brings forward-looking, healthy challenges to deliver effective solutions.
Has expertise or is willing to learn to apply defined procurement methodologies (7 steps process) and best practices to meet or exceed stakeholder requirements by delivering results and minimizing risk to the business.
Is a strategic, independent, and self-starter to stay always 3 steps ahead, driving towards excellence.
Understands the wider business context and is knowledgeable and equipped to motivate the team to deliver leading peers for performance and care.
A collaborative team member and a creative problem solver with service mindset, ready to define and lead the Business Services sourcing solutions to Deliver with Excellence.
You will own and drive key portfolios for Unilever on a geografical scope, contributing directly to the Unilever GAP Strategy.
Experiences & Qualifications
7+ years of procurement experience, including proven and deep experience in procuring professional services or related field or indirect procurement portfolios.
Strategic sourcing, portfolio strategy expertise, with experience in managing complex portfolio/category at regional level.
Expert in negotiation and contracting and experience in cost optimization projects within Supply Chain.
Experience in strategic supplier relationship management.
Experience on large-scale project management.
Demonstrated and proven leadership capabilities to lead stakeholders and work as part of a virtual global team.
Experience in shaping and leading transformational business process reengineering, with experience driving Change Management initiatives.
Skills
Ability to work under pressure and in a complex global environment balancing a broad spectrum of stakeholder requirements.
Comfortable working in conditions of ambiguity and leading through change.
Able to create and drive adoption and execution of a shared vision and strategy for change.
Ability to interact with senior stakeholders cross effectively and efficiently functionally (including Business Services Procurement, HR, Finance, Legal, etc.) to understand their needs and deliver effective balanced solutions.
Delivers change whilst managing the interface between “day to day” and improvement projects.
Passion for continuous improvement
Strong verbal and written communication skills, including creation and delivery of effective presentations.
High financial and business acumen
Strong in selling ideas and concepts.
Inspiring, motivational, and accountable people leader, able to lead remote and cross-cultural teams and connect people and ideas.
Strong in project and time management for complex projects
Stakeholder management and people skills
Passion and practical creativity
Tenacious and resilient in the pursuit of challenging goals
Leadership
You are an inclusive motivator of people. Your team deliver with real passion, growing and learning from each other whilst delivering quick wins.
You are still responsible for your own results and as a manager, you also need to motivate others to deliver with passion, creating an inclusive and engaging climate around you. You can balance challenge with support and coaching. You understand the wider business context and you are emotionally intelligent enough to motivate people to deliver what is needed.
This role is part of the global Business Services Leadership team and is expected to have one to two direct reports.
OUR OFFER
Work on the contract of employment, annual bonus, benefit car, and eligibility to a company shares program.
Learning environment and personal development.
Attractive benefits package including private medical care (Medicover); retirement package, private life insurance (Unum), sport package (Benefits System), 2 additional days of vacation; Unilever shop for employees; access to the learning platform; access to Legimi; psychological support via EAP platform, and many more!
Unilever is an organisation 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. We believe a diverse workforce allows us to match our growth ambitions and drive inclusion across the business. At Unilever we are interested in every individual bringing their ‘Whole Self’ to work and this includes you! Thus if you require any support or access requirements, we encourage you to advise us at the time of your application so that we can support you through your recruitment journey.
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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
Similar Jobs
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.
