What can you expect from the role?
In this role, you will work closely with the whole Social Sustainability team to run the management of the OneSocial program. This contains various interventions into the supply chain, decided through a data-driven approach, addressing our key identified salient issues, high risk commodities and suppliers. You will be responsible for the delivery of various projects. You will be business partnering with Business Groups, leadership and colleagues in different geographies, cross functions (e.g. Procurement, Global Sustainability Function, Responsible Business) and at the same time act as subject matter expert in Land Rights both internal and externally. This will be rewarding work, as you will support the impact measurement and tracking of our projects, with the opportunity to travel to the ground when required.
A successful Social Sustainability professional is expected to:
Strategy
- Implement, drive and own OneSocial multi-year strategy.
- Work closely with colleagues based in different geographies: assess needs of the markets, tailor to each commodities strategies, acquire deep value chain understanding, industry insight and trends to create the maximum impact.
- Focus on Impact, ability to design programs with clear end impact and ways to measure and track in mind. Performance and result oriented.
- Embrace the Digital Agenda – utilize and leverage digital insights to take a risk based approach and priorities for increased impact.
- Be an active member in the wider Sustainability teams to meet goals and objectives in support of the overall strategy.
External Relationship Management: Suppliers, Implementation Partners and Industry Groups
- Ensure Suppliers are understanding Unilever’s social sustainability expectations and support them on the journey.
- Be the relationship owner with implementing partners in assigned geography(s) – manage their work and ensure they are always delivering to Unilever’s expectations.
- Network externally to always ensure our programs are locally relevant and driving impact in changing global contexts and continual learning about the salient issues on the ground – driving innovative solutions.
- Travel to the ground to evaluate execution of our programs.
- Be the representative on a number of industry working groups, collaborating with industry peers pre-competitively on common goals and risk areas.
Internal business partnering
- Be a strategic influencer – strong at selling ideas to his/her business partners, internally and externally, translating these into positive business outcomes and impact to people.
- Manage business relationships (incl. with procurement and local sustainability leads) on behalf of OneSocial team in India.
- Share relevant insights that support the business to understand our approach.
- Behave as a champion of change and ensure Unilever’s social license to operate.
- Be an advocate and story teller of the OneSocial work to expand our reach.
Technical & Behavior Skills
- Understanding of socially responsible sourcing challenges and human rights issues for workers in complex supply chains.
- Deep passion in creating a better world for people in our extended supply chains.
- Can do attitude: being a self-starter and outstanding in execution – has an eagle-eye for detail.
- Use the Innovator’s DNA – act as an entrepreneur, finds creative solutions to roadblocks, adjusts plans based on data, sets trends and is willing to lead, follow or get out of the way.
- Be a natural leader, the ability to take lead on driving cross functional initiatives from conceptualization to implementation.
- Strong communication skills and ability to engage and influence cross functional stakeholders.
- Ability to interact with people from different cultures and backgrounds.
- Fluent communication and verbal skills in English.
- Appetite for change and eagerness to collaborating with stakeholders to drive through impact.
Team Leadership
- Collaborative, team player who focuses on team success above self.
- Clear vision and direction and ability to guide everyone in the team, including one direct report.
- Passion for people: be the Talent Catalyst, develop team members, and focus on wellbeing.
Experience Required
- Experienced program manager in sustainability, human rights, social impact or responsible sourcing.
- Expertise in land rights prioritized.
- Previous team management roles.
- Long-term strategy planning & execution.
- Experience on large-scale, complex projects.
- Experience in working in a virtual team and regional/global scope.
- Willingness for business travel (20% of time).