Business Context And Main Challenges Of The Role

• Unilever recognizes Packaging as an important part of the product mix. Not only does it fulfil an important functional role, to contain, protect and inform, but also as the first “touchpoint” with the consumer, it must engage the consumer, reflecting the brand proposition, and delivering a delightful experience.
• Packaging is a critical capability within Unilever & has a material spend exceeding €5.5 bn & we collaborate with the world’s leading packaging industry eco-system partners. Our vision on sustainable transformation of our product portfolio cannot be achieved without packaging innovation and technologies that will drive growth and at the same time reduce our environmental impact.
• The Global Packaging Materials Capabilities in R&D are strategic development programs which will help us win in the marketplace by providing solutions to consumer & business wants and develop our expertise to launch disruptive packs in the market which delight the consumer, satisfy our customers, and ensure robust packaging quality in the market.
• This role will drive the development and delivery of new material technologies for Nutrition & Ice Cream (N&I), while working closely with ULB R&D, SA & SEA category packaging teams, Science & Design and cross functional partners supporting the ULB business. Parallel, with our strong emerging market footprint and flexibles being a big format of choice, developing and implementing sustainable material solutions for flexible packaging formats has been one of the key challenges given the complexity in its materials supply value chain extending from resin producers to feedstock manufacturers to flexible packaging converters. Not to mention the added complexity in the diverse machine technology platform existing within our own supply chain. To address the need to further streamline the development of sustainable flexible formats, this role will also be a key driver of our forward thinking on new technology opportunities on flexible packaging formats and compliment the role of the EU based Future materials capability team for N&I.
• The key responsibility will be to develop end to end material solutions for plastic flexibles for the N&I business in the Asian clusters supporting its packaging framework, with strong collaboration with highly developed ecosystem on flexibles within Asia and other markets.
• The role must ensure the delivery of medium, and long-term delivery of the agreed material development program including processes covering the entire range of N&I flexible packaging formats in the Asian, & global market clusters.
• This position will interface with internal global & cluster packaging development teams and collaborate extensively with external ecosystem partners & research institutes to evaluate future opportunities for the N&I Business Groups.
  
  

Main Accountabilities

• Responsible for agreed N&I packaging initiatives which includes development, evaluation, testing, factory trials & execution of novel technologies in flexible packaging.
• Collaborate with Category (BG & BU) Packaging, Science & Design team to develop next-generation, affordable, sustainable materials and formats for the portfolio.
• Support medium to long-term opportunities for material savings in flexibles within the N&I business.
• Accountable for the development and technological validation of new flexible materials, ensuring recyclability and meeting cost targets for the N&I business.
• Support in developing a strategic flexibles eco-system, including raw material producers, converters, industry experts and knowledge institutes in India and Asia, to foster partnerships and accelerate the rollout of next-generation material technologies.
• Lead the testing, validation & scalability trials of new materials, and assist category packaging teams to successfully implement and integrate new materials.
• To comply with the Unilever Code of Business Principles and all SHE and QA policies, including the support of product claims, risk management and environmental awareness.
  
  

Key Competencies

• Results driven
• Problem solving
• Goal oriented
• Analytical ability
• Team commitment
  
  

Key Skills

• Basic operational understanding of flexible materials, feedstocks, conversion technologies, machine material interaction, cost models.
• Good understanding of the Flexibles eco-system and value chain in India/Asia
• Able to work effectively in multi-disciplinary, multi-cultural teams internally and externally.
• Ability to influence new thinking with stakeholders and within team.
  
  

Relevant Experience

• Degree in Science or Engineering with experience in polymer/ plastics/ flexible conversion technology.
• Minimum 6-10 years proven track record in a packaging materials development, manufacturing, and conversion role.
• Candidates with experience in the flexibles conversion industry will be an advantage.
• Experience collaborating with multi-disciplinary teams in the development of high impact innovative solutions.