Job Description

Job Title: Global B&W R&D Processing Director

Work Level: WL3X

Reports To: B&W CRDO / Hair VP

Leadership Team: B&W R&D Extended Leadership Team

Function: Global R&D, B&W Processing

Location: R&D Port Sunlight

About Unilever

Established over 100 years ago, we are one of the world’s largest consumer goods companies. We are known for our great brands and our belief that doing business the right way drives superior performance. We believe that the winning businesses of tomorrow will be those which anticipate and respond to the huge changes shaping people’s lives across the world. Unilever’s global R&D spans six innovation centres and twelve regional hubs, employing over 5,000 experts, including 500+ PhDs. It drives breakthrough science in microbiome research, biotechnology, and sustainable packaging. With 20,000+ patents, Unilever transforms cutting-edge discoveries into scalable innovations that enhance lives and protect the planet.

Background & Purpose of the Role

In Processing, this leader will play a critical role in ensuring that increasingly complex Beauty & Wellbeing innovations are translated into robust, scalable and winning products in market—quickly, reliably and with confidence of execution. As product formats, sensorial expectations and manufacturing constraints continue to increase, while innovation cycle times compress to meet the demands of e‑commerce and high‑velocity markets, strong senior accountability for processing remains essential to business performance. In addition to scaling up formulations in existing and new formats, this role also includes development of advanced processing technologies to enable our B&W SC to deliver through Unilever and CM factories both novel processing-driven formats as well as enabling small scale production of premium products via emerging dosing, filling and varianting technologies.

The role will also be responsible for driving digitisation, standardisation and the applied use of AI to augment processing scientists and engineers, improving reuse of learning, and reducing avoidable complexity across end‑to‑end R&D ways of working.

In addition, as a part of the B&W R&D ELT this leader will take on additional leadership challenges and campaigns from time to time as is the case in any WL3 position, for example in championing digital, sustainability or other areas.

Key Accountabilities

• Leading Process Development across for all innovations, GM expansion and compliance programmes, bringing both discipline and agility to projects, ensuring product design intent is executed brilliantly across a diverse manufacturing footprint of over 40 UL factories and 150 Collaborative Manufacturers.
• Partner closely with global Supply Chain and key global factories (e.g. Minburi, Cikarang, Bydgoszcz, CuChi, Hefei, Dubai, Vinhedo, Sagamihara, Tortuguitas, Monterrey, RYK) to develop and land the next generation of Ultrafast and multi-stage manufacturing process for both Hair and Skin.
• Strategic management of over 400+ Main Plant Trials across Hair and Skin and to land in-year programme OTIF and validate future technology portfolios
• Leading 20+ BG Process Engineers across four global sites and a vibrant B&W Processing Network of 70+ engineers worldwide—fostering collaboration and ownership to create an end-to-end Processing Function that is a true source of competitive advantage for B&W.
• Drive standardisation and digitisation of all Process functional processes across BG and BUs to improve speed and agility of scale up processed and speed to market.
• Own and lead the annual B&W R&D Capex process, setting strategic direction, priorities and investment choices aligned to B&W R&D strategy and needs.

Key Processing Interfaces

• B&W RDLT and Extended RDLT
• Formulation R&D, Brand R&D
• Supply Chain Global Leadership team
• Sourcing Units Engineering teams
• Pilot Plant / Site Facilities / CAPEX in R&D planners / Finance

Key Skills & Experience

• Extensive experience in Process Development or manufacturing‑focused R&D, translating complex innovation demands into robust, scalable factory processes and programmes. Strong understanding of how processing enables quality, cost, safety and differentiated consumer value.
• Proven experience leading digital, data and/or AI‑enabled programmes in a technical or R&D environment, with clear focus on measurable delivery and productivity impact. Credible in shaping digital strategy and ensuring tools and platforms are grounded in real engineering and scientific work.
• Experienced leader of high‑performing, geographically distributed teams, with a proven ability to set clear direction, build accountability and sustain performance in complex environments.
• Demonstrated ability to operate end‑to‑end across complex systems, balancing short‑term delivery with long‑term capability development. Experienced in aligning senior stakeholders across R&D and other functions to drive alignment and high‑quality decisions.
• Strong knowledge of the end-to-end innovation process, functions and markets preferred, understanding both the interrelationship of functions and challenges of future channel and market shifts
• Demonstrated strong capability in developing talent, empowering leaders and fostering a culture of ownership, collaboration and continuous improvement.

Education & Qualifications

• Degree or above in Science, Engineering or a related subject. Chemical Engineering and/or previous experience in Processing is preferred. Digital-related qualifications and/or experience will also be an important consideration.

NOTES

By applying for this vacancy, you are confirming that you have made your Line Manager aware of your application and that you are at a point in your career with Unilever where it is appropriate for you to be applying for other positions.

Should you require additional information or reasonable adjustments to allow you to present your best self during this process, please contact your Talent Partner Wes Scott on Wes.Scott@unilever.com

What we offer

Whilst the role is advertised on a full-time basis, we would be happy to discuss possible flexible working options and what this may look like for you. We strive to achieve a family-friendly and inclusive workplace and to, above all, create possibilities for all.

Diversity at Unilever is about inclusion, embracing differences, creating possibilities and growing together for better business performance. We embrace diversity in our workforce. This means giving full and fair consideration to all applicants and continuing development of all employees regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, marriage and civil partnership, and pregnancy and maternity. We are also more than happy to provide reasonable adjustments during our application and interview process to enable you to be present your best self. To find out more, including about our Employee Resource Groups, please click here Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (unilever.com).

Relocation to the UK

Please be aware if you are applying for this role from outside the UK, if successful, your application will be treated as a self-initiated Change Location Outside of Country (CLOC) transfer. This means any relocation costs must be self-funded with the potential to reclaim some specific pre-approved expenses up to £5,000. Please speak to your Talent Partner if you have any questions.