Portfolio and Innovation Officer

Job description

On the 2 nd July 2018 Unilever completed the sale of the Spreads Business and it is now under the new ownership of KKR as “Upfield”, therefore any successful applicants will be employed by “Upfield” not Unilever. For more details on Upfield, please click here .

Portfolio and Innovation Officer
Rotterdam, Netherlands

Do you know your Kale from your Quinoa or the difference between a Flexitarian to a Regenerative Grazer? We are looking for top talent for an exciting new movement within the Food Industry.

About Upfield!
Upfield is a global leader in plant-based nutrition with a great history and a portfolio of iconic brands that people have used and trusted for generations. This includes Flora, Rama, Becel, Blue Band, Country Crock, I Can’t Believe it’s not Butter and ProActiv.
We are a global food company with 6 business units operating in 95 markets. We have the mind-set of a start-up. This makes us fast, agile, entrepreneurial, cost conscious and accountable for our products – from seed to serving at the breakfast, lunch or dinner table.
We take quality seriously and around the world we taste products every 30 seconds. We take our consumers seriously and more than 150 people will taste test each of our new innovations before they hit the shelves.

The role
You are the supply chain representative and responsible for aligning functional & leadership stakeholders to deliver projects. Project types include new innovations, Value creation Projects, roll-outs, recipe changes and line extensions with an agreed time plan.
The role interfaces between Marketing, Research & Development (R&D) and various Supply Chain functions, such as Procurement, Quality, Innovation Managers at factories.

Main Accountabilities:

Portfolio Management
· Support, coordinate portfolio development by leading projects to design our product portfolio. In alignment with Business strategy, to ensure full supply chain network, strategy and capabilities are available to support the business.
· Identify and take into account the key drivers of complexity in the Category with end to end supply chain approach.
· Ensure SC is represented during the development of the future portfolio of our business by delivering information and managing stakeholders to drive portfolio decision. Assess the potential cost / benefit of addressing each complexity driver for a specific Category. Lead specific portfolio initiatives to drive down complexity with marketing.
· Monitor Category portfolio healthiness in terms of number of products in/out, critical volumes, technical aspects. Review the threshold levels for SKUs in the Category, assess the impact for existing SKUs in the portfolio and promote via marketing actions plan to solve the situation.

Innovation Projects (including product roll-outs)
· Support and coordinate SC activities to ensure excellent project delivery.
· Input full SC aspects on all project stages (sourcing, procurement, capabilities, capacity, investment etc.). In case of existing technologies, responsible to drive Innovation process E2E until launch.
· Ensure effective communication with R&D, Planning, Procurement, QA, Factories, 3 rd parties organization.
· Ensure business competitiveness by delivering distribution to gross margins.
· Manage function interaction with marketing, R&D, Planning, Procurement, QA, factories.
· Responsible to verify technical risk assessments is in place with the technical team at each project stage to avoid quality issues.
· Support Marketing on cost estimations.
· Drive and ensure execution of the value creation Programs in the Category
· Step up in business leadership within respective brand platform-> be part of brand team.

Skills/ Experience/ Qualifications:
· Hands-on mentality to get things done
· Outstanding track record in OTIF project delivery.
· R&D, Planning or Operations background; Should have direct experience in at least one of the three functions and should have good understanding of the other two
· Knowledge and experience with Quality in Innovation for manufacturing principles.
· Basic understanding of production processes and capabilities, risk assessment and validation of in–house and co-making operations.
· English proficiency
· Excellent communicator
· Strategic influencing skills
· Team leadership
· Confidence in virtual team working and team coordination

Your Personal Power!
At Upfield we want you to bring your ideas, your motivation and desire to succeed! This part of the role is up to you to complete.

Mission Statement
At Upfield our purpose is clear …… Making people healthier and happier with great-tasting, healthy and natural plant-based products which are good for our planet!

If you are an entrepreneur at heart and have a passion for winning, a strong understanding of the FMCG business, ad would like to join us, apply and speak to one of our Talent Matchmakers!

Interested in this role?
Your application will be reviewed against our requirements and we will be in touch shortly to provide you with an update on the status of your application. Candidates who have applied can access their status update through the candidate tracking link or, for any additional queries, by contacting Upfield Project recruiter Margot Freericks via

On the 2nd July 2018 Unilever completed the sale of the Spreads Business and it is now under the new ownership of KKR as “Upfield”, therefore any successful applicants will be employed by “Upfield ” not Unilever. For more details on Upfield, please click here .