Ice Cream Factory Manex & Capability Lead

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Role:  Manufacturing Excellence & Capability Lead

Work Level: 1CU/ T4

Scope: Cluster Supply Chain/Permanent/Full time/Regular

Reports to: Ice Cream Factory

Location: Lords View Factory

Terms & Conditions: Local conditions apply 

 For the recruitment of this position, we would like to emphasize that local conditions apply to the position and for this vacancy in principle we will consider candidates based in the set locations. If you are based outside of these locations and you are interested to apply, please feel free to do so but at this stage we will not take your application forward. We will only consider your application if a decision is made to also recruit outside of the set locations..  

If you are in the Unilever Ice Cream business or consider choosing to work for the Unilever Ice Cream business, you will work for the Global, leading Ice Cream player with €7.9bn Turn Over in 2023. The Ice Cream business is operating in a highly attractive category, as we are part of the 1 trillion snacking and refreshment industry, growing consistently at high pace. We have strong brands equities: 5 of top 10 selling brands including Wall’s, Magnum, Ben &Jerry’s. We are investing to unlock the full growth potential of Ice Cream as a standalone entity, once we separate from Unilever, which is planned to happen by November 2025.

Ice Cream has distinct characteristics from Unilever’s other operating businesses and the growth potential of Ice Cream will be better delivered under a different ownership structure. As Ice Cream company we are committed to developing and nurturing talent within our Ice Cream company. You will have ample options for career growth and exploration, allowing you for you to explore roles and opportunities across the new organisation. Your career development will be a priority for us, and we are dedicated to supporting your growth journey within the new company. We hope that you will want to build the new chapter of our Ice Cream history together with us.

Unilever Ice Cream is the largest global Ice Cream Company in the world, with over 100 years of experience delivering a diverse range of indulgent, yet responsible, craft food experiences and treats delighting consumers. Committed to innovation, quality, and sustainability we have 35 brands, including 3 one billion Euro brands (Magnum, Wall’s, Ben & Jerry’s), a strong presence in over 60 countries, generating annual revenue of over $8 billion. All brands are driven to transform moments into memories through indulgent yet responsibly made and marketed products. We have a well-developed strategy to deliver growth and value creation which is clear on where to play and how to win.

We turn the ordinary into the extraordinary by designing unique and innovative Ice Cream experiences that make life taste better, creating joyful experiences. In our Ice Cream business, we’re crafting the future through innovation and imaginative minds, creating unique products. We spark moments of happiness for people and within the communities where we operate. However, it is not as simple as it may seem. As Ice Cream makers we are serious about happiness. With warm hearts, we create the coolest products.

JOB PURPOSE:

The ManEx & Capabiity Lead plays a crucial role in enhancing manufacturing performance, including areas such as waste reduction, operational reliability (OR), overall equipment effectiveness (OEE), ManEx savings, cost efficiency, manhours per ton, safety, health, environment (SHE), and quality improvements. He/She develops and implements a continuous improvement program for the factory , aligned with the Business Group’s manufacturing strategy and the BU and site priorities. This role involves providing continuous improvement coaching to sourcing unit, developing and managing manufacturing skills, and delivering training.

Manufacturing Excellence & Capability Lead is reporting to IC Factory Lead with a dotted line reporting to the regional ManEx Manaager.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Develop masterplan: Support the factory to develop Factory Masterplan in coordination with Finance, BG Mid/Long term planning, Engineering, Digital, HR. 
• Own the Continuous Improvement Program:
  • Own the roll out of the program (for foundation and advanced) in the factories, perform gap analysis, supports teams to create improvement plan; facilitate assessments with global teams. 
  • Facilitate Tools and Methods (toolkits) to attack the major losses supporting and maintaining the standardization across the BU. 
  • Drive asset efficiency (OEE) aligned with run2standard. Support the deployment of MMP standards set up and coherent application. Analyze and report continuous improvement savings through Cost Deployment. Facilitates timely and accurate reporting of site performance KPIs OEE, Waste and Manhour per ton. 
  • Deliver trainings (classroom and the shopfloor) and coaching for pillar leaders/members on UMS logic and pillar steps when relevant to ensure capability building across the sites.
  • Facilitate discussion on resource allocation when required between BU and SU (Factory) leaders (part of the Masterplan agenda) 
• Benchmarking/Best Practice Sharing/Technology and Process Convergence:
  • Scale specific factory’s solutions (best examples/practices and assessment findings) across the other sites and other capabilities (SHE - Quality - Agility). Develop action plans for effective knowledge and best practices transfer. 
  • Supporting and maintaining standardization across the BU.
  • Supporting and maintaining standardization across the BU. Implement the above improvement via technology hubs wherever active 

• Manage ManufacturingWaste: Support the factory teams on waste governance; Support teams to develop waste improvement glidepath covering all waste levers. 
• Cost Governance: Support factory teams to develop the cost budget and to control the cost by Weekly Cost Governance and Zero-Based Budget. 
• Savings: Support the factory teams to identify saving projects to meet the targeted production cost and manufacturing waste. 
• Reliability: Expand the loss management framework beyond Manufacturing and have KPI´s for interfaces with Manufacturing (OR losses) 
• Digital transformation: support the factory to develop and implement a digital road map and industry 4.0 use cases to accelerate performance.

• Descriptive and Diagnostic: Drive digital factory program for level 1 and level 2. Act as the primary point of contact for RTVA, MDCS data reporting systems, deployment of global apps DFOS, BuildApp, SPC and NGTW. The focus will be on enabling our manufacturing sites to deploy appropriate, standardized technologies and ensure consistency in deployment and associated benefit delivery. 

• Predictive and Prescriptive: Support BG and BU engineering for level 3 and level 4 solutions in terms of impact on operations and business results. 

• Purpose of investment - Early alignment (Idea Phase) with BG and Engineering on projects to leverage EEM. 

• EEM Methodology - Ensure project team has appropriate training on EEM and UMS methodology and apply project classification to identify right tools and methods. 

• Front loading concept - Provide support and coaching to project team(s) as project moves through the EEM Steps (focus on EEM step 1,2,3) to deliver Safety, AM, PM, Q step 1-2-3 and digital tools on day 1.   

• Continuous improvement culture: Ensure that ManEX activities are impacting both results and the culture change towards the vision as determined by zero loss mindset. 

• Resources: support sites with Master plan Organization element and resource gap closure.

• Upskilling & reskilling:  Support skills development (upskilling and reskilling) of white and blue-collar workers  

• Training: Deliver and coordinate appropriate training for the trainer training (theory and practical application) involving continuous improvement. 

• Factory Operating System: Standardize factory governance systems across region in line with FOS (R2S - Factory Operating System) elements and audit effectiveness  

WHAT YOU NEED TO SUCCEED:

SKILLS:

• Analytical thinking: Being able to break down complex problems, identify patterns and derive actionable insights.
• Strong Leadership: Be a servant leader to the factories and supporting them in the deployment of the Global Manex Strategy for the Ice Cream company. 
• Effective Communication and stakeholder management: to convey complex information clearly and build relationships with stakeholders at all levels such as Factory Directors and Factory Leadership Teams, Finance Directors/Managers. BG Engineering & Manex Director/Managers, and Business Unit VP SC  

• Negotiation skills: Capability to influence and challenge Sourcing Unit leaders  

EXPERIENCES & QUALIFICATIONS:

It is essential to have a university degree, engineering preferred.  5+  years’ experience in FMCG  of which minimum 3 in manufacturing. Appropriate functional/technical expertise. Strong continuous improvement program (Lean/6Sigma/TPM/WCM/UMS) background (with strong achievements).  

ARE YOU EXCITED TO CRAFT THE ICE CREAM FUTURE?

To apply, you must do so online. Please do not forget to upload your CV, latest EoY and a motivation letter.  If you have been informed that you are at risk of redundancy, please make sure to tick this box during your application. Please also attach your letter of redundancy to the application.

Your application will be reviewed against our requirements, and we will be in touch shortly after the closing date to provide you with an update on the status of your application.

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 apply for other positions.

Disclaimer

Equal Opportunity Employer: Unilever is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, or any other basis protected by applicable law, and will not be discriminated against on the basis of disability. 

En tant qu'employeur responsable et inclusif, Unilever est attentif à la diversité et à la mixité de ses équipes. Nos recruteurs sont engagés et veillent à l'application de processus de recrutement non-discriminants.

Tous nos postes sont ouverts aux personnes en situation de handicap et Unilever accompagne ses collaborateurs dans la mise en place d'éventuels aménagements de poste et de dispositifs d'accessibilité.