BEAUTY AND WELLBEING INGREDIENT SPECIFICATION SPECIALIST

Please Note: The deadline for applying is 23.59 the day before the job posting end date.

Job Title: BEAUTY AND WELLBEING INGREDIENT SPECIFICATION SPECIALIST 

Location: Port Sunlight R&D

Work-Level: RH3

JOB PURPOSE

Unilever is a global leader in the Fast-Moving Consumer Goods industry, renowned for its powerful brands such as Dove, Axe, Magnum, Lipton, Vaseline, Suave, and Ben & Jerry’s. We develop products that enhance and improve people's lives today while also addressing the evolving environmental challenges of tomorrow, with the goal of making sustainable living a common practice. Unilever is dedicated to bringing purpose, joy, and delightful experiences to both consumers and customers.

The Beauty and Wellbeing Unilever business group is a dynamic and innovative segment focused on enhancing the physical appearance and overall wellness of clients. This group is dedicated to developing and delivering high-quality Hair and Skin Care products that cater to diverse consumer needs.  Beauty and Wellbeing (B&W) Business Group is a €13 Billion division in Unilever, with a strong portfolio of brands including Dove, Sunsilk, Tresemme, Ponds, Vaseline in more than 120 countries.  The success of our products across so many different markets and consumer needs is underpinned by the quality of the materials (ingredients) we use.

We are looking for an Ingredient Specification Specialist who is responsible for creating and maintaining detailed specifications for all raw materials used in production. This role is crucial for ensuring that raw materials meet the required standards for quality, safety, and regulatory compliance. This Ingredient Specialist will work within a cross-functional teams, accountable for reviewing ingredient specification content which deliver consistent winning quality products.  The key interfaces for this role include the B&W Category R&D Formulation team, Cross Business Group Specification management teams, Digital R&D, Global Quality, Supply Chain Procurement, Regulatory Affairs, Chemical Suppliers, and 3P Measurement Laboratories. These interfaces are essential for ensuring effective collaboration and communication across various departments and external partners, facilitating the successful development and management of raw material specifications.

This global role is part of the B&W R&D organization and is key to successful delivery of Future Fit Ingredient Specifications.  It is an office-based role situated in the Port Sunlight R&D facility in the UK.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Develop and Maintain Specifications: Create and maintain detailed specifications for all raw materials used in production. This includes biological, chemical, and physical characteristics, as well as additives and processing aids
• Analytical Test Method Specifications : Accountable for reviewing analytical methods (with internal analytical experts and with Chemical Suppliers) for Ingredients and primary contact for reviewing specification content, compliance and quality.
• Quality Assurance: Ensure that all raw materials comply with safety standards, including shelf-life, storage conditions, allergens, and ingredients. Conduct regular reviews and updates of specifications to ensure accuracy and compliance
• Documentation and Record Keeping: Maintain accurate records of all raw material specifications, including electronic and printed copies. Ensure that specifications are up-to-date and archived appropriately 
• Supplier Specification Coordinator : Key R&D relationship leader of chemical suppliers.
  • Coordinating regular supplier contact meetings with all relevant functions and suppliers.
  • Taking minutes and actions.
  • Ensuring confidentiality agreements are in place.
  • Maintaining supplier specification tracker.
  • Ensuring ingredient specification content is agreed with supplier.
  • Reporting progress updates to leadership team.

• Specifications Project Lifecycle Management (PLM) Power User: Expert SAP PLM Super User and practitioner (training to be provided).

ALL ABOUT YOU

• Educational Background: A strong degree in Chemistry with Organic Chemistry specialisation.  Proven capability of Analytical Chemistry.
• Experience: Previous experience in raw material specification management, quality assurance, or a related role in the Cosmetic Chemistry/formulation field.  It would be beneficial to have experience/understanding of Industrial Processes/chemistries of Cosmetic Ingredient manufacture and/or experience of Product Formulation Design or previous ingredient specification management.

• Skills: Strong attention to detail, excellent communication skills, and proficiency in IT programmes such as Excel, Word, and Outlook.

YOUR PERSONAL QUALITIES

• Analytical Thinking: Ability to analyse and interpret complex data related to raw materials.
• Collaboration: Strong ability to work collaboratively with suppliers and internal teams.
• Organisational Skills: Excellent organisational skills to manage and maintain detailed records and documentation.

• Pro-active mind-set : Keen to demonstrate delivery and seek pragmatic solutions with an ability to set priorities and to work to tight deadlines

NOTES

About Unilever

Unilever is one of the world’s leading suppliers of Food, Home and Personal Care products with sales in over 190 countries and reaching 2 billion consumers a day. Unilever has more than 400 brands found in homes around the world, including Dove, Tresemme, Lynx, Lifebuoy, Shea Moisture, Persil, Domestos, Ben & Jerry’s, Magnum, Marmite, The Vegetarian Butcher, Graze and Pot Noodle.

Faced with the challenge of climate change and the need for human development, we want to move towards a world where everyone can live well and within the natural limits of the planet. That’s why our purpose is ‘to make sustainable living commonplace’  

What We Offer

Not only do we offer a competitive salary and pension scheme, we also offer an annual bonus, subsidised gym membership, a discounted staff shop and shares. You’ll have the opportunity to work directly with our renowned and exciting brands in a flexible and hybrid working environment.

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 are a key advocate of wellbeing and offer a variety of support for our people including hubs, programmes and development opportunities. 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 at Unilever | Unilever.

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How is Unilever tackling this?

Many of Unilever’s recruitment sites publish a warning to candidates about recruitment fraud. The Cyber Security team also proactively scan for signs of people setting up fake Unilever sites and act to close them down. 

What can I do?

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