Head of Factory

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North America, particularly the United States, is a critical market for the Foods Business Group. Both our Condiments and Cooking Aids & Mini Meals verticals are the largest in the BG, together doing 2b EUR in annual turnover.  It is home to Hellmann's, Knorr and Unilever Food Solutions.  These ‘power’ brands are brought to life every day for consumers either digitally, in store or in restaurant.  In addition to an E2E go-to-market Supply Chain team, we also operate three factories in North America.

JOB PURPOSE

The Head of Factory in Independence, MO plays a pivotal role in driving operational excellence across the site, ensuring all manufacturing activities align with agreed standards and deliver on key financial and customer service goals. This leader is accountable for achieving site targets in service, cost, productivity, quality, innovation, OSHE, and employee engagement.

As the head of the local management team, the Head of Factory champions the implementation and sustainability of supply chain and category strategies. These include safety, quality, World Class Manufacturing, employee relations, performance management, and talent development.

A vital member of the broader supply chain leadership team, the Head of Factory fosters a culture of continuous improvement and collaboration—leading the development and sharing of best practices across the network to elevate performance and capability.

WHAT WILL YOUR MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES BE

As a key site leader, you will execute annual operational and financial plans to meet and exceed targets across service, cost, productivity, quality, innovation, and Safety, Health & Environment (SHE). You’ll also shape the long-term strategic direction of the site by advising Regional Category and Supply Chain teams on future-focused initiatives.

You will champion a culture of Continuous Improvement—driving innovation not only in products but also in ways of working, cost and service models, and supply chain design. This includes partnering with the Category Technology team to implement capital investments that support production, quality, safety, environmental, and cost objectives.

Key Responsibilities:

• Maintain technical standards across all manufacturing and non-manufacturing assets to ensure optimal customer service at the best cost.
• Lead factory operations to deliver production plans with the right quality, while optimizing labor, energy, and material usage.
• Drive effective Working Capital management and deliver inventory targets in collaboration with Regional Category Planning and Supply Management Directors.
• Manage local stakeholder relationships and community engagement in alignment with Unilever’s policies.
• Ensure full compliance with all Unilever governance and policy requirements.
• Lead integration and collaboration initiatives across the extended supply chain to enhance synergy and performance.
  

WHAT YOU WILL NEED TO SUCCEED

Experiences & Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Chemical engineering, Industrial engineering, or related field.
• Minimum of 10 years in a Supply Chain role (Manufacturing, Technology, EHS, Quality).
• Minimum 3 years working in a role leading an entire factory, preferably at the Director level.
• Experience in Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) is strongly preferred.

Skills

• You’re a natural leader: You’ll take charge of deploying and implementing HR policies across the site, with a strong focus on fostering positive employee relations and a high-performance culture.
• You’re a strategic visionary: You’ll shape and drive the site’s long-term roadmap—including restructuring, re-engineering, and retrofitting initiatives—in alignment with the VP of Supply Chain Category. You’ll also lead the prioritization and planning of resource development and deployment.
• You’re a connector of dots: You’ll oversee and align quality management systems with established QA procedures, ensuring seamless coordination across functions.
• You’re a culture and change catalyst: You’ll champion World Class Manufacturing (WCM) by leading the Manufacturing Excellence Steering Committee, inspiring teams to embrace continuous improvement and operational excellence.
  

Leadership

• You are now a Leader of Change. People look to you to provide safety in a storm, and you also appropriately challenge to get even better results. You role model resilience and care. You navigate these uncertain times by flexing plans and your leadership style, always with authenticity.
• You are still responsible for delivering to the highest standards. You must be resilient so you can lead others to deliver with passion through uncertainty and create opportunities through the core and beyond. You must be able to flex your style and your plans to guide others through difficult times.

• Critical SOL (Standards of Leadership) Behaviors
  • PASSION FOR HIGH PERFORMANCE: Takes personal responsibility and accountability for execution and results. Generates intensity and focus to motivate people to deliver results at speed.
  • PERSONAL MASTERY: Sets high standards for themselves. Actively builds own wellbeing and resilience.
  • TALENT CATALYST: Invests in people – coaches individuals and teams to realize their full potential. Creates an inclusive climate, empowering everyone to be at their best. Inspires powerful teamwork and collaboration, connecting people for better results.
  • CONSUMER LOVE: Brings the voice of the consumer into everything we do, always.
  • BUSINESS ACUMEN: Creates opportunities for profitable growth through the core and beyond.

What We Can Offer You

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Pay: The pay range for this position is $221,100 to $442,200 Unilever takes into consideration a wide range of factors that are utilized in making compensation decisions including, but not limited to, skill sets, experience and training, licensure and certifications, qualifications and education, and other business and organizational needs.

Bonus: This position is bonus eligible.

Long-Term Incentive (LTI): This position is LTI eligible.
Benefits: Unilever employees are eligible to participate in our benefits plan. Should the employee choose to participate, they can choose from a range of benefits to include, but is not limited to, health insurance (including prescription drug, dental, and vision coverage), retirement savings benefits, life insurance and disability benefits, parental leave, sick leave, paid vacation and holidays, as well as access to numerous voluntary benefits. Any coverages for health insurance and retirement benefits will be in accordance with the terms and conditions of the applicable plans and associated governing plan documents.

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Unilever is an organization committed to diversity and inclusion to drive our business results and create a better future every day for our diverse employees, global consumers, partners, and communities. We believe a diverse workforce allows us to match our growth ambitions and drive inclusion across the business. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by local, state, or federal law and will not be discriminated against on the basis of disability. 

For more information about your Federal rights, please see Know Your Rights: Workplace Discrimination isIllegal and Pay Transparency Non discrimination Provision.

Employment is subject to verification of pre-screening tests, which may include drug screening, background check, credit check and DMV check.

If you are an individual with a disability in need of assistance at any time during our recruitment process, please contact us at NA.Accommodations@unilever.com. Please note: This email is reserved for individuals with disabilities in need of assistance and is not a means of inquiry about positions or application statuses. The Protected Veterans or Individuals with Disabilities AAP narratives are available for inspection by any employee or applicant for employment Monday through Friday during normal business hours at establishment.