Africa EDI Lead

Unilever is currently hiring for Africa EDI Lead

Scope: Southern Africa and EWA

Location: South Africa

Terms & Conditions: Permanent

With 3.4 billion people in over 190 countries using our products every day, Unilever is a business that makes a real impact on the world. Work on brands that are loved and improve the lives of our consumers and the communities around us. We are driven by our purpose: to make sustainable living commonplace, and it is our belief that doing business the right way drives superior performance. At the heart of what we do is our people – we believe that when our people work with purpose, we will create a better business and a better world. 

At Unilever, your career will be a unique journey, grounded in our inclusive, collaborative, and flexible working environment. We don’t believe in the ‘one size fits all’ approach and instead we will equip you with the tools you need to shape your own future.

JOB PURPOSE

Find your purpose at Unilever. You will lead innovations, big and small, that will make our business win and grow. You will learn from brilliant business leaders and colleagues in a truly global and diverse culture to ultimately become a better you. If you are  passionate about Driving the Learning agenda, Building Capability & Skills Development then this role is just for you.

WHAT WILL YOUR MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES BE

The EDI Lead as a member of the HR Leadership Team, is responsible for leading and implementing initiatives to foster diversity, equity, and inclusion across all markets in geography and promoting a highly inclusive work environment where individuals from diverse backgrounds feel valued, respected, and have equal opportunities for success and growth in Unilever.

EDI Strategy execution

• Collaborate with senior leaders to deploy EDI initiatives in line with Global and local strategic objectives.
• Serve as the liaison between the global EDI team and the SnA and EWA business units, acting as the single point of contact representing SnA and EWA on all EDI related matters
• Integrate inclusive practices into policies, processes and decision making.
• Manage Employment Equity and Skills Development planning for the South Africa Business.
• Conduct monthly & quarterly reviews to assess current and future gaps and opportunities and provide forecasting.
• Provide EDI awareness and training to build understanding of EDI principles, challenges bias , embed inclusive leadership behaviours and ensure functioning committees.
• Guide employee resource groups in line with Purpose and EDI strategic plans
• Stay informed about industry trends, best practices, and legal requirements related to diversity and inclusion across Africa.
• Lead employer branding with a focus on successful early careers programmes (UFLP and Internships) and employer branding initiatives that influence attraction and reputation.

Recruitment and Retention:

• Collaborate with the HR team and hiring managers to implement Employment Equity and Skills Development Plans in line with local legislation.
• Work closely with the talent acquisition team to mitigate unconscious bias in the hiring process
• Promote initiatives to enhance retention of diverse employees, including mentorship programs, employee resource groups, and career development opportunities.

Data Analysis and Reporting:

• Provide quarterly EDI progress reports and updates.
• Maintain EE Dashboards to monitor progress.
• Lead and report on BBBEE workstream initiatives related to skill development & management control.
• Ensures annual training plan and workplace skills plans are submitted timeously,
• Ensure Employment Equity Committees are effectively established, representative and functioning in accordance with relevant legislation and policy.
• Benchmark the diversity and inclusion efforts against global and industry standards.
• Conduct regular audits in line with regulatory requirements.

• Participate in Industry forums, conferences, and events.

Experiences & Qualifications

• Degree in Human Resources/Industrial Psychology
• Min 3-5yrs experience leading EDI, skills development and employer branding.
• Understanding of relevant legislation and reporting requirements.
• Experience collaborating with external partners and networks.

Skills

• Strategic thinking in the ability to design, implement and evaluate EDI plans in line with organizational goals.
• Confidence in leading EDI workshops, discussions, listening sessions for diverse audiences.
• Strong business partnering skills to drive behavioural and cultural change.
• Ability to solution and deal with complexity & ambiguity.
• Ability to influence stakeholders at all levels.
• Analytical skills & mindset with ability to collect & interpret data to inform decision making & measure impact.

 Leadership

Lead for a Winning Culture by embracing and living the Unilever behaviors of:

• Care Deeply
• Focus on what counts
• Stay three steps ahead and
• Deliver with excellence

Unilever is an organisation committed to equity, inclusion and diversity 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. At Unilever we are interested in every individual bringing their ‘Whole Self’ to work and this includes you! Thus if you require any support or access requirements, we encourage you to advise us at the time of your application so that we can support you through your recruitment journey.