Microbiome Lead 

UNILEVER IS LOOKING FOR A MICROBIOME LEAD

Location: Hive, Wageningen, the Netherlands   

Local conditions apply

Full-time

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 first consider candidates based in the Netherlands. If you are based outside of the Netherlands and you are interested to apply, please feel free to do so but we can only take your application on if a decision is made to also recruit outside of the Netherlands.

ABOUT UNILEVER

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.

ABOUT NUTRITION R&D

Nutrition is the largest Business Group (BG) in Unilever with global multibillion-dollar brands such as Knorr and Hellman’s and many strong regional and local brands. Nutrition BG’s vision is to be a Force for Good in Foods. Nutrition R&D develops and delivers unmissably superior products and solutions that are Boldly Healthier for People and Planet, rooted in differentiated science and technology. With our global innovation centre Hive, in the heart of the Silicon Valley of Food, in Wageningen, The Netherlands, and our network of R&D teams across the world, we work closely with many internal and external partners to create market-winning innovations. Increasingly, Digital and Data are the currency of how we work in R&D, from discovery through product development and deployment. New developments in AI and Data Science will be the crucial differentiator for us to win.

UNILEVER FOOD SOLUTIONS

Unilever Food Solutions (UFS) is a significant player in the global foodservice market, with world-class power brands, as the Unilever Food Solutions brand, Knorr Professional and Hellmann’s. UFS ambition is to reach €5bn with industry accretive profitability by 2023, establishing the largest global platform for professional chefs in the Foodservice industry.  UFS mission is to be a world class force for good in foodservice, by leading in AI-powered customer experience, being the best solution provider in the industry, and a winning talent engine. Our purpose is to “free you to love what you do!”.  UFS leads the way in culinary trends and inspirational recipes, offers professional support and training to chefs around the world, and creates products that stand out in taste, convenience, and health and continuously meet the very high standard of professional chefs. This all can only be achieved through impactful innovations, superior products and technology, and a strong focus on developing future-fit talent.

JOB PURPOSE

The successful candidate will play a leading role in defining, developing and implementing the strategy and program in the gut microbiome capability area and work alongside the benefit area experts to deliver microbiome enabled novel innovations in areas of strategic interest to Nutrition’s categories and brands. They will act as an expert within Unilever in the area of gut microbiome and keep up to date on advances in the area, using their ecosystem network to address relevant unanswered questions and apply that knowledge internally to innovations that benefit consumers.

They will lead a team of nutrition science experts across a range of expertise, helping to shape the program areas delivering to the Nutrition Business Group. 

WHAT WILL YOUR MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES BE

• Leadership of the gut microbiome science area and how this is relevant to Unilever’s Nutrition business. Define, shape and execute the program and its content.

• Translate gut microbiome science into innovations (products, claims and communication) to benefit consumers. Provide expert scientific support for close-to-market innovation projects and generating ideas and technology solutions to land in longer term innovation pipeline.

• Effective communication of the gut microbiome science (embody the ‘activist scientist’). Ability to translate the science into meaningful messages and content understandable by a variety of audiences across the organization, and externally, including non-scientists and non-experts.

• Build and maintain external networks in gut microbiome area to engage and work with external partners and drive delivery using an outside-in approach.

• Network effectively with internal colleagues both within Nutrition and in the other Unilever Business Groups to ensure both internal microbiome capability and related external relationships are effectively leveraged.

• Leadership of internal nutrition science expert team

WHAT YOU WILL NEED TO SUCCEED

Experiences & Qualifications

• MSc or higher (ideally PhD level) in relevant subject such as microbiome science, gut health, nutrition.

• Proven experience (i.e. >5 years) of leading research programs in microbiome approaches for consumer benefits, ideally gut microbiome.

Skills

• Ability to shape and execute a strategy with evidence of translating gut microbiome science into consumer relevant propositions and claims (ideally in the food and beverage sector).

• Established network (academic and commercial) in the gut microbiome area.

• Experience in leading external partnerships and working effectively in complex and diverse ecosystems.

• Good influencing and communication skills; ability to convince and defend own agenda in front of internal and external (senior) stakeholders.

• Ability to lead teams executing the different roles and stimulate delivery through others.

Leadership

• You are an inclusive motivator of people. Your team deliver with real passion, growing and learning from each other whilst delivering quick wins.

• You are still responsible for your own results and as a manager, you also need to motivate others to deliver with passion, creating an inclusive and engaging climate around you. You can balance challenge with support and coaching. You understand the wider business context and you are emotionally intelligent enough to motivate people to deliver what is needed.

WHAT IS IN IT FOR YOU?

Unilever is the place where you can be yourself and bring your purpose to life with the work that you do – creating a better business and a better world. We offer an exciting & dynamic work environment where you can make things happen. Furthermore, we offer some great reward and benefits!

• Attractive total remuneration package; excellent company pension, bonus, share scheme.

• Flexible cross-disciplinary career opportunities and a wealth of training opportunities & wellbeing resources whenever and wherever.

• Plenty of company-paid holidays to further ensure your work-life balance is maintained.

• We encourage an inclusive culture, which comes to life with interchangeable public holidays, paid paternity leave of 6 weeks and our transgender policy.

• Under the Hybrid Working principles, you will be expected to spend a minimum of 40%-60% in the office or at customers, suppliers or partners to connect and collaborate.  For the time you work from home, we will ensure you are well equipped. When you are at the office , you can enjoy our tasty canteen with prepped food and own products.

• Informal culture and being the first one trying our new products. 

• My Fitness Plan (reduction on your Fitness Subscription).

• Home work allowance

• Company laptop and mobile phone

• Green Mobility Policy.   

EXCITED?

Join Unilever and our team! To apply, you must do so online. Please do not forget to upload your CV and a motivation letter.  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.

Looking forward to meeting you! 

Please note this is a Direct Search led by Unilever. Applications from agencies will not be accepted, nor will fees be paid for unsolicited CVs.

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

By highlighting the gender diversity at the workplace, Unilever encourages women equally men to apply. If you look for a job after a long career break or after any type of leave, do not hesitate to apply.

Please save a copy of this vacancy for personal use as it will disappear from the website after closing of the role.