Formulation Specialist - R&D Associate

Job title: Formulation Specialist  , Unilever International

Location:   Unilever R&D Center, Bangalore, INDIA  

Reporting to  – R&D BG Leader, N&IC , UI

Unilever International is Unilever’s fastest-growing and entrepreneurial business, with EUR 1.2 bN in turnover. UI’s purpose is to serve the underserved – markets, consumers, channels, brands, working in close partnership with Unilever’s Business Units (BU) and Business Groups (BG). UI is based in Singapore with nine global hubs. 

 Unilever International’s purpose is to 'serve the underserved by leveraging the underleveraged', and is at the heart of our core strategy:  

Underserved markets – UI serves over 100 million consumers in remote, small or challenging markets and geographies like Mongolia, East Timor, and Maldives​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ Underserved consumers: UI caters to nice consumers like millions of diasporas and expats who crave the ethnic brands they grew up with and religious shoppers who want Halal or Kosher products Underserved channels: UI has created a specialist multi-channel distributor network to supply to Fortune 500 companies, global hospitality and travel businesses, and more Underserved brands. UI takes iconic brands outside their ‘home’ markets, as well as managing the international expansion of acquired brands and incubates core brands when they are new to a market

UI uniqueness:  Cross-border sourcing, multi-channel route-to-market, Entrepreneurial culture ​​​​​​​

UI capabilities: Multi-channel route to market, business model innovation, cross border sourcing and operations, digital & direct marketing, a culture of founder's mindset 

This position will be working for the N&IC BG within the  UI  tribe.

Key responsibilities

The job will lead all the R&D interventions for product development, innovation project management & regulatory compliance (through PSOs and with UI RA team,) for all clusters globally. Major F&B manufacturing locations in scope includes SA and EU, US whereas exports of products happens in to multiple clusters including SEA, EU, US and SEAA

• Identification and deployment of appropriate global mixes for the various markets within stringent ASs to exceed consumer expectations, cost & value equation and regulatory requirements.
• Support development of formula & prototyping in close coordination with GDC and ensure deployment OTIF for exclusive UI projects
• Working very closely with the UI RA team to support the regulatory assessment for N&IC  UI portfolio through PSOs globally.
• Develop savings ideas in close working with categories and implement these within agreed R&D framework
• Leverage category  KBS toolkit for adaptation in UI F&R portfolio .

Key deliverables for  Exclusive UI NPD and BCP projects

• Product development work stream leader . Work on all F&R projects being rolled out in UI – F&B space globally.
• Responsible for specification of formulation, process and Quality Assurance regimes to support / enforce these specs / agreed technical action standards. Support the local deploy team with creation of general recipe in PLM
• Drive rigor, risk assessment & mitigation, safety during projects delivery.
• Responsible for project execution in line with the best practices; Manage expectations of key stakeholders by providing regular feedback on project progress.
• Work with BG marketing counterpart to identify  key brands for winning claims generation

Required Professional skills

• Post Graduate – Msc Food technology

• Good Verbal/written Communication skills
• Dealing with people from multicultural backgrounds.
• Multi tasking ability
• Ability to work independently with Cross-functional team members
• Focused on larger picture & not bogged down by details
• Is an active learner
• Team player
• Focused on delivery
• Ability to work in various time zone

R&D Skills

Understanding of Product Development Principles

Understanding of R & D Processes and Protocols