AI Strategy Manager

About the Job

Role: AI Strategy Manager
Team : Unilever Applied Innovation Team
Global Digital & Technology Team

Location: 100VE,
Work Level: WL2A
Reports to: Daphne Coates


Business Context
Unilever is the world's leading supplier of Beauty & Wellbeing, Foods, Home Care, and Personal Care products. We touch the lives of billions of consumers daily across 190 countries through our portfolio of iconic brands (including Persil, Dove, Knorr, Domestos, Hellmann's, Rexona, Wall's, Ben & Jerry's, Marmite, Magnum, Lynx and more).

At Unilever, our Global Digital & Technology team is at the heart of driving digital transformation and technology services across the organization. We leverage cutting-edge technologies and data-driven insights to create solutions that enhance our business processes, improve consumer and customer experiences, and drive sustainable growth.

Team Context
Embedded in GD&T, the UAI team (“Unilever Applied Technology” team) is composed of forward-thinking professionals who are passionate about harnessing the power of technology to ensure Unilever’s stays 3 steps ahead, by enabling faster and strategic aligned processes, upskilling the organisation on the latest technology trends and accelerating our pace in the AI transformation via close collaboration with Product teams.

This role is an exciting opportunity to be part of a dynamic team that is integral to Unilever's growth. The successful candidate will lead business transformation projects focused to enable AI transformation at scale across Unilever.

Job Summary
Key to this role is the ability to not only think strategically, but also operationalise key AI initiatives within Unilever, supporting in both the development and execution of our AI strategy globally. This will include understanding AI innovations in the market, drafting new frameworks and approaches to harness this technology, and embedding the strategy within the organisation.

The successful candidate will become a key member of the Unilever Applied Innovation team, within the CIO office, acting as the AI Strategy Manager with the aim of future proofing Unilever’s AI strategy.
We are seeking a dynamic and forward-thinking individual, who is able to collaborate with cross-functional teams globally to implement critical strategies, practices, technologies and processes.


Key Responsibilities:
• Strategy development: Work closely with the AI strategy Lead to support the evolution of Unilever’s AI strategy.
• Strategy Execution: Develop innovative ways in which key aspects of the strategy can be operationalised and embedded into the wider business
• Research: Understand the trends and offerings within the AI landscape, and what this means for Unilever
• Partnering: Work with the product domains to help craft their AI strategy and roadmap, aligned to the global Unilever AI strategy. Understand what AI means for different domains across the business.
• Architecture: Support AI strategy lead to evolve Unilever’s AI architecture, understanding what is required now to future-proof our estate
• Best practices: Given in-depth understanding of AI, support teams across Unilever in embedding AI and innovation best practices into their projects
• Framework development: Further develop key frameworks to ensure it can deliver on our strategy and vision
• Requirements gathering: Understand and develop key technical requirements for delivering on the strategy
• Vendor assessments: Work with our partners to understand their capabilities, and translate these into how they may support the realisation of our vision
• Collaboration: Work closely with cross-functional teams to gather insights, share best practices, and ensure alignment with organizational goals.
• Upskilling: Support in leading content development, communications and sessions with teams across Unilever to aid their understanding of AI technologies, concepts, applications and use

The successful candidate will:
• Work collaboratively across inter-disciplinary teams, who all need to come together to deliver the AI vision
• Develop a network and have strong eminence within Unilever to drive the vision and strategy
• Have a strategic mindset, thinking 5-10 years ahead, not just the here and now
• Work closely with technology partners with the objective of improving our partnerships and quality of innovation. As well as understanding their roadmaps, capabilities and partnership opportunities
• Be well connected within D&T to continue to establish and promote best practices in Innovation, especially related to AI, within Unilever’s broader digital ecosystem.

Qualifications:
• Minimum of 2-3 years experience in strategy development or AI.
• Experience of working with cross-functional teams, with complex stakeholder management.
• Strong strategic thinking and problem-solving skills.
• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Technology, Business or a related field.
• Proven experience in strategy implementation at a global scale
• Strong analytical skills.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively in a team environment.
• Proficiency in AI technologies
• Knowledge of emerging technologies and industry trends.

Competencies:
• Technical understanding of AI technologies and frameworks
• Strong self-starter. Able to take a high-level brief and use available resources to build understanding and come up with solutions.
• Strategic thinking – able to craft both short term and long-term plans
• Strong organisational skills
• Able to adapt / respond quickly to change. Quick learner.
• The ability to build strong relationships across functional teams.
• Organisational awareness, good team player and strong multi-cultural sensitivity
• Effective communicator with the ability to present complex concepts in a clear, concise manner.

Desirable:
• CPG / FMCG domain experience
• Experience of working in digital innovation
• Appreciation of AI market landscapes
• Accessibility core competencies (CPACC)
• Experience in complex solution / supplier selection processes
• Appreciation of enterprise architecture

Leadership Behaviours:

• CARE DEEPLY: We care about how consumers experience our brands, the growth and development of our people, and their impact on the planet. We emphasize the importance of performance and care, moving from ambiguity about success to fairness and transparency.

• FOCUS ON WHAT COUNTS: We prioritize what truly matters, setting clear and stretching goals. We aim to shift from having everything as a priority to focusing on fewer, bigger things that are delivered to conclusion and are being rewarded.

• STAY THREE STEPS AHEAD: We encourage bold and creative thinking to make breakthroughs in performance. We focus on anticipating and staying ahead of consumer needs and external trends, shifting from reacting to leading, shaping, and disrupting the market.

• DELIVER WITH EXCELLENCE: The emphasis is on delivering everything with excellence and pace, taking personal ownership, and holding each other accountable. We aim to shift from pride in thinking to pride in execution, developing breakthrough solutions and ensuring the best in reality.