Job Title: Sr Procurement Manager - Sustainability - Dairy, Meat & Eggs
Job Function: Procurement- Supply Chain
Work Location: Mumbai HO
Reports to: Head of Regenerative Agriculture and Sustainable Sourcing
Scope: To manage sustainability programs (Sustainable Sourcing, NDPE compliancy, Regenerative Agriculture) for Dairy India.
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.
JOB PURPOSE:
Unilever is the place where you can bring your purpose to life with the work that you do – creating a better business and a better world. If you are passionate about sustainability, As the Sustainable Sourcing Manager – India, you will drive action across Climate, Nature, and Livelihoods, focusing on Nature. Your mission is to develop and implement a local sustainability strategy aligned with our global programs. You will lead programs for sustainable dairy sourcing in India, implement the Unilever Sustainable Agricultural Code, ensure NDPE compliance, and promote regenerative agriculture. Your efforts will contribute to: 95% of key crops verified as sustainably sourced by 2030 Implementing Regenerative Agriculture Practices on 1 million hectares by 2030 Reducing Scope 3 GHG emissions by 30.3% by 2030 from a 2021 baseline Helping 250,000 smallholder farmers access livelihoods programs by 2026 As the India lead within the global Nature - Farms Business Operation Sustainability team, you will collaborate with the programme PMO, Procurement teams, local Unilever business teams, and external consultants. You will report directly to Lucas Urbano, Head of Business Operations Sustainability Nature – Farms, based in the UK. Join us in this pivotal role and help create a sustainable future. then this role is just for you!
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:
Develop Regional Strategy: Align and execute a regional portfolio strategy with Unilever’s sustainability goals, driving systemic and impactful actions.
Implement Sustainable Practices: Ensure adherence to the Unilever Sustainable Agricultural Code, NDPE compliance, and regenerative agriculture practices for the given portfolios.
Manage Programs End-to-End: Lead sustainability programs from design to execution, delivering measurable results.
Collaborate with Stakeholders: Partner with procurement, suppliers, and other stakeholders to integrate and implement initiatives.
Monitor Progress: Track program performance, ensure compliance, and uphold accountability through audits.
Foster Partnerships: Build industry relationships to scale sustainability impacts.
Support Smallholders: Develop programs to improve smallholder livelihoods and align with sustainability goals.
Report Outcomes: Communicate progress and challenges to senior management and stakeholders.
WHAT YOU NEED TO SUCCEED:
To succeed in this role, candidates must demonstrate a deep commitment to sustainability and regenerative agriculture, with the ability to inspire and lead transformative change. They should bring a collaborative mindset, fostering partnerships across diverse stakeholders to align on ambitious sustainability goals. Emotional intelligence and a purpose-driven approach are essential, enabling the creation of an inclusive and empowering environment where teams and partners feel motivated to deliver impactful results. Strategic thinking and adaptability are critical to navigating the complexities of sustainability programs, ensuring they integrate seamlessly into Unilever’s GAP agenda. Strong communication and storytelling skills will help articulate the importance of sustainability and regenerative practices, engaging both internal and external stakeholders to drive systemic change and measurable outcomes.
EXPERIENCES & QUALIFICATIONS:
University degree in agriculture, business or sustainability or related studies
Sustainability Expertise: Proven experience in developing and implementing sustainability strategies, particularly in the or agricultural sector for at least 5-10 years
Project management excellence: Demonstrated ability to manage complex projects from inception to completion, including planning, execution, and monitoring.
Strong Leadership skills: Proven leadership skills, with the ability to inspire and lead cross-functional teams towards achieving sustainability goals.
Strong network in dairy industry
SKILLS:
Subject matter expertise in sustainability in agriculture systems
Project Management excellence
Strong Leadership
Strategic Thinking and Problem-Solving
Expert in Stakeholder Engagement
Strong Negotiation & communications skills
Financial acumen for business cases and reporting
Digital and analytics knowledge
Regulatory Knowledge
Adaptability in an ever-dynamic environment
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.
Critical SOL (Standards of Leadership) Behaviors
PERSONAL MASTERY: Sets high standards for themselves. Has emotional intelligence to take feedback, manage mood and motivations, and build empathy for others.
PASSION FOR HIGH PERFORMANCE: Generates intensity and focus to motivate people to deliver results at speed. Takes personal responsibility and accountability for execution and results.
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.
PURPOSE & SERVICE: Has humility, understanding that leadership is service to others, inside and outside Unilever.
CONSUMER LOVE: Invests time inside and outside to understand the needs of consumers.
BUSINESS ACUMEN: Creates sustainable growth with purpose, engaging different partners across the system for change.
D&I statement:
Equal Opportunity Employer: Unilever is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, colour, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, or any other basis protected by applicable law, and will not be discriminated against on the basis of disability.
Unilever embraces diversity and encourages applicants from all walks of life. This means giving full and fair consideration to all applicants and continuing development of all employees regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, marriage and civil partnership, and pregnancy and maternity.