Role: Mirai R&D Product Data Management SME Work Level: WL2B/C Reports to: R&D Process Lead - Mirai Location: Flexible Global Role Terms & Conditions: Full time 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 PROJECT MIRAI Mirai represents a strategic transformation initiative aimed at harmonising, simplifying, and modernising Unilever’s core business operations through the implementation of a single ERP system, standardised business processes, and the integration of Agentic AI. This transformation will enable autonomous operations and reduce operational complexity. The core business processes most impacted by Mirai span Finance, Customer Operations, Manufacturing, and Procurement and will be harmonised by adopting a “fit to standard” approach; this mandates the use of best practice ‘out of the box’ process models embedded within the single ERP system. This standardisation aims to eliminate local variations, reduces complexity, and enables consistent, scalable operations across markets and functions. Additionally, Mirai represents a fundamental unlock to maximise the potential of capacity release and effectiveness from our GBS operations. R&D product data is the key output of R&D the drives our business operations. It is critical for planning, manufacturing, procurement, quality, customer development, artwork management and marketing. It is where the R&D process docks definitively with Unilever’s core business process. It is therefore of high importance to the success of Mirai that R&D product data management process is seamlessly inregrated into the destination, standardised Mirai design. JOB PURPOSE The R&D Product Data SME for Mirai is a critical role in ensuring that the R&D product data management processes are tightly integrated in the simplified and standardised core business-process of Unilever by acting as the lead R&D SME supporting delivery of the Mirai Vision. Specifically, this role will have a big responsibility to support the R&D Global Process Owner by engaging with a network of experts across R&D on critical elements of Mirai process design. It is a unique opportunity to 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 R&D, product data management, business transformation with long-term impact at Unilever, and collaborating with cross-functional teams then this role is for you. WHAT WILL YOUR MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES BE The R&D SME for Mirai is responsible for driving operational excellence in R&D product data management in Unilever and driving process compliance and continuous improvement across all R&D Business Group teams. The SME will acts as the key liaison between the Mirai team, the PLM team in R&D and R&D IT, and the practitioner who create and manage R&D product data in the R&D BG teams. The opportunity is to use the momentum created by Mirai to drive performance improvements, standardization, and alignment with company policies. The successful candidate will support process design and documentation, requirements gathering, testing, and training efforts within the R&D organisation. Key Responsibilities: Process Design & Standardization Participate in detailed design process representing R&D, and in particular the R&D product data management process. Identify opportunities to drive standardisation, and simplification, opportunities across R&D BGs, regions and business units. Ensure that destination process designs reflect leading practices in R&D product data management, are Agentic ready and enable control, efficiency, and scalability. Work with the R&D PLM team to update global policies and support local policy changes in line with the changes agreed. Requirements Gathering & Fit-Gap Analysis Gather detailed business requirements from relevant R&D functional teams and R&D subject matter experts. Translate R&D business needs into system requirements and process changes. Design and agree manual workarounds, where required Solution Delivery Support Work with Mirai implementation teams to validate process design and system configuration from a R&D product data management perspective. Work with R&D PLM team to validate the retrofit changes required to existing process design and system configuration by the new Mirai common process design. Work with AI implementation teams to validate the AI capabilities being enabled in the core process area and in R&D PLM. Lead R&D process-specific testing efforts (e.g. UAT, SIT), including scenario development, data validation and defect resolution on Mirai owned assets. Engage in testing efforts (e.g. UAT, SIT) required for PLM retrofit activities that are led by the R&D PLM team Support data conversion, cutover, and go-live activities related to the R&D process domain. Stakeholder Management Facilitate decision-making on process design and issue resolution within the R&D domain area. Communicate effectively with R&D BG, regional and BU teams to get buy in to destination design and implications for R&D Change Management & Training Support change approach development for R&D Support change impact assessment on process, people, policy and technology in R&D Provide input to training materials and end-user documentation Support training the trainer WHAT YOU WILL NEED TO SUCCEED Experiences & Qualifications Minimum of 5 years of experience in the R&D process area, ideally in the area of product data management. Experience of working directly with product data and using the data for strategic corporate reporting Experience of process design and / or business analysis is preferred Proven track record of successfully leading change projects and handling process change Skills Good communication and stakeholder management skills Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities Ability to work in a cross-functional team in a dynamic environment Leadership You are an inclusive motivator of people. Your network are inspired t deliver with real passion, growing and learning from each other whilst delivering quick wins. You must 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 help people deliver what is needed. NOTES Please apply via this portal as e-mail applications may not be processed and include your talent card if completed. By applying for this vacancy, you are confirming that you have made your Line Manager aware of your application and that you are at a point in your career with Unilever where it is appropriate for you to be applying for other positions. Should you require additional information or reasonable adjustments to allow you to present your best self during this process, please contact your Talent Partner listed at the right hand side of this vacancy. What we offer Whilst the role is advertised on a full-time basis, we would be happy to discuss possible flexible working options and what this may look like for you. We strive to achieve a family-friendly and inclusive workplace and to, above all, create possibilities for all. Diversity at Unilever is about inclusion, embracing differences, creating possibilities and growing together for better business performance. We embrace diversity in our workforce. 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. We are also more than happy to provide reasonable adjustments during our application and interview process to enable you to be present your best self. To find out more, including about our Employee Resource Groups, please click here Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (unilever.com). Location In September 2020, Unilever announced the intention to build a new sustainable campus site in Kingston, London. This site will house some employees who currently work in 100 Victoria Embankment in Blackfriars together with colleagues who are currently located in Lever House in Kingston. We are excited to be creating our own Unilever sustainable, agile work environment. The campus is due to be completed in 2026. Relocation to the UK Please be aware if you are applying for this role from outside the UK, if successful, your application will be treated as a self-initiated Change Location Outside of Country (CLOC) transfer. This means any relocation costs must be self-funded with the potential to reclaim some specific pre-approved expenses up to £5,000. Please speak to your Talent Partner if you have any questions. We are one of the world’s largest consumer goods companies with amazing brands, dynamic people and a sustainable vision. We meet everyday needs for nutrition, hygiene and personal care with brands that help people feel good, look good and get more out of life. If you are ambitious, keen to learn and want lo lead, you have come to the right place. Explore our website and apply to be part of a company with more than 400 brands used by over two billion people everyday.