Assistant Innovation Planner (Sydney CBD / Hybrid)

Who we are? 

The Ice Cream division at Unilever is preparing to stand on its own, aiming to become an independent, EUR 8.3 billion publicly listed company by the end of 2025. We’re on a mission to create the ultimate snacking company.​ A place where growth, innovation, founder and ownership mentality, and performance are cultivated and rewarded. And where we craft extraordinary ice cream experiences - transforming ordinary moments into lasting memories.​ Because we know, life tastes better with ice cream.​

About The Magnum Ice Cream Company:

The Magnum Ice Cream Company is all about growth. Growing our business. Growing our customers’ businesses. Growing our people’s careers.​ Growth begins with empowerment. So we free our people to be innovative, responsible entrepreneurs, driven and equipped to give our consumers more amazing products and unforgettable moments – and having fun doing it.​  

With 19.000 expert ice cream colleagues and iconic brands like Wall’s, Cornetto and Ben & Jerry’s, loved in 76 countries, we are the world’s largest Ice Cream company leading the industry.  We have been taking pleasure seriously for more than 100 years, serving happiness with every lick or scoop of ice cream for generations.  

We are investing to unlock the full growth potential of The Magnum Ice Cream Company as a standalone entity, once we separate from Unilever, which is planned to happen before the end of 2025.  

We dream big but keep things simple to act fast.​ 

If you want to grow with us, make an impact, and shape the future of Ice Cream, this is the place for you! 

Job Summary

We are looking for an Assistant Innovation Planner who will play a pivotal role in delivering our strategy: crafting ice cream products that are irresistibly superior, sustainable, and offer great value. In this role, you will contribute to key initiatives, ensuring the successful execution of New Product Development (NPD), Value Improvement Projects (VIP), and other cross-functional projects aligned with our business goals.

Role Responsibilities:

• Act as a key support to Market Innovation Planner (MIP) for IC business.

• Facilitate cross-functional taskforce meetings, ensuring decisions and actions including task completion and project milestones are clearly communicated

• Lead the delivery of all assigned projects, including NPD, promotions, artworks update, and other operational initiatives.

• Collaborate closely with Marketing, Supply Chain, R&D, Finance, and Sourcing Units to ensure seamless project execution

• Facilitate the approval sessions and Investor board (IB) meetings with pre-read and alignment.

• Develop and manage detailed project plans, identifying risks, mitigation strategies, and contingency plans.

• Proactively manage project issues, ensuring timely resolution and escalation when necessary.

• Champion the Innovation Process Management (IPM) and ensure compliance with other organizational processes and maintain accurate reporting for local and global reporting.

What you will need to succeed

Experiences & Qualifications

• Proven project management skills ideally within Project Management, Marketing, Trade Category, Supply Chain, Finance, or R&D with cross-functional exposure.

• Strong stakeholder management and communication capabilities, efficiency in assigning people and materials to meet project objectives.

• Ability to develop and manage detailed project networks and risk mitigation plans throughout the project lifecycle.

• Analysing project data to make informed decisions and track progress.

• Familiarity with Innovation Process Management (IPM) systems such as Innoflex is an advantage.

• Working knowledge of Agile, Scrum, Waterfall, Lean and/or Six Sigma is beneficial.

• Developing cost estimates, managing project budgets, and ensuring financial accountability of all projects.

• Ability to collaborate across cross-functional teams and drive accountability for timely delivery.

• Ability to manage competing priorities effectively.

• Ability to leverage AI driven tools to enhance productivity.

Skills

• Project Planning & Scheduling

• Attention to detail

• Risk Management

• Stakeholder Management & Negotiation Skills

• Effective Communication & Presentation Skills

• Change Management & Prioritization Skills

• Discipline & brilliance in execution

Key Interfaces

• Planning Team

• Brand Communities

• Cross functional teams: Marketing, CMI, CD, R&D, Artwork excellence

• International factories, supply chain & marketing

Are you excited to craft the Ice Cream future?

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.

As publicly announced, Unilever will separate its Ice Cream business which is expected by the end of 2025. This role will transfer to the new Ice Cream company.

For the recruitment of this position, we would like to emphasize that local conditions apply to the position.

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.

We are committed to making reasonable adjustments to provide a positive, barrier-free recruitment journey. Should you require additional information or reasonable adjustments to allow you to present your best self during this process, please contact [email protected].

Unilever is an organization committed to equity, inclusion and diversity to drive our business results and create a better future, every day, for our diverse employees, global consumers, partners, and communities.

This means we encourage people with all backgrounds to apply, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, Māori and Pacific Peoples, and people with disabilities. Interested in learning more, check out our Reconciliation Action Plan and Workplace Adjustment Policy on the Unilever webpage.

At Unilever we are interested in every individual bringing their ‘Whole Self’ to work and this includes you! We encourage you to advise us at the time of your application if you require any reasonable adjustment so that we can support you through your recruitment journey.