Business Context and Main Purpose of the Job

The Business Context is :

  • the development of a new stakeholder relationship model for Unilever South Africa that is aligned with the global function and team to support Unilever’s business ambition of doubling the size of the company while reducing the environmental imprint
  • to implement the strategy of ‘inspiring advocacy through dialogue and action’ across all stakeholder groups to develop Unilever’s reputation as ‘a strong, growing, responsible company that engages me personally’
  • a focus on four key themes to make Unilever famous: Business Performance; Brands & Innovation; Sustainable Living and Great Place, Great People
  • measure the effectiveness of communications in building reputation of the Unilever brand

The Team and the Role
The South African External Affairs Manager will be responsible for leading issues teams related to Corporate Responsibility particularly in the area of social, economic and environmental matters. The role requires in the context of Corporate Responsibility:

  • Development of External Affairs strategies for business critical issues at a South Africa level;
  • Conducting of global stakeholder mapping and prioritisation for these issues - conduct regular reviews and updates
  • Drafting of position papers, Q&As and Social Media messaging on these issues
  • Ensure update of relevant parts of Unilever Issues Briefing Centre;
  • Providing input on key outreach events and milestones and feed into the annual forward looking calendar programme for CEO, Board and UEx for relevant external engagements;.
  • Preparation of tailored high quality briefing papers, speeches and other background materials on issues related to Corporate Responsibility;
  • Supporting issue leaders and – if needed – crisis teams;
  • Represent Unilever externally at key events, conferences or workshops as required.
  • Keep ULSA informed of policy and regulatory developments on BBEEE, and lead the ULSA annual rating process with internal and external stakeholders

This role will involve directly representing Unilever externally at the highest levels to support Unilever’s advocacy and campaigning activity on issues related to Corporate Responsibility.

Main Accountabilities

Public Policy Advocacy

  • Understands international, regional and/or national political institutions and decision making processes
  • Develops communications materials and strategies to support advocacy efforts
  • Manages discussions between differing viewpoints and drives towards a win-win solution

Strategic Issues Management

  • Identification and prioritisation of issues that impact Unilever’s business operations and corporate reputation
  • Analyses (using both qualitative and quantitative data) external issues to assess business and/reputational impact on Unilever
  • Builds cross-functional processes to identify, analyse and develop strategies to manage and respond to issues
  • Establishes mechanisms to continuously track and measure progress

Crisis Management

  • Ability to manage and mitigate crisis situations that may impact Unilever’s business, including media relations
  • Familiarity with Unilever’s Crisis Prevention and Response Procedures will be required

Stakeholder Management

  • Ability to identify, map and prioritise relationship with key stakeholders.
  • The capability to build, maintain and leverage relationships with local and national, stakeholders to create positive advocates for Unilever

Horizon Scanning of Issues

  • Good knowledge and insight of macro-geopolitical trends and developments.
  • Expertise in establishing issues monitoring processes and tools to track legislative developments, emerging issues or NGO campaigns.

External Representation

  • Able to represent Unilever effectively externally in industry and trade associations, at conferences, meetings, workshops, etc.
  • Can articulate Unilever’s position and strategy around priority issues both internally and externally in a compelling way.

Key Interfaces

  • Director External Affairs Africa– Issues and Stakeholder Management
  • Communications Director - Africa
  • Human Resources
  • Research & Development
  • Regulatory Affairs
  • Marketing – Brand Development / Brand Building
  • Advertising agencies
  • Legal
  • Tax department
  • Issue Leaders in the area of Corporate Responsibility
  • Regional External Affairs leaders

Critical success Factors for the Job

Key Skills Relevant Experience

  • Stakeholder management and knowledge
  • Strategic Issues Management expertise
  • Lobbying and Advocacy campaigning Essential
  • Minimum of 5 years experience in a communications role with external / public affairs
  • A team player with a global mindset who is willing to work across communications disciplines, geographies and functions.
  • Experience at regional or local level in External Affairs

Desirable

  • Knowledge of Unilever and/or FMCG sector; local and national government
  • Network of established external contacts with political, NGO, industry and academic key opinion formers;
  • Experience in media relations and management

Key Competencies

Ability to build networks and represent Unilever at all levels of engagement from Community to senior Governmental and NGO level

Deep and proven understanding of the South African socio-political landscape and the ability to create understanding for Unilever against this backdrop

Strong communication and influencing skills

The ability to respond quickly and effectively to issues as and when they arise as well as pro-actively identify potential risk to Unilever


For more career opportunities please visit: http://www.unilever.co.za/careers/

Please forward your CV to liesel.tychsen@unilever.com