Data & Tooling Innovation Media Lead

Earlier this year, Unilever announced an agreement to combine its Foods business with McCormick & Company, creating a scaled global flavour powerhouse. The proposed combination would bring together iconic Foods brands, including Hellmann’s and Knorr, with McCormick’s portfolio to create a global leader across spices, seasonings, condiments and complementary food categories, supported by strong retail and foodservice platforms. McCormick brings more than 135 years of heritage, a presence in 150+ countries and territories, and a portfolio of trusted brands. The transaction remains subject to regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions, with completion estimated for mid-2027 

Job Purpose 

We are seeking a passionate and self-driven Data + Tooling Innovation Media Lead for the Integrated Demand Generation Team (IDG), who will help shape how Foods drives stronger media performance through better use of platforms, technology, automation, data and AI. This is an exciting time to join the Foods business as it builds sharper global capabilities, creates new ways of working, and unlocks the next level of growth and performance. 

This role helps shape the end-to-end media performance infrastructure for Foods — across execution, technology and data — to drive stronger business outcomes at global scale. It brings together platform best practice, AI-enabled activation opportunities and trusted data foundations so Foods can move towards more connected, responsive and optimisation-led ways of working. The role will span areas such as media buying, media spend and performance reporting, asset code frameworks, Rapid ROI, competitor reporting, ad accounts, buying principles, smart bidding, ad tech partnerships, media technology stack management and emerging agentic tools. 

Key Responsibilities 

1. Media Buying Excellence & Platform Best Practice 

• Define and scale buying best practices across major media platforms 

• Drive adoption of Smart Bidding and platform-native optimisation capabilities 

• Own core media platform responsibilities including ad account structures, governance, buying principles and smart bidding approaches 

• Own media spend and performance reporting across markets, ensuring clear visibility of investment, delivery and optimisation opportunities 

• Manage the reporting foundations that enable consistent measurement, including asset code frameworks, Rapid ROI, spend reporting and competitor reporting 

2. Ad Tech & Automation Innovation 

• Maximise the value of ad tech partners  

• Identify opportunities to simplify, automate and improve activation workflows 

• Prepare media activation for deeper content integration, ensuring platform, data and workflow readiness as content and media become more connected 

• Manage and evolve the media technology stack, including partner usage, tool governance, integration opportunities and performance use cases 

• Explore and scale agentic tools that can reduce manual work, improve decision-making and unlock faster optimisation across markets 

3. Scaling Innovation Across Markets 

• Translate platform and technology innovations into scalable solutions for markets and agencies 

4. Agency Partnership & Performance 

• Partner with agencies to continuously improve activation quality, efficiency and performance 

Experience 

• Deep hands-on experience across major digital media platforms 

• Strong understanding of media buying, optimisation, and auction dynamics 

• Experience using ad tech partners such as Smartly, The Trade Desk, Innovid, and DoubleVerify 

For the recruitment of this position, we would like to emphasize that local conditions apply to the position and for this vacancy in principle we will consider candidates based on the set locations. If you are based outside of these locations and you are interested in applying, please feel free to do so but at this stage we will not take your application forward. We will only consider your application if a decision is made to also recruit outside of the set locations.

EXCITED ABOUT THE ROLE?

To apply, please do so online. Please remember to upload your CV, Talent Card, and motivation letter. *You can find instructions on how to access your Talent Card in UNA.

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 apply for other positions.

If you have been informed that you are at risk of redundancy, please make sure to tick this box during your application. Please also attach your letter of redundancy to the application.

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.

ACCESSIBILITY AND REASONABLE ADJUSTMENTS

We are committed to providing a positive, accessible, and barrier-free recruitment journey for all candidates. As we do not automatically have knowledge of individual disabilities, impairments, health conditions, adjustment needs or circumstances that may be relevant to specific statutory rights and protections, we kindly ask you to inform your Talent Partner if you require reasonable adjustments. If you wish to ensure that any disability-related statutory rights, protections or support measures available under applicable local law are considered during the recruitment process, please also inform your Talent Partner. This self-disclosure will enable us to understand your individual needs, ensure that any applicable rights can be respected, and make appropriate arrangements to support your participation throughout the process.

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.

Please be aware if you are applying for this role from outside the BeNeLux (Belgium/Netherlands/Luxembourg), while location of the role is within the BeNeLux, if successful, your internal application will be treated as a self-initiated Change Location Outside of Country (CLOC) transfer. You will be eligible for relocation support in the form of economy-class flights (to NL), immigration support (if applicable), tax support (in the year of move) and alump sum of €7.500 net of taxes to be paid out during the first salary payment in the Netherlands.No further relocation support will be provided in a self-initiated CLOC.

DISCLAIMER

Equal Opportunity Employer: Unilever is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, 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.