R&D Claims & Appraisal Technologist at Unilever

Job description

Job Summary

• Employ a sound understanding of the category, brands, competitive environment and technology to develop robust strategies to support product claims and defend or attack product claims by challenge.
• Define and or contribute to the research proposals for innovation, strategic or competitor benchmarking studies by engaging with the product or packaging development teams during the brief and proposal stages in order to ensure efficient use of these data opportunities in support of product claims.
• Define the claims template, brief and work plan in consultation with the project team with approval from the TPM, CTI and Formulations Directors, Legal Marketing, and Marketing Project Leader.
• Conduct or coordinate the completion of any claims associated product testing whether it is technical, clinical or consumer testing. Conduct is defined as the self-execution of a test. Coordinate is defined as ensuring that functional leads such as CTI, Appraisal, Clinical or Analytical Scientists perform claims testing on time and in compliance with the project work plan.
• Capture all relevant claim support data, interpret and write the claims support dossier.
• Report and or present the findings
• Input into novel methodologies where necessary
• Translate claims into demonstrations that are consumer relevant and drive innovation understanding with consumers, sales, legal, pr/advertising agencies, and external category influencers (magazine editors, etc)
• Analyze the product competitive environment to identify possible competitive challenge opportunities.
• In the event of product challenge, execute and prepare defence testing and claims dossier.
• Technical Appraisals & Demos
• Supports the appraisal/evaluation plan for innovation projects and the category plan
• Delivers the planned output according the agreed OTIF milestones
• Defines , plans and executes the risk and benefits assessments study [plans through applying appropriate evaluation methodology to ensure technology is tested under a wide range of consumer relevant conditions
• Coordination of appraisal studies to high professional standards
• Ensure implementation and use of best practice methods
• Develops and implements new methods for greater insight and ensuring consumer / market relevance
• Delivers relevant information for transfer documents for gates and other decision making
• Generating technical claims support
• Deputises for manager as point of contact within appraisal for specific projects
• Skills development and training
• Operational management of the Appraisal facilities and of third party sourcing
• Translate technical appraisal data into demonstrations that are consumer relevant and drive innovation understanding with consumers, sales, legal, pr/advertising agencies, and external category influencers (magazine editors, etc)

KEY REQUIREMENTS

• B Bachelor’s degree in Science (Chemistry, Biochemistry, Microbiology) or related field with statistics will be advantageous
• 2 – 3 years’ relevant experience