Head of Sustainability, Livelihood & Human Rights

Note: Deadline for applying is 23.59 the day before the Job Posting End Date.

UNILEVER IS HIRING A HEAD OF SUSTAINABILITY, LIVELIHOOD & HUMAN RIGHTS

Location: Air Offices, Rotterdam, The Netherlands  

Local conditions apply

Full Time

Salary: 120-150k EUR gross per year depending on background and experience. 

The role will be closed once the best match is found even before the posting end date

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 first consider candidates based in the Netherlands. If you are based outside of the Netherlands and you are interested to apply, please feel free to do so but we can only take your application on if a decision is made to also recruit outside of the Netherlands.

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 that one size fits all’ approach and instead we will equip you with the tools you need to shape your own future. 

We want our business to flourish, and we know that our success depends on others flourishing around us. That's why our purpose is to make sustainable living commonplace, and why sustainable, long-term growth is at the heart of our business model. 

JOB PURPOSE

Unilever is a global FMCG business committed to addressing some of the most pressing challenges of our day. Sustainability has long been part of Unilever’s core approach to doing business. We have always evolved our sustainability agenda to keep it leading and relevant. As we look to the future, we believe we have an opportunity to evolve for sustainable business leadership.

Our sustainability strategy focuses on four issues: climate, nature, plastics and livelihoods, underpinned by Human Rights. Those core topics were chosen as they are those that are most material to our business and where we can make the biggest impact.

Respecting human rights and improving livelihoods are central to this ambition and are two of Unilever’s key sustainability priority areas. Unilever has a clear role to play in building a more equitable and inclusive society through its operations, supply chain and brands.

The Sustainability Function is responsible for setting the strategy, delivering the global advocacy, implementing the local policy engagement plans, managing the content for issues related to the four topics and leading on the governance and accountability to ensure delivery of our sustainability goals.

This role sets the strategic direction for Unilever’s Human Rights and Livelihoods agenda, ensuring the company delivers on its commitments while shaping the future of social sustainability. It combines strategy, governance, and external leadership, positioning Unilever as both a compliant business and an industry leader on systemic human rights and livelihoods challenges. The role is accountable for embedding human rights and livelihoods into core business operations, managing emerging risks, and leveraging Unilever’s scale and partnerships to drive positive impact.

WHAT WILL YOUR MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES BE?

Strategy Development

• Define and evolve Unilever’s integrated Human Rights and Livelihoods strategy, aligned with overarching sustainability and business priorities. For 2026, this includes reviewing Unilever’s global salient human rights issues and leading the development of post-2026 Livelihoods targets.
• Oversee Unilever’s human rights policies and safeguard quality across the business. For 2026, this includes co-leading the review of the Responsible Partner Policy in collaboration with Procurement.
• Drive the integration of social sustainability principles into business operations, supply chains, and brands to build resilience and enable inclusive growth.

Performance Management

• Oversee Unilever’s approach to human rights due diligence and livelihoods improvement, identifying priority areas for strengthening.
• Lead corporate reporting on human rights and livelihoods, including impact measurement and transparent public disclosure.
• Oversee the development of case studies for Unilever’s website to demonstrate transparency and leadership on specific human rights issues.

Advocacy & Partnerships

• Advance Unilever’s advocacy on priority issues where the company can drive systemic change at scale, including living wage and forced labour.
• Represent Unilever externally as a thought leader on human rights and livelihoods, and identify emerging trends, risks, and opportunities to help the business anticipate and respond effectively.
• Build and strengthen coalitions and partnerships that accelerate collective progress on human rights and livelihoods.
  

Governance

• Engage regularly with the Board, Unilever Leadership Executive (ULE) and other senior business leaders, including through bi-monthly updates to ULE on emerging security and human rights issues, and progress updates on the livelihoods targets.
• Lead the Human Rights Working Group and the Geopolitical Working Group, both of which report to the Sustainability Steerco, to oversee Unilever’s salient human rights issues and geopolitical risks.
• Partner cross-functionally with Procurement, Supply Chain, Legal, Communications, and Corporate Affairs to embed human rights and livelihoods into business decision-making

SKILLS YOU SHOULD HAVE

• Deep expertise in both human rights and livelihoods in a business context.
  Proven experience developing and executing global strategies in sustainability, corporate responsibility, or social impact.
• Strong external network and credibility with international institutions, NGOs, and policy fora.
• Demonstrated ability to lead diverse, high-performing teams and influence senior stakeholders at executive level.
• Solid understanding of relevant human rights frameworks and trends (UNGPs, OECD Guidelines, ILO Conventions) and sustainable livelihoods approaches.
• Experience integrating social sustainability into business operations and value chains.
• Exceptional leadership and people development skills.
• Strategic thinker with the ability to translate complex social issues into actionable business plans.
• Outstanding communication and advocacy capabilities, including media and stakeholder engagement.
• Strong analytical and organisational skills; able to manage multiple global initiatives concurrently.
• Demonstrated ability to drive change and impact across organisational boundaries and influence without authority.
  

WHAT IS IN IT FOR YOU?

Unilever is the place where you can be yourself and bring your purpose to life with the work that you do – creating a better business and a better world. We offer an exciting & dynamic work environment where you can make things happen. Furthermore, we offer some great reward and benefits!

• Attractive total remuneration package: excellent company pension, bonus, share scheme.
• Flexible cross-disciplinary career opportunities and a wealth of training opportunities & wellbeing resources whenever and wherever.
• Plenty of company-paid holidays to further ensure your work-life balance is maintained.
• We encourage an inclusive culture, which comes to life with interchangeable public holidays, paid paternity leave of 6 weeks and our transgender policy.
• Under the Hybrid Working principles, you will be expected to spend a minimum of 40%-60% in the office or at customers, suppliers or partners to connect and collaborate.  For the time you work from home, we will ensure you are well equipped. When you are at the office, you can enjoy our tasty canteen with prepped food and own products.
• Informal culture and being the first one trying our new products. 
• My Fitness Plan (reduction on your Fitness Subscription).
• Homework allowance
• Company laptop and mobile phone
• Green Mobility Policy.   

EXCITED?

Join Unilever and our team! 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.

Looking forward to meeting you! 

Please note this is a Direct Search led by Unilever. Applications from agencies will not be accepted, nor will fees be paid for unsolicited CVs.

Disclaimer

Equal Opportunity Employer: Unilever is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regards to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, disability, age, parenthood, pregnancy or any other basis protected by applicable law, and will not be discriminated against. 

By highlighting the gender diversity at the workplace, Unilever encourages women equally men to apply. If you look for a job after a long career break or after any type of leave, do not hesitate to apply.

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