AI Partnerships Lead -- Horizon 3 AI Labs

Key Skills

Aartificial intelligence, Agile methodologies, Data science techniques, Leadership Skill, Machine learning techniques, Management, Presentation skills

Job Description

This Data & Analytics function endeavours to create clear accountability for all aspects of Data Strategy, Data Management, Information Management, Analytics, and Insights. We are accountable for impact of solutions, maintaining market relevance and minimising unnecessary overlaps in analytics products, ensuring simplicity and that our solutions better meet the needs of our users. We partner with the Digital and Data Legal Counsel to ensure that our Data Defence (Privacy, Governance, Quality, etc) is well structured and sufficiently robust to use data and AI correctly throughout the enterprise. We democratize information across the business, while supporting the culture shift required for data driven decision making.

Our vision is to make Unilever data intelligent, partnering with the business to power key decisions with data, advanced analytics and AI to accelerate growth. Our 5 strategies to achieve this are:

Accelerate & simplify access to relevant data, information and insights Build in-house, leading-edge data, information, insights & analytics capability Lead the data & insightsculture and careers to empower employees across Unilever Rapidly embed analytics products, solutions and services to drive growth Advance Information Automation at Scale

As part of Unilever’s global Data and Analytics strategy, a global AI/DS hub is being set up in Toronto, with focus on accelerating Unilever’s advanced analytics agenda by creating a strong, sustainable and scalable AI Engine to unlock growth opportunities and ensure access to world class talent.

Who You Are and What You'll Do

The role AI Hub Partnerships Lead (Associate Director) is a key and multi-faceted role which is responsible for leading and managing the AI Hub internal and external partnerships. The Partnerships Lead focuses on forging strong business relations and partnership with key internal stakeholders, acting as an important enabler in providing visibility around the AI Hub role and capabilities. Externally, the role leads conversations with strategic partners including vendors, academia and government agencies focused on AI research, innovation and adoption to frame collaboration agreements and build a sustainable and strong ecosystem. Reporting to the Head of AI Hub, the Partnerships Lead will be part of the AI Hub Governance team and work closely with both governance and technical leadership of the AI Hub to ensure program completion and successful delivery of initiatives.

The hybrid role is based in Toronto with minimum international travelling.

• Leads and manages the overall partnership strategy, focused on building a sustainable large scale collaboration ecosystem

• As a member of the AI Hub Leadership Team the Partnerships Lead role’s main scope is identify, build and maintain strategic relationships with a network of private and public partners and lead the design and execution of the Unilever Global AI Hub large scale collaboration ecosystem

• Additionally, organize, guide and align multiple project sub-teams and competing stakeholders, toward a common goal with clear timelines for delivery

• The Partnerships Lead will attain a detailed understanding of the ‘end to end’ scope of the AI Hub plan and will be at the heart of both the decision making and the action taking.

• The Partnerships Lead will also be well placed to help fashion the future strategic plans of Toronto AI Innovation Hub

• This role is highly visible requiring the ability to work with and influence senior stakeholders externally and internally.

• Identify and develop partnerships with academic institutions and researchers to formulate collaborative research that aligns with Unilever’s innovation and R&D roadmap

• Create and maintain a network of partners in the private and public sectors

• Develop and manage relationships with key stakeholders including academic researchers, technology transfer representatives, funding organizations, industry organizations/associations, and industry partners

• Collaborate across business units and Unilever global operations to help develop and execute on innovation projects that will lead to sustainable growth of the business.

• Assist in defining, developing, and monitoring KPIs to track the progress of innovation objectives across the enterprise

• Identify grant funding opportunities for leveraging with Unilever’s investment and lead grant proposal development

• Evaluate and track progress of industry-industry or industry-academic collaboration

• Meet with researchers and industry to identify potential collaboration opportunities with Unilever

• Develop and execute initiatives that engage different business units and the ecosystem (e.g. design thinking workshop, events, marketing, etc.)

What You'll Need to Succeed

• Graduate degree and research experience from a technical or business discipline, preferably engineering or computer science with 8+ years of solid network and connections focused on industry R&D and adoption of AI, data science, and related technologies

• Strong network in the innovation ecosystem and academic institutions in Canada and North America is an asset

• Knowledge of the government funding landscape in Canada

• Demonstrated ability and aptitude for developing relationships with industry, government, and academic sectors

• Strong understanding of developing industry-academic and industry-industry collaborative R&D projects

• Strong networking and relationship management skills

• Knowledge of the product development cycle from ideation to commercialization and implementation across the enterprise

• Ability to juggle multiple priorities

• High degree of proficiency in CRM

• Result driven individual

• Experience in project management, especially Agile framework

• Excellent communication skills

• Knowledge of the consumer-packaged goods sector is an asset

Key interfaces

• Academic and industry partners, including public and private funding organizations

• AI Hub and D&A Leadership Team (esp. Data Science and AI Global Leads, HR Lead, Finance Business Partner, AI Hub Technology Leads)

• NA D&A Leadership Team and NA Uniops Leadership Team

• Key Business Stakeholders: NA, Global etc

Unilever Canada is an organization committed to diversity and inclusion to drive our business results and create a better future every day for our diverse employees, global consumers, partners, and communities. We believe a diverse workforce allows us to match our growth ambitions and drive inclusion across the business. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, colour, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national or ethnic origin, marital status, family status, disability, genetic characteristics, and a conviction for which a pardon has been granted.

If you are an individual with a disability in need of assistance at any time during our recruitment process, please contact us at NA.Accommodations@unilever.comopens in a new window. Please note: These lines are reserved for individuals with disabilities in need of assistance and are not a means of inquiry about positions or application statuses.

Unilever Canada is an organization committed to diversity and inclusion to drive our business results and create a better future every day for our employees, global consumers, partners and communities. We believe that a diverse workforce allows us to match our growth ambitions and drive inclusion in the business. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national or ethnic origin , marital status, family situation, disability, genetic characteristics, and a conviction for which a pardon has been granted.