Join us as People Experience Innovation Funnel Manager

JOB PURPOSE 
The People Experience Innovation Funnel Manager is responsible for leading the end-to-end innovation pipeline across People Experience. The role ensures that ideas move in a structured, agile, and governed way from discovery through proof of concept, pilot, and global scale-up, delivering measurable experience and business impact across the employee lifecycle.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES 

Agile Innovation Funnel & Governance

Design, implement, and operate a Product Development Innovation Funnel governance model for People Experience initiatives.

Apply Agile methodology and Scrum ways of working to manage flow from idea intake to scale up.

Define entry criteria, approval gates, success metrics, and decision forums across the funnel.
 

Scrum Master & Delivery Enablement

Perform Scrum Master tasks across innovation initiatives, including sprint planning, backlog refinement, reviews, retrospectives, and removal of impediments.

Enable Product Owners and squads to deliver MVPs, proofs of concept, and pilots effectively.
 

Business Cases, Proofs of Concept & PMO Oversight

Lead the creation of business cases and proof of concept papers, articulating value, experience impact, costs, and scalability.

Provide PMO level tracking and reporting on progress, risks, dependencies, and outcomes of proofs of concept and pilots.

Define success criteria and ensure robust evaluation of pilot results.
 

Approval Gates & Global Scale Up

Manage approval gates for progression from concept to pilot to global deployment.

Partner with senior stakeholders to enable timely prioritisation and investment decisions.

Ensure solutions are deployment ready before scale up.

Market Coordination & Deployment

Coordinate with Markets, Hubs, and Global PEX teams to plan and execute deployments.

Own deployment roadmaps and support transition from innovation into BAU, including hypercare and stabilisation.
 

User Centred Design

Apply User Design principles throughout the innovation lifecycle.

Run demos, showcases, and user testing sessions with key personas and markets.

Collect, synthesise, and incorporate user feedback into solution design and backlog prioritisation.
 

Stakeholder Communication

Keep senior stakeholders informed on progress, risks, decisions, and realised impact through clear and consistent reporting.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS 

Strong HR background and the ability to translate technical and product concepts effectively to HR stakeholders.

Experience leading transformation initiatives, including value articulation and business case development.

AI literacy, with an understanding of how AI can enhance HR processes, innovation workflows, and product development.

Experience with Agile methodology and Scrum Master responsibilities.

Proven experience designing and governing innovation or product development funnels.

Demonstrated capability in building business cases, proofs of concept, and managing pilots.

Solid PMO, stakeholder management, and communication skills in global environments.

Strong user-first mindset with hands-on experience running demos and collecting feedback.

Our Offer

Competitive annual bonus

Company car or car allowance

Participation in the company share program

Private pension plan

Private medical care (Medicover)

Private life insurance (Unum)

Sports and wellness package (Benefit Systems)

Two additional vacation days

Access to the Unilever employee shop

Access to Legimi (e‑book platform)

Psychological support via the EAP platform

Hybrid working model: 3 days in the office / 2 days remote

Unilever is an organisation committed to equity, inclusion and diversity 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. At Unilever we are interested in every individual bringing their ‘Whole Self’ to work and this includes you! Thus if you require any support or access requirements, we encourage you to advise us at the time of your application so that we can support you through your recruitment journey.