Climate Strategy & Performance Lead

Job description

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 Title Climate Strategy & Performance Lead Function Global Procurement Centre of Excellence - Sustainability Reports to End-to-End Procurement Sustainability Director Scope Global Country Location and Worksite Details London, United Kingdom; hybrid working in line with local policy

JOB PURPOSE

This role exists to lead the global Procurement climate strategy and translate climate commitments into an integrated, measurable and business-owned transition plan. The role will own climate performance management, target delivery, governance and technical coherence for the Procurement-led climate roadmap, while orchestrating alignment with R&D, Supply Chain, Finance, markets and the wider sustainability organisation to ensure an integrated climate transition plan.

You’ll be part of a team that believes in doing work that matters — for people and the planet.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Own climate strategy and transition planning: develop and maintain the climate strategy, target architecture, costed decarbonisation roadmap and climate transition plan, including integration of legacy Foods and McCormick baselines, methodologies, commitments and delivery pathways.

Lead performance management and gap closure

establish the carbon budget, glidepath, forecasts and intervention portfolio; track performance, identify delivery risks and opportunities, and drive corrective action and leadership decisions required to remain on course.

Govern carbon accounting and claims

set requirements for FLAG and energy-and-industrial Scope 3 accounting, emission factors, product carbon footprints, allocation, attribution, traceability, material-flow mapping, MRV, assurance and substantiation of climate claims.

Embed climate into business decisions

partner with Procurement, R&D, Supply Chain, Finance, brands and markets to integrate climate and resilience into sourcing, innovation, portfolio, capital allocation, risk management and annual planning.

Provide governance, reporting and expert leadership

coordinate robust climate inputs for internal and external reporting, assurance and leadership forums; interpret evolving standards and regulatory expectations; and represent the Procurement perspective in enterprise climate decisions.

Drive technical advocacy across key standards organisations

shape the development and practical application of climate accounting, target-setting and claims standards, representing the business perspective and advancing credible, scalable approaches.

Secure transition readiness

own climate-related Day 1 activities, dependencies, documentation, capability transfer and operating-model alignment, ensuring continuity of critical programmes, data, governance and decision rights through the combination.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Significant experience in corporate climate strategy, Scope 3 decarbonisation, sustainability performance management or a closely related field, ideally in food, agriculture, FMCG or complex global supply chains. Strong technical knowledge of GHG accounting, SBTi-aligned target setting, FLAG and energy-and-industrial emissions, product carbon footprints, MRV and assurance. Demonstrated ability to translate complex climate evidence into prioritised business roadmaps, investment choices, governance and executive decisions.

Proven cross-functional leadership and influencing skills, with the credibility to work across Procurement, R&D, Finance, Supply Chain, Legal, Corporate Affairs and senior leadership. Excellent analytical, programme-management and communication skills, with sound judgement in ambiguous, fast-moving and commercially sensitive environments.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

Experience with corporate integrations or major operating-model transformations. Knowledge of agricultural value chains, regenerative agriculture, land-sector accounting and climate resilience. Experience engaging external standard setters, assurance providers, suppliers, investors, customers or industry coalitions.