Social Mission Programme Manager (Europe)

Overview

Have you got a passion for the idea that business can be used to drive positive change in the world? Do you have at least three years’ experience of driving change through impactful programmes or partnerships? Do issues of social and environmental justice drive you to take action and are you able to persuade others to join you? 

Values-led ice cream company Ben & Jerry’s is recruiting a Social Mission Programme Manager to lead programmes that use our business practices to drive change in line with our values and priorities, including refugee rights. 

About Ben & Jerry's

Ben & Jerry's Homemade Inc., started in 1978 in a renovated gas station in Burlington, Vermont, USA, founded by childhood friends and dedicated activists Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield. In 2000 Ben & Jerry’s became a wholly owned subsidiary of Unilever whilst maintaining an independent Board of Directors to provide leadership focused on preserving and expanding Ben & Jerry's social mission, brand integrity, and product quality. 

At Ben & Jerry’s we have an inspiring ambition. We aim to pioneer our ‘linked prosperity business model’ to advance movements for social and economic justice. This translates into a fast-paced environment where we aspire to bring our grassroots and activist spirit into everything we do. 

Ben & Jerry’s first came to Europe in 1994 and is now sold across more than 35 countries worldwide. Our social mission focus across Europe is refugee and asylum rights, with continued work on climate justice. We have programmes and activism campaigns across our six biggest markets, with additional social mission work across smaller, seeding markets.

Role & Responsibility

Summary of role: to maintain and develop the continued use of Ben & Jerry’s business practices to advance social and economic equity and environmental justice. This role will report to the Head of Activism and Social Mission for Ben & Jerry’s Europe, and will work closely with colleagues in the European, UK and Global Ben & Jerry’s teams.

Key responsibilities:

• Lead our refugee entrepreneurship programme, the Ice Academy across Europe:
  • Manage relationship with our strategy and delivery partner, The Entrepreneurial Refugee Network (TERN)
  • Develop and evolve the programme to increase its sustainability and impact
• Working with other businesses on programme and advocacy opportunities:
  • Key point of contact for the Business Refugee Action Network (BRAN), of which we are a founding partner
  • Working with the B Corp community to advance the movement
  • Finding and developing other opportunities to influence and collaborate other businesses across our priorities of refugee rights and climate justice
• Working with the Ben & Jerry’s Europe Innovations team to identify future opportunities to live our values in our sourcing and manufacturing
• Support the Head of Activism and Social Mission (Europe) on projects including:
  • Internal learning journeys for Ben & Jerry’s staff in UK and Europe
  • Ben & Jerry’s UK Foundation

Skills & Experience

We’re looking for someone with energy and ambition for impact who will take the initiative; who will work well with internal stakeholders and key external partners, and who believes that business can be a force for good and will use that belief to drive social and environmental systemic change. We’re looking for someone who:

• Is values-led and motivated by creating impact
• Will take initiatives, seeking out and developing new opportunities
• Understands the role business can play in creative positive systemic change
• Excels at relationship building and stakeholder management
• Has demonstrable project management skills, with a high level of organisation
• Can deliver multi-stakeholder programmes that are strategic and impactful
• Can look to the long term and develop projects beyond their current iterations

Welcomed additional experiences:

• Lived experience of migration or refugee background
• Experience of working in a B Corps or values-led business

Our People Profile

To support out 3-part mission, Ben & Jerry’s also has an outspoken people-mission. We look for people with these characteristics to strengthen our team:

• Purpose-driven: passion and drive to make a real impact with through our Social Mission
• Empathy: curious to collaborate with a variety of personalities and styles and to build excellent relationships with internal & external stakeholders – this includes cross-functional relationships and striving for collaborative success
• Mastery: continuously learn, grow and develop to contribute to B&Js
• Autonomy: dare to make choices and take ownership
• Activism: interested in bringing about political or social connectivity

Job Specification

Location: As with all Unilever offices, our Ben & Jerry’s European HQ in Datchet (The Barn) is closed until it is deemed safe to return to work. Post-pandemic, there will be a mix of home, Barn and London-based working.

Contract: 12 months with the expectation of moving to a permanent contract

Reporting to: Head of Activism and Social Mission, Europe

Salary: £32,800 - £34,850

Please include a cover letter with your CV that outlines how you meet the skills and experience listed above, and include an example of a business creating positive social or environmental impact that you admire, explaining a) what problem the business is trying to solve and b) why their approach is effective.

To find out more about our company and the work we do visit http://www.benjerry.co.uk.

To apply, click here!