Artwork Production Specialist

Job description / Role

Business Group / Unit / Process: Cross Category

Department: Global Marketing Services - Artwork Excellence
Work Location: Dubai
Job Title: Artwork Production Specialist
Reports to: Artwork Production Manager

I. Position Summary

The primary purpose of this position is to lead the pack across the physical and digital world. This includes the management of the adaptive design process using agencies from the adaptive design roster. Working with the print management agency, leading the creation and approval of packaging artwork, including separations which are handed over to the printer in a timely manner. This person will be responsible for initiating and managing projects using the artwork management system, also working within a multifunctional project team to deliver projects on time, in full. The Artwork production specialist is also responsible to oversee the production, storage and availability of pack images for usage in through the digital channels.

The position will interface with internal teams (Marketing, R&D, Supply Chain, E-commerce) who provide master design files and pack content, and also external partners (print management agencies, design agencies, printers) who deliver the work in the form of mechanical artwork, pack image albums and printed packaging.

As technical experts, the Artwork Production Specialist will provide expertise in the end to end management of the pack to marketing and E-commerce teams by taking responsibility for the creation of artwork and digital pack images to be used in various channels and touchpoints internally and externally in an ever more digital and connected world.

Il. Position Responsibilities (Expected Work)

- Lead the pack for the end to end process from adaptive design/artwork/separation/digital images.
- Understand the artwork process, roles and responsibilities and how to fit this into the innovation project management process to deliver projects on time and in full. Work on the artwork management system to deliver this.
- Understand the Category and Brands you are working on, Brand DNA & guidelines and plans
- Provide forecasts for artwork and pack image priorities to the PMA using tools provided.
- Set-up and run pre-production meetings bringing together design agencies, print management agencies, printers and internal stakeholders to ensure that quality and consistency is maintained from artwork to print phase of the process.
- Collaborate with marketing and design agencies at the design phase, providing expert guidance and technical inputs to ensure that the design is technically printable before the artwork phase.
- Ensure that master design files are created according to prescribed toolbox specifications.
- Work with adaptive design agencies from the agency roster, ensuring that marketing brief to these agencies are clear. Previews from the adaptive agency to ensure that this meets the expectations of marketing.
- With the adaptive agency and marketing consolidate an SKU matrix for execution in the adaptive phase.
- Ensure that the print management agency follows the approved rate cards and service level agreements, and that marketing has visibility on costs
- Lead the actions with the PMA that artwork is optimized for cost e.g. print process, number of colours, Design for value.
- Understand the digital and connected word program in Unilever, and artwork Excellence role to manage the delivery of digital pack images following Artwork Excellence process, to the right quality and on time
- Approve FOP, BOP and Hero images on the management tool

Ill. Challenges

- Coordinating multiple projects simultaneously; working with various cross-functional team members as well as multiple external stakeholders at the same time.
- Work through multi-cultural environment and people / partners in many different countries.
- Managing artwork in a continuously changing environment, where timelines are always tight and artwork is always on the critical path for delivery. Delivering this on time and efficiently.
- Working with a process and online system that requires discipline from others.
- Managing the external vendor's compliance within agreed lead time and quality of delivery, compliance to rate card and processes, particularly when they are not co-located in the same country.
- Influencing the improvement to artwork management efficiency through project management, process compliance, visibility of artwork KPI's and ways of working within the team.
- Functioning as a technical expert and business partner to Marketing and other functional teams from design to artwork to print phase of the process.
- Skills and expertise in the end to end process of design to digital.
- Design skills to brief, assess and communicate with adaptive agencies
- Pack image technical and creative skills to approve images in an omnichannel connected world environment

IV. Scope

- The scope of the role covers adaptive design, artwork, print management and digital image creation responsibilities.
- This position can be responsible for several brands and categories at the same time. This may be across market clusters or countries.
- There is no central time zone and therefore the position may have to work in several different environments.
- The individual must also coordinate multiple external vendors, also possibly within other time zones.
- This will require interaction with many departments to manage all projects as per the artwork process.

Requirements

V. Skills (what) & Competencies (how)

Key Competencies :
- Strong communication skills
- Ability to build collaborative relationships
- Hold people accountable
- Good organizational awareness
- Strong at influencing
- Negotiating skills
- Business Partner mindset (not Customer Service)

Key Professional Skills:
- 1 - 3 Years' experience in artwork management or a similar role, which may include: print production, print management, graphic design, packaging development, CGI image production

Key General Skills:
- Project Management
- Highly computer-literate
- Fluent English
- Intercultural Awareness
- Business acumen

About the Company

Unilever is one of the leading FMCG company with 400 brands spanning 14 categories of home, personal care and foods products, no other company touches so many people's lives in so many different ways.

Our brand portfolio has made us leaders in every field in which we work. It ranges from much-loved world favourites including Lipton, Knorr, Dove and Omo, to trusted local brands such as Blue Band and Suave.

From comforting soups to warm a winter's day, to sensuous soaps that make you feel fabulous, our products help people get more out of life.

We're constantly enhancing our brands to deliver more intense, rewarding product experiences. We invest €1 billion every year in cutting edge research and development, and have five laboratories around the world that explore new thinking and techniques to help develop our products.