This internship is designed to develop Unilever’s Future Leaders (UFL) by providing challenging and purposeful opportunities that accelerate their readiness to take on business leadership roles.
With 3.4 billion people in over 190 countries using Unilever products every day, the company makes a real impact on the world. Here’s your chance to work on brands that are loved and improve the lives consumers and their communities.
The Youth Employment Service (YES) Programme is a national collaborative initiative aimed at empowering South African youth by providing them with valuable work experience. The YES Programme at Unilever is more than just work experience — it’s a launchpad for future careers. As part of this initiative, you’ll be immersed in a 12-month journey designed to ignite your potential, equip you with practical skills, and expose you to real-world business challenges. Whether you’re supporting teams in our offices or on the factory floor, you’ll gain meaningful, hands-on experience in a fast-paced environment where learning, growth, and purpose come together. This is your chance to be part of a company that’s reimagining the future of work — and investing in yours
JOB PURPOSE
- The Unilever YES Programme is meant to provide participants with a meaningful work experience, skills development opportunities, and exposure to a professional environment as stepping stone into the world of work.
WHAT WILL YOUR MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES BE
Participants will take on support responsibilities across different business functions. These responsibilities play a crucial role in ensuring the effective operation of the function and offer accelerated and practical work experience.
The different business functions are:
- Customer Development (CD): This function works with customers—such as major supermarkets—to ensure that outlets deliver optimal results for both Unilever and the customer. It focuses on building strong relationships and driving sales through effective collaboration and execution at the customer level.
- Cullinary: Help prepare product samples for customer demos and logistics of demo events, trade shows, customer meetings. You will get to support chefs with content creation for webinars and “how to” videos
- Marketing: Responsible for building brands, driving consumer engagement, and developing strategies to grow market share and brand equity.
- Supply Chain: Manages the end-to-end process of sourcing, manufacturing, and delivering products to customers.
- Human Resources (HR): Handles talent management, employee engagement, and organizational development.
- Finance: Oversees financial planning, analysis, reporting, and compliance.
- IT (Information Technology): Supports business operations with technology solutions and digital transformation.
- Mechanical Engineering: Work on engineering projects, and gain exposure to industry-leading manufacturing processes.
- Safety Health and Environment (SHE): Supports the site SHE Coordinator to implement systems to reduce Occupational Health and Safety risk by the creation and maintenance of an effective SHE management system.
- Communications: Manages internal and external communications, including corporate affairs and public relations.
- Learning & Rewards: Focuses on employee development, training, and compensation strategies.
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS
- South African citizen, aged 18 – 34 years
- Currently unemployed and not studying full-time
- Completed Matric certificate (Grade 12)
- Relevant tertiary qualifications advantageous
- Should not have more than 2 years’ work experience
- Commitment to the 12-month programme
- Must not have completed a YES Programme previously
- Willingness to learn and grow in a professional environment
- A strong academic record
- Strong computer literacy
- Strong written and verbal communication skills
- Good time management
- Ability to work in a collaborative team environment
- A positive attitude