Head of R&D

Reporting to the Marketing & Strategy Director , the Head of R&D is responsible for the development of successful new products & categories and the continuous renovation of existing products. The Head of R&D is to manage the project portfolio, mentor a team of Product Improvement Specialists, look at the team development (training, project assignment, talent management, temporary and permanent succession planning) and to ensure managerial responsibilities (target settings & reviews based on department KPIs/performances, project resources allocations/costs).

Key Accountabilities

Product Development Management

• Ensure the Establishment of consumer and category mapping & benchmarking based on consumers & business insights (key benefits, drivers and attributes, concepts and sensory spaces for consumer preferences)
• Develop the R&D strategy for recipe innovation and renovation in liaison with other business units.
• Direct the development process with respect to new / existing categories following ideas generated from Consumer Insight
• Lead product development and product improvements from bench to pilot plant trials, using innovative / existing ingredients while meeting regulatory / nutritional guidelines.
• Integrate consumer, food science and process knowledge in the interpretation of recipe innovation and renovation projects
• Ensure the products “supermarket and key libraries” are developed in harmony and constant challenging (strength, differentiation, flexibility of the libraries Vs categories’ opportunities)

Stakeholder Management

• Drive decisions by effectively networking with relevant stakeholders/decision-makers in R&D department, marketing & sales and other business units (e.g. procurement and operation)
• Pursue effective working relations with international food and food ingredient standards development organizations, suppliers, and other technical institutes working on ingredient or flavor research

Program Management

• Manage the R&D program and project priorities according to briefs from the markets by resource allocation and ensuring success by identifying competence level.
• Oversee the delivery of solutions at defined quality, time, and cost to fuel science-based innovation transfers into our business unit(s).
• Oversee knowledge building, documentation of results and methods

Technical Assistance

• Give operational support to the Process and Applications team in industrialization start-ups and follow up product launches, including product improvements as may be necessary
• Oversee the R&D Lab as it pertains to product testing, analysis, and validation on new products as well as analyzing and correcting R&D activities

Structure, Develop & Lead the team

• Manage the work of a reporting team of skilled scientists & lab technicians to deliver set objectives Vs department KPIs
• Oversee the ongoing development of the team & succession planning
• Ensure alignment to the Company Calendar, KPIs, Company policies and procedures in the R&D function’s undertakings 

Ideal Candidate Profile

Education

• MSc degree in a relevant technical field (Food Science/Technology/Engineering, Material Science, Analytical Chemistry, Product Technology, etc.).
• Preferably with a PhD in the food science field

Experience

• Minimum 10 years’ experience in R&D, specifically Product Development (Recipe) in the food and beverage industry
• Previous professional experience across food / beverage portfolio & project management, formulation with strong ingredient knowledge and diverse process experience in powder food & beverage mixes will be considered an asset
• Experience working with cross functional teams from Consumer Insights to Applications management

Technical skills

• Fluent English
• Strong ingredient knowledge
• Knowledge of product development processes and prototype modeling methods
• Excellent project and time management skills
• Sensory training and experience
• Up to date knowledge of quality, safety, and hygiene requirements
• Solid knowledge of Product Lifecycle Management Systems, performance reporting and financial/budgeting processes

Soft skills

• Creativity and Innovation
• Strategic Thinking and Change Management
• Analytical Thinking and Problem Solving
• Attention to Detail
• Drive for results
• Quality Orientation
• Building strategic partnerships
• Influencing and impact including conflict management
• Environmental Scanning (including Global Awareness)
• Program and Project Management
• Vision creation and motivation
• Monitoring and measuring
• Developing People