R&D Manager - Product DevelopmentLocation: Open in EuropeFull-timeJob Purpose and DimensionsLead the Dairy Product Development team and own the dairy segment product and project portfolio.
Partner with Sales to deliver innovative, market-ready solutions;
drive cost-out through raw material optimization, value engineering, and simplification;
and ensure business continuity by qualifying alternatives and adapting to regulatory and compliance requirements.Ensure efficient resource allocation and project execution aligned to business objectives, balancing short-, medium- and long-term priorities.Manage internal and external partners, with a strong focus on customer needs.Business partner to the Meat & Dairy BU, leading dairy product development across yoghurt, desserts, processed cheese, soft cheese, and dairy specialties.Part of the Global Protein Growth category.Key ResponsibilitiesTechnical Specification and Product Development PortfolioOwn the project portfolio, contributing to profitable growth through innovation and sustainability, simplification, compliance and cost-out initiatives aligned to the business strategy.Lead the execution of the approved R&D pipeline through the Stage-Gate process, delivering to committed timelines and enabling strong cross-functional teamwork across multiple functions and sites.Prioritise and allocate resources based on project complexity, value and strategic importance.Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure successful delivery of key business initiatives.Actively contribute to global Protein technical portfolio leverage.Provide technical support for existing products.Lead the deployment of Global and BG R&D programmes, KPIs, processes and tools.Team and CultureLead, coach and develop a high-performing team.Cultivate a collaborative, innovative culture and ensure effective communication across regions, business units, functions and markets.Champion safety and customer focus.Drive process management and compliance.Intellectual Property ManagementManage IP strategy and confidentiality agreements.Oversee the patent-filing process in coordination with Legal.Protect company innovations from competitive threats.Key ChallengesTranslate diverse customer needs into commercially viable packaging solutions, and respectfully decline requests that are not viable.Build and lead cross-customer project teams to deliver high-impact results (end-to-end processes, raw-material simplification, BCP and portfolio management) across diverse regions and cultures.Balance short-term and long-term priorities through effective resource allocation and a strong drive for results.Qualifications / RequirementsGood scientific background, preferably Master's Degree in chemistry, engineering, material science or equivalent.Minimum 5 years' experience in people leadership within product development environment, preferably in a matrixed B2B.Project management experience in matrix organisation.Experience in innovation and competitiveness portfolio management, with strong data analytics understanding.Proven customer engagement and stakeholder management.Willingness to travel around 30% of time (primarily in Europe).
Specific Skills and AbilitiesStrong project and resource management skills.Ability to coach and mentor.Excellent interpersonal, negotiation and presentation skills.Solid understanding of market trends and customer dynamics.Strong business acumen and strategic mindset.Comfortable working in complex, matrixed organisations with global reach and interaction.
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