Process Development Manager

Job Purpose

Reporting to the Head of R&D, the Process Development Manager is accountable for defining and delivering the process development strategy and portfolio across product manufacturing processes, raw and packaging material handling, manufacturing steps and performance parameters, equipment requirements, operational efficiency, trials and scale-up from laboratory to full production. The role owns pilot plant governance and priorities, provides technical direction to cross-functional teams, ensures robust transfer of processes into manufacturing, and leads the assessment and business justification of new process technologies and CAPEX investments. The Manager establishes standards, allocates resources, manages technical and operational risk, and is accountable for delivery against agreed safety, quality, cost, timing and performance objectives.

Key Accountabilities

Process Development

• Own trials, product launches and technology or recipe scale-up from kitchen and laboratory through pilot plant and factory implementation.
• Lead process and packaging efficiency, optimisation and manufacturing cost-reduction programmes across sites.
• Define manufacturing process specifications and prepare production and process manuals.
• Oversee the definition and implementation of process standards for both new and existing procedures, ensuring alignment with industry best practices.
• Enhance scientific and technical capabilities within the department.
• Set the research and technology-scouting pipeline, including assessment scope, success criteria, timelines, resources and long-term opportunities.
• Govern pilot-plant capacity, priorities and operations, including hygiene, materials, cleaning, maintenance and OHS.
• Own pilot-plant and equipment CapEx proposals, design, procurement, installation and commissioning.

Product Development

• Lead processing, packaging and innovation-delivery decisions, escalating material technical, resource and investment risks.
• Participate effectively in investigations and problem-solving initiatives.
• Complete operational handovers with required reports, lessons learned and best practices.
• Manage stability testing from study initiation through testing, reporting and support for product or packaging changes.

Research

• Engage external partners—including academia, training centres and suppliers—to support open innovation.

Operational Excellence

• Manage technical knowledge and methods, documenting results and sharing lessons across the organisation.

Leadership

• Drive decisions by networking effectively with relevant stakeholders and decision-makers in the R&D department, Marketing and Sales, and other business units (e.g. Procurement and Operations)
• Ensure alignment with the Company Calendar, KPIs, company policies and procedures in the R&D function's undertakings
• Govern the project portfolio, stage gates, scope, priorities, resources and risk to deliver agreed quality, cost and timing.
• Manage the work of a reporting team of skilled scientists and lab technicians to deliver set objectives against departmental KPIs
• Oversee the ongoing development of the team & succession planning.

Ideal Candidate Profile

Education

• Master's, MQF Level 7.

Experience

• 7 years’ experience in R&D / Food. 1 year managing people.

Technical Skills

• Food Processing Technology — Expert (E)
• Food Science — Expert (E)
• Data Analysis, Statistics & Design of Experiments — Expert (E)
• Project Management — Expert (E)
• Manufacturing Processes — Expert (E)
• Analytical Methods — Skilled (S)
• GMP, Cleaning & Sanitation — Skilled (S)
• Trial Planning — Expert (E)
• Report Writing — Expert (E)

Competencies

• Judgement & Decision Making
• Action Orientated
• Relationship Building
• Presentation and Facilitation
• Business Acumen
• Modelling (Leading by Example)
• Strategic Thinking & Change Management
• Programme and Project Management*

Travel

• Able to travel up to 120 nights or more a year.