R&D Group Manager

About the role

The R&D Group Manager provides strategic, technical, and people leadership for multiple R&D categories or major functional areas, ensuring the delivery of innovation, renovation, optimization, quality, profitability, and technical excellence in support of sustainable business growth. The R&D Group Manager owns the technical direction of assigned multiple categories/functions, leads the team in delivering projects from concept through commercialization, and ensures effective application of R&D standards, governance, technology, and best practices. The role ensures all development activities comply with Food Safety Management System requirements and support safe, high-quality, and compliant product commercialization.

Key responsibilities

• Develops the long-term technical roadmap, innovation agenda, and strategies for assigned categories or functional areas in alignment with business priorities
• Translates business and consumer needs into technical strategies, innovation opportunities, and development priorities
• Provides technical direction for product, process, packaging, technology, and/or application development
• Evaluates emerging technologies, materials, ingredients, processes, packaging solutions, and market trends and determines their potential application to the portfolio
• Leads the planning and execution of R&D projects from concept development through commercialization and production normalization
• Prioritizes projects, resources, timelines, and technical activities based on business impact and organizational capacity
• Ensures compliance with applicable regulatory requirements, corporate standards, product specifications, food safety, quality, and R&D governance
• Balances innovation, quality, cost, speed-to-market, technical risk, and operational feasibility in making portfolio decisions
• Provides overall leadership and direction to multiple teams, ensuring alignment of people, priorities, resources, and capabilities with R&D and business strategies
• Develops and strengthens technical and leadership capabilities through coaching, mentoring, performance management, knowledge sharing, and targeted development plans

About you

• Degree in BS Food Technology, Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Packaging Engineering or related courses
• Minimum of twelve (12) years of relevant experience in food manufacturing, with at least eight (8) years in R&D/product, process and/or packaging development
• Minimum of four (4) years in a managerial or equivalent functional leadership role
• Demonstrated experience managing multiple product categories, product platforms or a major R&D functional area, with responsibility for complex cross-functional projects and people development
• Complies to 5S, 6S, GMP, HACCP and FSMS requirements
• Advanced proficiency in relevant digital and analytical tools, including MS Office and other systems required for R&D
• Strong understanding of the business, category, consumer, market, competitive landscape, and industry trends
• Strong financial and commercial acumen, with the ability to analyze and interpret category and business financials
• Highly developed communication, influencing, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills
• Strong cross-functional and enterprise mindset, with a comprehensive understanding of how R&D integrates with Marketing, Manufacturing, QA/TQM, Supply Chain, Procurement, Finance, Regulatory, and other business functions