Channel Manager Commercialization R&D
Apply NowCompany: Upfield
Location: Hackensack, NJ 07601
Description:
We are the largest plant-based company in the world, and we believe in doing what's right for our people, our customers and the planet. At Upfield our purpose is clear: we make people healthier and happier with nutritious and delicious, natural, plant-based products that are good for you, our planet; and with packaging that's free from plastic. We've got iconic brands like Country Crock, Violife, and Imperial that people all over the world know and love. We've been a trusted category leader since 1871 and yet we feel like we're only just getting started. Performance, Passion, and Care define who we are as a company, how we work every day, and the responsibility we feel toward our Associates, our consumers, our business partners, and our world.
We are a highly entrepreneurial fast-paced team running a multi-billion Euro business across 60+ countries with the mindset of a start-up! We are agile, creative, fast-to-market, and obsessed with customers and consumers.
The context
This role is for an R&D leader to take our industry-leading products, technologies and know-how and to help them reach their potential in these alternate channels. Within a profitable industry, Upfield is focused on a long-term strategy: driving growth through innovation. With a fresh leadership team we have defined a different agenda, underpinned by bold innovation. In the retail channel in North America, Upfield is the undisputed leader in dairy-free, plant-based butters, cheeses and creams. With large, category leading brands like Country Crock, I Can't Believe It's Not Butter, and Becel, Upfield is driving innovation and growth in retail customers all over North America. However, retail only presents a part of the growth ambition of Upfield. There are huge opportunities for our products in other channels such as foodservice, industrial and private label that we have only begun to scratch the surface on.
Your role
The person in this role will work closely with Upfield's Customer Sales, Marketing, Supply Chain and Global R&D Product Design teams to:
This role will lead a small team of R&D Project leaders and technologists. They will coordinate product and packaging development with global R&D channel growth team as well as global product and pack design team. This role will also maintain and build a strong network of industrial and foodservice contacts.
In this role, you will inject passion and bring strong initiative to make a hugely positive impact to the way R&D delivers and innovates on both short and long-term business goals for growth in these channels. You will be encouraged to bring new insights, approaches and innovative technologies to the business to further strengthen Upfield's R&D team.
Key Responsibility Areas
Skills and Experience Required
Experience in overseeing products in market, maintaining and growing existing base business, as well as driving productivity and cost
Compensation range: Base salary $125K to $140K based on experience, expertise and other legitimate, non-discriminatory factors. Position includes annual bonus opportunity and other competitive health and welfare benefits.
What's next
If this position sounds interesting, please hit the apply button now!
We understand your resume might not be up to date and recommend that you apply with what you have or your LinkedIn Profile. Upfield is dedicated to building an inclusive and diverse workplace, we understand that you might not meet all the requirements stated in the description, but we encourage you to apply anyway. You might be the right candidate for this role or other roles.
Upfield is an employer committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace and equal opportunities for all. We recruit based only on values, qualifications, performance, skills, behaviours, experience, and knowledge. We ensure job advertisements are free from unintentional bias.
No personal characteristics should be a barrier to joining Upfield. We prohibit discrimination and harassment based on race, color, sex, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, or other personal characteristics.
#LI-HYBRID
We are a highly entrepreneurial fast-paced team running a multi-billion Euro business across 60+ countries with the mindset of a start-up! We are agile, creative, fast-to-market, and obsessed with customers and consumers.
The context
This role is for an R&D leader to take our industry-leading products, technologies and know-how and to help them reach their potential in these alternate channels. Within a profitable industry, Upfield is focused on a long-term strategy: driving growth through innovation. With a fresh leadership team we have defined a different agenda, underpinned by bold innovation. In the retail channel in North America, Upfield is the undisputed leader in dairy-free, plant-based butters, cheeses and creams. With large, category leading brands like Country Crock, I Can't Believe It's Not Butter, and Becel, Upfield is driving innovation and growth in retail customers all over North America. However, retail only presents a part of the growth ambition of Upfield. There are huge opportunities for our products in other channels such as foodservice, industrial and private label that we have only begun to scratch the surface on.
Your role
The person in this role will work closely with Upfield's Customer Sales, Marketing, Supply Chain and Global R&D Product Design teams to:
- Develop customer and consumer insights to guide innovation growth program.
- identify potential growth opportunities and strategies by channel
- evaluate Upfield's product portfolio for the best possible product fit for each opportunity
- initiate development briefs for new product solutions when appropriate
- actively work with our field sales teams to demonstrate the benefits of Upfield product solutions and to close sales
- work collaboratively to develop strategic partnerships with key customers
- Serve as Technical Project Leader on projects involving rollout of existing technologies.
This role will lead a small team of R&D Project leaders and technologists. They will coordinate product and packaging development with global R&D channel growth team as well as global product and pack design team. This role will also maintain and build a strong network of industrial and foodservice contacts.
In this role, you will inject passion and bring strong initiative to make a hugely positive impact to the way R&D delivers and innovates on both short and long-term business goals for growth in these channels. You will be encouraged to bring new insights, approaches and innovative technologies to the business to further strengthen Upfield's R&D team.
Key Responsibility Areas
- Co-Own innovation and productivity strategic roadmaps for Food Service, Industrial and Private Label Channels for North America
- Lead and coordinate technical function delivery on innovation and productivity projects within alternate channels.
- Ensure all innovations and renovations are launched with excellence in execution.
Skills and Experience Required
- Bachelor's degree in Food Science or Engineering with a passion for food.
- 10+ years of experience in Food Product Development R&D with considerable experience leading both R&D and cross-functional teams, experience in FMCG is essential.
- Technical experience and know-how in plant-based food technologies such as vegetable fats and oils, proteins, emulsification, and water structuring are a plus.
- Excellent communication skills including the ability to effectively communicate technology to both internal stakeholders and team members and external customers.
- Significant experience working in the food service and industrial (business to business) channels.
- Demonstrable skill in managing product innovation from ideas to launch including the identification, development and delivery of impactful business and consumer optimized product innovations.
Experience in overseeing products in market, maintaining and growing existing base business, as well as driving productivity and cost
Compensation range: Base salary $125K to $140K based on experience, expertise and other legitimate, non-discriminatory factors. Position includes annual bonus opportunity and other competitive health and welfare benefits.
What's next
If this position sounds interesting, please hit the apply button now!
We understand your resume might not be up to date and recommend that you apply with what you have or your LinkedIn Profile. Upfield is dedicated to building an inclusive and diverse workplace, we understand that you might not meet all the requirements stated in the description, but we encourage you to apply anyway. You might be the right candidate for this role or other roles.
Upfield is an employer committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace and equal opportunities for all. We recruit based only on values, qualifications, performance, skills, behaviours, experience, and knowledge. We ensure job advertisements are free from unintentional bias.
No personal characteristics should be a barrier to joining Upfield. We prohibit discrimination and harassment based on race, color, sex, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, or other personal characteristics.
#LI-HYBRID