Director of Research and Development at Judge Group

I wanted to share a new opportunity with you (for you or your network). Our client, a very top food manufacturer based in VA with a consistently expanding portfolio has an opportunity for a Director of Research & Development. Position based onsite so must live locally or be relocatable to VA. Very generous bonus opportunity on top of base and excellent benefits package!  Reports into VP of Marketing I've known for 15+ years - he's exceptional! 

Responsibilities include:

• Lead the Research & Development Team including Innovation & Product Development, Base Product & Process Development, Packaging Development, and Nutrition & Regulatory Affairs workstreams.

• Act as the liaison between the non-technical areas as well as the technical areas to develop and execute new and base products and process strategies to grow the overall business and enable cost savings.

• Responsible for the communication of new and base business activities and strategies with non-technical areas such as Marketing & Innovation, Trade Marketing, Market Research, Finance, and Sales. Also provide the technical communication to the technical areas such as QA, Operations, Packaging, and specific factory or co-manufacturing locations.

• Develop New Products & Innovation: Develop New Products or Next-Generation Innovation including the development of new product formulas and packaging (internally through R&D associates or externally working through consultants or suppliers) to deliver within agreed timeline, quality, and cost parameters. Work with internal or co-manufacturing locations on start-up and commercialization.

• Optimize Base Business Products & Process: Reformulate or restage base products or refine processes within agreed timeline, quality and cost parameters. Work directly with manufacturing locations for process improvements.

• Maintain and Optimize R&D Support Systems & Technical Services: Provide Technical Services and R&D Systems to optimize product development work stream and timelines, process systems, formula systems, ingredient specifications, nutritional labeling and ingredient statements that meet all departments expectations and deliver projects on time.

• Provide Packaging Engineering and Nutrition & Regulatory Services: Deliver Packaging and Nutrition & Regulatory Services to support Base Business & Innovation initiatives to maintain and grow the business.

Experience:

• 20+ years of overall professional experience in various product and process development technologies and management, strong understanding of processing equipment and low acid thermal and retort processing. Strong understanding of federal regulations and nutritional labeling. Experience with new packaging development.

• 5-10 years of management experience leading a R&D/technical team in a position of similar complexity, scope, size and international impact.

• BS or MS and wide range of product and process development experience.

• Must be able to travel by plane - approximate travel 30%. (includes international, passport required)

• Must be capable of travel for extended periods (extended: 5-15 days)

Join this highly successful team and company! Please send qualified resume to: lwertman@judge.com