Research And Development Manager

R & D Manager

Role:

The Research and Development Specialist will oversee all aspects of new projects. They will coordinate, plan, and manage the implementation of new products into production. They will collaborate with Sales, Production, QA, and Special Projects to ensure that product roll outs meet all Food Safety and Quality requirements and can be efficiently produced for maximum company profits.

Key Performance Elements/Responsibilities

• Responsible for enforcing company rules and regulations per the Handbook guidelines.
• Responsible for the development of new products and the enhancement of existing products as determined by the VP of Operations.
• Responsible for the development, management, and monitoring of all aspects of the product development and implementation function including but not limited to determining product specifications, production costs, and production through put efficiency.
• Responsible for training the team members on the critical points of the food safety system during product launches.
• Responsible for maintaining all safety related initiatives including, but not limited to, safety programs and incentives.
• Responsible for compliance with, and maintenance of, all customer specification requirements
• Responsible for determining, recording, and notifying the purchasing manager of the best ingredient.
• Responsible for the supervision, development, and motivation of hourly team members who interact on product launches.
• Responsible for creating the formulation and nutritional facts of new products and the enhancement of existing products.
• Responsible for sample production, testing, shelf life and retention of new products
• Responsible for informing and reporting to senior management of scientific and technical developments.
• Responsible for maintaining knowledge of processing capabilities currently in National Food and Beverage Facility as well as all potential new equipment capabilities.
• Must be capable of learning and using with a high skill level the Accounting and Manufacturing systems used by NF&B, in addition to Label View Label program.
• Responsible for all product research & development related communications with outside customers in conjunction with the Sales Manager of the account.
• Responsible for effective interaction with other internal management
• Responsible for overall management, training, and development of all R&D staff
• Responsible for calibration of existing products through scheduled review cuttings with Quality Manager, Production Manager, and VP of Operations.
• Responsible for maintaining certification & knowledge and training of Quality Management System.
• Responsible for prioritizing with the VP of Operations new product development to conform with the needs of National Food and Beverage and our customers.
• Responsible for creating and maintaining all recipes of new and current products, documenting the necessary changes made into the Manufacturing Data base.
• Maintain Key Performance Indicators for the R&D Department to help meet production specifications and product standards, as well as reduce overall cost, maximize productivity and profitability.
• Responsible for maintaining all development related documentation and records.
• Responsible for ensuring the quality, food safety and consistency of all NF&B foods products.
• Responsible for the food safety of all samples produced by National Food and Beverage

Core Competencies

Demonstrates and brings to life the following cultural beliefs:

• Feedback’s Priceless

Sees more through other’s feedback.

• Own it

Owns, drives, and achieves desired results.

• Win Together

Works across boundaries to achieve results.

• Trust Matters

Acts in a manner that cultivates trust in others.

• Thinking Forward

Thinks and acts in a manner that achieves balanced results.

Qualifications

Education/Training:

• Bachelor’s Degree in biology, Food Science, or equivalent from an accredited University.

Experience:

• Experience with GFSI Auditing Standards.
• Strong food production background required, preferably with a soup, sauce, dressing facility.
• 5+ years of experience within a Manufacturing Facility or business leadership role.

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities:

• Communication Skills- excellent verbal, written and oral ability to provide actionable reports on projects.
• Interpersonal Skills- Ability to work as part of a diverse team and interact effectively with all levels of management; ability to build cooperative, productive relationships with internal clients and vendors.
• Judgement/Decision Making- ability to make appropriate business judgements and decisions independently. Demonstrated ability to perform strategic thinking and planning.
• Computer Skills- working knowledge of Microsoft Office based software, including Excel, Word, Power Point and Outlook.
• Budget/Cost Control- general understanding of budget control and cost control functions.
• Technical Knowledge- detailed knowledge of food manufacturing including specification and process development based on facility capabilities.
• Problem Solving- ability to independently work through complex problems and derive innovative solutions/options with a focus on business implications.
• Strategic Management-ability to develop distinctive strategies to achieve competitive advantage; translate broad strategies into specific objectives and action plans; complete multiple projects efficiently and on time, ability to work with minimal supervision.

Benefits:

• Paid time off
• Dental insurance
• Vision insurance
• Life insurance
• Referral program
• Health insurance

Schedule:

• Weekend availability
• Monday to Friday
• 8 hour shift