VP of R&D - Frozen food CPG

The Vice President of Research & Development is responsible for setting and executing the company’s enterprise-wide innovation and product development strategy across a multi-site food manufacturing network. This role drives both top-line growth and operational performance through disciplined commercialization, portfolio management, and scalable product development.

This leader will oversee the full R&D function, including product development, process development, food safety/microbiology, and regulatory, while building a high-performing organization aligned to business objectives. The ideal candidate brings a strong blend of technical expertise, commercialization leadership, and general management capability within a complex food manufacturing environment.

• Define and execute a long-range R&D and innovation strategy aligned with company growth targets


• Build and manage a robust product pipeline across branded, private label, and customer-specific initiatives


• Translate consumer insights and market trends into commercially viable, scalable products


• Partner with executive leadership to align innovation priorities with financial and operational goals

• Lead end-to-end product development from concept through commercialization across multiple manufacturing sites


• Drive disciplined stage-gate processes, ensuring speed to market, cost targets, and margin expectations are achieved


• Oversee formulation, scale-up, and process optimization to ensure consistent product quality and manufacturability


• Implement systems to improve commercialization success rates, reduce errors, and increase execution speed

• Partner closely with Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing, and Sales to ensure seamless product launches and execution


• Support plant operations through process development, cost savings initiatives, and technical problem-solving


• Lead cross-functional initiatives tied to margin improvement, complexity reduction, and operational efficiency

• Build, lead, and develop a high-performing R&D organization across multiple disciplines (product development, process, regulatory, microbiology)


• Establish clear structure, accountability, and performance metrics across the team


• Drive a culture of innovation, collaboration, and continuous improvement


• Develop internal talent and long-term succession planning within the R&D function

• Oversee food safety, microbiology, and regulatory functions to ensure compliance and risk mitigation


• Lead ingredient strategy, formulation optimization, and clean label initiatives


• Establish best practices in product and process development, including pilot plant and scale-up capabilities


• Maintain awareness of emerging technologies and industry advancements to enhance competitive positioning

• Own and manage R&D budgets, capital investments, and resource allocation


• Drive measurable business impact through innovation (volume growth, margin expansion, cost savings)


• Implement KPI-driven management of pipeline performance, commercialization success, and ROI

• 15 years of progressive R&D experience within food or CPG manufacturing


• 10 years of leadership experience, including oversight of multi-functional R&D teams


• Proven experience leading large-scale commercialization efforts across multiple plants


• Demonstrated success driving innovation tied to measurable business outcomes (volume, margin, cost savings)


• Experience in high-volume, complex food categories (e.g., frozen, sauces, dressings, prepared foods, etc.)


• Strong background in process development, scale-up, and manufacturing integration


• Experience building and leading organizations (team design, restructuring, capability build-out)

• Experience supporting both foodservice and retail channels


• Background in multi-site or global manufacturing environments


• Experience leading innovation centers, pilot plants, or technical centers of excellence


• Exposure to licensed brands, private label, or co-manufacturing models

• Bachelor’s degree in Food Science or related field required


• Advanced degree preferred