Product Development & Culinary Scientist

Job Description:

To contribute towards the delivery of Global Mars Food & Nutrition projects by developing innovative product solutions, and to drive the global innovation pipeline (Bens’s Original, Dolmio, Seeds of Change and Tasty Bite). The projects can be highly complex, involving the interaction between raw materials, recipes and processes; the role involves leadership of the product development workstreams, typically as a Technical Project Lead within a cross functional project team. The job holder will be required to collaborate closely with regional partners to enable technical solutions to be developed and delivered. They will typically work across multiple projects simultaneously and must be able to prioritize effectively to deliver all to time and cost. The job holder will also be expected to help drive our Mars Food & Nutrition culinary agenda & to link science & culinary capabilities to deliver their objectives.

What are we looking for?

Minimum Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree in Food Science, Food Engineering, Food Chemistry, Biochemistry or equivalent
• 5 years professional experience in an FMCG environment (preferably food)
• Prior experience in product development
• Professional knowledge of raw material, recipe/ formulation and manufacturing processes in a relevant field
• Excellent interpersonal skills (communication, relationship building, networking, team work)
  
  

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced Degree in Food Science, Food Engineering, Food Chemistry, Biochemistry
• Culinary, consumer & sensory science experience
• Project management experience
  
  

What will be your key responsibilities?

• Understand our consumers to develop product solutions from initial concepts which deliver to defined consumer and customer benefits, and ensure these solutions deliver to a business model as part of the global Food & Nutrition strategy. Translate product development briefs into final product propositions aligning with internal stakeholders. Leverage technology platforms across multiple product propositions. Ensure we approach product development from both a scientific & culinary perspective
• Work seamlessly with Global and Regional Marketing, Packaging Innovation, Process Development, Science & Technology, Commercial, CMI, and Supply to establish product performance targets and a route to implementation. Continuously drive improvements to how we work, particularly with regards efficiency and agility. Influence the S&T Strategy & workstreams in the context of the global innovation pipeline
• Lead product development workstream project delivery to time, cost and quality whilst working with and influencing key stakeholders. Understand the balance of proposition desirability, viability and feasibility. Develop and deliver an aligned final product specification
• Ensure effective risk management of the product development workstreams, linking cross functionally
• Drive the product development workstreams to pre-stage gate technical readiness and follow through on post launch review and optimization
• Define the key quality attributes through iterative prototyping, sensory evaluation and consumer research (in collaboration with sensory and consumer scientists)
• Provide high quality formal and informal communication on the progress of the product development workstreams
• Proactively managing Intellectual Property risks and opportunities and leveraging Intellectual Property to insulate our innovations
• Support business and team objectives including engagement, impact planning and HPC
• Collaborate with Marketing and Category Sales to support innovation activation, developing communication material and compelling culinary centered selling stories
• Link the science & the culinary to consumer understanding to develop new concepts & propositions. Translate Product Development Briefs into prototypes to learn from and further develop, ensuring we have relevant benchmarks
• Drive external culinary trend understanding to build into future concepts and innovations, aligned with our business strategy. Expand our external culinary network to ensure we are up to date with regards culinary trends and industry developments
• Manage product centered activities across our global markets to engage with our customers and showcase our current and future portfolios
• Lead product centered culinary initiatives that expose associates and senior leaders to our product portfolio, building confidence in the products we are proud of and ultimately developing more product ambassadors
• Serve as a global key contact point for global markets and corporate affairs for product centered culinary initiatives
  
  

What can you expect from Mars?

• Work with diverse and talented Associates, all guided by The Five Principles.
• Join a purpose driven company, where we’re striving to build the world we want tomorrow, today.
• Best-in-class learning and development support from day one, including access to our in-house Mars University.
• An industry competitive salary and benefits package, including company bonus.
  
  

Mars does not sponsor visas for this role.

This position is not eligible for relocation benefits.

The base pay range for this position at commencement of employment is between the range listed below, however, base pay offered may vary depending on multiple individualized factors, including but not limited to job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. The total compensation package for this position will include variable pay, medical and dental benefits, participation in 401k plan, and paid time off benefits. Details of participation in these benefit plans will be provided if an applicant receives an offer of employment.

The pay range shown is applicable to all locations listed within the job posting:USD 107,071.00 - USD 147,223.00