VP Innovation, Culinary and Sensory

Overview

The Vice President, R&D, Innovation -Sensory and Culinary will be a key member of the RDQ leadership team, responsible for shaping and driving the company’s innovation strategy across both Retail and Foodservice Business Units. This role will oversee R&D Innovation, Culinary and Sensory functions to deliver differentiated, consumer-led food solutions that drive strategic and profitable growth. This role will lead a cross-functional team to deliver breakthrough food innovation that fuels growth, enhances consumer experience, and strengthens the company’s competitive edge. The VP will partner closely with Foodservice and Retail business units to ensure innovation initiatives are consumer-led, technically sound, and commercially viable .

Responsibilities

• Strategic Leadership
• Define and execute the innovation strategy in alignment with enterprise growth objectives .
• Serve as a thought leader, bringing future-forward thinking on culinary trends, consumer insights, and emerging technologies.
• Represent the RDQ function in cross-functional leadership forums to influence business strategy across both Retail and Foodservice channels.
• Team & Functional Leadership
• Lead and develop the Culinary, Innovation, and Sensory teams, fostering a culture of creativity, collaboration, and accountability.
• Ensure strong team engagement, talent development, and succession planning.
• Promote cross-functional alignment and communication between R esearch & Development, Quality, Supply Chain, Marketing, Insights, and Sales
• Elevate Culinary Food Design through proactive trend identification using AI tools to advance Innovation Pipeline
• Develop Culinary/Innovation Playbook to drive best practices around Customer Partnerships and Culinary Selling to achieve topline growth objectives
• Build in-house Sensory capabilities to advance a science based , consumer led approach to food and packaging design
• Innovation Execution
• Lead development of new product platforms and culinary concepts working with Marketing and Sales cross functional partners
• Translate consumer , customer and operator insights into product innovation that drives incremental growth in both Retail and Foodservice.
• Partner with R&D commercialization teams, Supply Chain , Engineering to ensure feasibility, scalability, and cost-effectiveness of new products.
• External Engagement & Trend Scouting
• Maintain strong awareness of global food trends, emerging technologies, and competitor activity.
• Build external partnerships with universities, suppliers, and industry experts to accelerate innovation.
  
  

#TMZ23

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Food Science or related technical field required ; Master’s or MBA preferred.
• 15 years of progressive leadership experience in R& D within the CPG industry , leading large cross function teams.
• Proven track record of successfully launching new platforms that deliver business growth across multiple channels (Retail an d Foodservice ).
• Deep understanding of culinary development, sensory science, and consumer insight translation.
• Strong business and financial acumen with ability to connect innovation strategy to financial outcomes.
• Inspirational leader with experience leading diverse, high-performing teams.
• Excellent collaboration, influencing , and communication skills at the executive level.