R&D Manager Soft Ripen Cheese Development and Industrialization

OVERVIEW

The R&D Manager for Soft Ripened Cheese Development is responsible for leading multiple projects on soft ripened cheeses across several business segments and geographical location. This role may also be required to work on cream cheese, blue cheese, process cheese, and goat cheese with R&D or other cross-functional team members. This position is for a seasoned R&D Manager capable of independently managing, prioritizing, developing multiple projects, and influencing people on their team or on cross functional teams to effectively meet the business objectives. This position reports to the Associate Director for Cheese Product development and Industrialization.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Independently provide leadership and oversight to technical development projects, bringing project management, ingredient, formulation, and commercialization/industrialization scale-up expertise.
• Comfortable with all aspects of the soft ripened cheese development process from ideation to bench-top work and to industrialization. Must be able to work independently in the cheese plant and effectively conduct full scale line trials including finished product evaluation.
• Capable of innovation, creativity and engaging with customers on project ideation, translating customer desires to our production and technical capabilities, while managing multiple priorities independently.
• Proactively identify challenges and recommend solutions and develop expertise in soft ripened cheese processing plants. Able to effectively course-correct when deviations to timelines and milestones occur and effectively communicate to the cross functional team should that occur.
• Able to effectively mentor junior team members with such topics as experimental design, product development, cost control, commercialization, and troubleshooting. Ability to foster a learning environment which captures and effectively retains knowledge.
• Works well with others and is able to effectively create and maintain a cross functional team working environment. Has the ability to influence without authority and lead through ambiguity to bring clarity.
• Assumes responsibility for business segment needs i.e., ideation, identify and deliver innovation, participate as the R&D representative at customer business meetings/trade shows.
• Works with cross functional team to ensure all projects are suitably scoped and risks assessed. Subsequently able to participate in annual planning to establish and adhere to budgets. Ability to leverage data to identify issues and subsequently identify and implement corrective actions.
• Independently capable of teaching/training individuals/groups formulations/reformulations of complex food products that push the boundaries of cheese processing technology.
• Develops excellent customer relationships that support common business growth and goals of success; capable of working with cross functional team to resolve customer problems and setting forward plans.
• Responsible for adhering to all quality system requirements. Ability to work various shifts to ensure proper start-up and completion of R&D Projects. Follows plant rules & comply with applicable regulatory standards.
•  Follows Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs).
• Performs other duties as assigned.

 KEY COMPETENCIES

• Min. 4 years proven projects managements skill in food production setting
• Min 3 years of experience in soft ripened or blue cheese production
• Product and process development track record in cheese production environment
• Problem-solving skills and ability to bring solutions quickly in high-speed working situation
• Ability to effectively work with cross functional team to achieve a goal
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, foster collaboration
• Ability to adapt to changes and respond to achieve business objectives
• Manage and work with confidential information
• Innovation promoter

EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE 

• 4-year degree in Food Science/Physical Sciences. Experience in a high-speed manufacturing food manufacturing environment and product development
• 4-8 years of increasing responsibilities experience in food development, project management, commercialization, and managing people
• Minimum 3 years’ experience working and developing Soft Ripened Cheese products or blue cheese.
• Soft ripened cheese experience and expertise is required
• Ability to manage multiple projects with cross-functional teams and influence without authority
• Ability to manage people and teams is a plus
• Cream cheese, goat cheese and blue cheese experience is a plus
• Speaking and writing another language beside English is a plus

TRAVEL

This position is in Kolb Lena IL, USA and requires 150 to 20% travel