R & D Product Development Manager

POSITION SUMMARY: 

The R&D Product Development Manager is a subject matter expert in the field of Food, Chocolate and Confectionary processes and applications focused on assessing, developing and implementing new product concepts, proprietary blends and process technologies for the chocolate markets and confectionary. The primary responsibility of this position is strategically focused to support product development from ideation through commercialization and to secure new business by partnering with Sales and Marketing to align/create Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory capabilities to meet customer specification. The R&D PD Manager strategically leverages internal stakeholder partnerships, comprehends complex problems and presents prioritized solutions, leads full commercialization scope of products.

The R&D PD Manager also plays a critical role in the Innovation and Renovation processes by optimizing our chocolate and other confectionary recipes as well as the scaling recipes in our production facilities. Specifically, the R&D Manager will partner with Operations. The role is a combination of hands-on benchtop recipe development out of internal and external R&D labs as well as supporting kitchen processes and systems in the manufacturing facility. This includes advising and optimizing existing processes across Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory’s product portfolio. The role will evaluate new suppliers and ingredients while looking at ingredient interactions and give opportunities to increase technical knowledge by participating in developing and improving recipe formulation.

To achieve results, the R&D Manager must be collaborative and have an organization-first mindset, making decisions with suppliers or internal partners to deliver projects on time and within budget for the benefit of Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory, while maintaining awareness of current trends, literature in the chocolate and confectionary market.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

The R&D PD Manager will be expected to consistently deliver top outcomes for the following areas:

1. Participate in product launch approval review process of new opportunities, determine feasibility of running new products or ingredients in production and run line trials to successfully commercialize new products that meet customer expectations.
2. Responsible for benchtop prototyping, formulation, and ingredient interaction/functionality evaluation.
3. Manage technical customer support and R&D relationship development through on-site troubleshooting, technical training and presenting creative solutions.
4. Responsible for the process changes and adjustments to the food preparation equipment that are required for full manufacturing scale-up and ongoing production of new products, formulations, and flavors.
5. Maintain effective communication internally and externally on the status of new products, ongoing activities, upcoming projects, trial runs, sample generation, research results and other pertinent information.
6. Inform Sales and internal staff regarding any problems being incurred by customers and resulting action plan.
7. Establish and monitor performance expectations for R&D staff by defining key performance goals, evaluating performance and providing feedback. When applicable, manage interviewing, hiring and training for departmental staff.
8. Manage site product development activities. Align team resources and priorities associated with key initiatives and reports on product development monthly metrics.
9. Manage planning, implementation, and execution of process changes and project activity at site associated with targeted key accounts to support sales growth and key productivity initiatives.
10. Collaborate with site internal stakeholders including, but not limited to, Quality and Operations for problem solving internal processing issues and technical challenges.
11. Develop and measure appropriate physical parameters of product based on customer needs and submit sample to customer.
12. Develop and issue formula and nutritional to costing for pricing; evaluate current product formulations for optimal usage of raw ingredients; consider potential reformulations of ingredients and/or ingredient substitutions.
13. Maintain database system of R&D products, projects, open work requests that can be accessed by R&D Senior Management to understand scope of work activities.
14. Maintain site product portfolio book and work with cross functional teams to perform routine rationalization and gap analysis.
15. Determine and develop solutions for areas of improvement in line efficiencies, safety, quality, food safety, cost, processes, and personnel.
16. Developed communication tactics to highlight and escalate project status, needs, and KPIs to wide range of stakeholders across the business.

OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Support the team with any other projects or duties required to be completed as needed.

EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS REQUIRED:

1. Bachelor’s degree in Food Science or comparable field.
2. 5+ years’ experience in R&D food manufacturing operations.
3. 3-5+ years’ experience managing a team.
4. General experience with kitchen and confection equipment
5. Must be able to taste and consume chocolate and related products.
6. Excellent communication skills, written and verbal.
7. Strong technical and computer skills: Microsoft skills including Excel, Word and PowerPoint.