All posting locations: Glenview, Illinois, United States of America, Warrendale, Pennsylvania, United States of America
Job Function: 10 - R&D
Date Published: 17-Jul-2023
Ref #: R-72379
Remote, Hybrid or Onsite: Hybrid
Description & Requirements
Kraft Heinz is currently hiring a highly motivated and experienced Associate Director, R&D to lead Away from Home (Food Service) across the North American zone.
You will be responsible for defining, establishing, and aligning R&D programs and resources across the North American Zone to implement new products and technologies. You will work closely with cross-functional teams to ensure successful product launches and ongoing product support for the Away from Home Channel. You will be responsible for managing the R&D budget and ensuring that all projects are completed on time and within budget. You will provide technical leadership to the business team and technical platform teams in all phases of commercialization ensuring readiness for market launch. This is an individual contributor role with significant leadership opportunities through organizational influence and partnership with internal and external functional partners.
What’s on the menu?
- You will be a thought leader that tracks both consumer trends and technical innovations to push forward new ways of bringing products to market via process optimizations, new ingredient or equipment technologies, or creative extensions of current portfolio.
- You will be responsible for developing accelerated ways to get new products to market for test launches and LTOs.
- You will be a strong leader, and cross-functional collaborator with business teams across the North American Zone and stakeholders in the product development process, including category management, culinary, packaging, marketing, sales, and global business partners.
- You will manage multiple assignments/development projects concurrently to meet R&D timelines.
- You will engage with internal and external groups to build relationships with internal teams, suppliers, key customer contacts, operators, and distributors.
- You will collaborate within R&D technical teams to establish technology strategy to unlock innovation and sustainability commitments.
Recipe for Success: Apply now if this sounds like you!
- I have a wide depth of R&D and technical service experience in the food and beverage industry or business-related experience in Food Service.
- I have a strong background in product or package development and a proven track record of leading (either directly or indirectly) successful R&D teams.
- I excel at building new capabilities and driving new ways of working across a diverse set of stakeholders.
- I have strong commercialization skills; with the ability to prioritize, simplify, problem solve and execute with excellence.
- I have a strong understanding of ingredient functionality and the interrelationship of ingredients, processing, and packaging.
- I excel working and collaborating with a diverse array of personnel, from product developers to global leadership.
- I am willing and able to travel approximately 40% of the time for site visits, and meetings with vendors, customers, or operators.
- I ensure consistency and am accountability for my results.
- I am able to traverse my work environment, sustained up to 1/3 of my working hours.
- I am able to perform sedentary work: occasionally exerting 0-10 lbs. of force, limited movement from my workstation for brief periods of time
#LI-Hybrid
About Us
Kraft Heinz is a global food company with a delicious heritage. With iconic and emerging food and beverage brands around the world, we deliver the best taste, fun and quality to every meal table we touch. We’re on a mission to disrupt not only our own business, but the global food industry. A consumer obsession and unexpected partnerships fuel our progress as we drive innovation across every part of our company.
Around the world, our people are connected by a culture of ownership, agility and endless curiosity. We also believe in being good humans, who are working to improve our company, communities, and planet. We’re proud of where we’ve been – and even more thrilled about where we’re headed – as we nourish the world and lead the future of food.
Why Us
We grow our people to grow our business. We champion great people who bring ambition, curiosity, and high performance to the table as the guardians of our beloved and nostalgic brands. Good isn't good enough. We choose greatness every day by challenging the ordinary and making bold decisions. All while celebrating our wins - and our failures – as we work together to lead the future of food.
Challenging the status quo takes talent. We invest in your purpose and potential by developing skills and nurturing strengths that leave a legacy on our business and a lasting impact on your career. Because great people make great companies, and we’re growing something great here at Kraft Heinz.
Office Collaboration & Hybrid Work Environment
We believe our office environment fuels our collaboration, connection & community as an organization and allows our employees to grow toward greatness. We also believe providing a more flexible and agile model is essential in today’s workplace. A majority of our office-based employees will be able to work remotely for up to two days each week. Additionally, employees who are subject to this hybrid model will be eligible to work from anywhere for up to six weeks in a rolling 12-month period (in maximum two-week increments and according to benefits and tax guidelines). Some jobs may be required to be performed fully in office depending on the role’s responsibilities and requirements.
Kraft Heinz is an Equal Opportunity Employer that prohibits discrimination or harassment of any type. All qualified applicants are considered for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Applicants who require an accommodation to participate in the job application or hiring process should contact NATAI@kraftheinz.com.