Director, Innovation and Development

Agrifoods International Cooperative Ltd; Delta; On-site; CAD 100,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

A food innovation company in Delta is seeking a Director of Innovation & Development to lead R&D efforts in plant-based foods. The ideal candidate will have over 10 years of experience in product development and process engineering, strong leadership skills, and knowledge of food regulatory standards. Key responsibilities include driving innovation, managing teams, and implementing new food concepts. This role requires a Master's degree in Food Science or a related field. The position offers opportunities for professional growth in a progressive environment.

Qualifications

• 10 years of industry experience in product development and process engineering.
• At least 5 years of experience as RD lead with scientific and technical teams.
• Ability to develop and manage budgets and report on metrics.

Responsibilities

• Facilitate idea generation and implement strategic planning.
• Work with teams to develop new concepts from ingredients to formula.
• Collect global information about plant-based food science.

Skills

Food science and technology

Team leadership

Regulatory knowledge (Health Canada and FDA)

Process engineering

Product development

Strategic planning

Innovation in food technology

Education

Master's degree in Food science and technology

Job description

LOCATION: Annacis Island Manufacturing Plant

We are looking for a Director, Innovation & Development, to join our team! Our Senior Research & Development Leader will oversee and manage all R&D commercialization efforts, including full-scale production testing, exploring new technologies, developing new products, and much more!

This exciting role is responsible for Earth’s Own Food & Beverage Innovation and Development, from ingredient explore and formula design to product launch and consistency support. The role actively works on our innovation roadmap planning from creative ideas and deep explore in science of plant-based foods to innovation in technology. With strong leadership and mentorship of the RD team, our Director connects the team to production, and external resources to make sure our formulas are well scaled up and delivered throughout our production infrastructure.

Here Is Who You Are…

Drive & Motivation

• You are passionate to engage your team in elevating the science of plant-based food and tackling challenges with renewed energy and purpose.
• You are health conscious and understand the value of healthy eating and green planet.
• You want to join a progressive company and apply your skills in a meaningful way.

Character & Abilities

• You are a food scientist fanatic who enjoys being on the cutting edge of food innovation and technology.
• You are a strategic thinker who is meticulous, analytical, detailed, and resourceful with their craft.
• You are a strong people leader who can build and nurture long-lasting partnerships within the team.
• You are a clear and persuasive communicator who works well with different personalities.
• You are highly versatile and able to handle tasks with urgency, efficiency, and accuracy.
• You are able to coach and develop a high performing team.
• You are able to adapt to the changing context and evolving environment effectively.

Knowledge & Skills

• You have an advanced understanding of the key scientific principles associated with food & beverage technologies, ingredients, and ingredient/process interactions
• You have advanced working knowledge of R&D development commercialization and revel in bringing products to the market from idea to execution
• You are well experienced in team leadership: creating a motivating and inspiring team culture.
• You have strong knowledge of Health Canada and FDA regulatory.
• You are excellent in condensing complex issues down to key foundational elements and communicating effectively.
• You are able to perform multiple tasks, balance priorities and meet deadlines; ability to work under pressure.
• You take initiative and have a high level of ambition, motivation, and passion.

Experience

• 10 years of industry experience in product development, process engineering and related fields.
• At least 5 years of experience as RD lead, leading and managing scientific and technical teams.
• Educational background in Food science and technology. Master’s degree and above are preferred.
• You have experience of strategic planning and long-term product road maps.
• You are skilled in developing and managing budgets and reporting on key metrics.

Things you will do…

• Facilitate idea generation, strategy development, and implementation planning, to continue elevating our reputation as Food industry’s innovation leader.
• Work with RD, Marketing and Operations leads, as well as other team members to design, develop, and implement new concepts from ingredients to formula, and use of technology.
• Build strong team of scientist for sustainable innovation and improvement.
• Collect global information about plant-based food science movement and build innovation roadmap according to the business needs.
• Design, development and implement procedures, to better support innovation, consistency, and quality.

Other …

• May on occasion work evenings and weekends to accommodate production testing
• Flexibility to travel across Canada and abroad, to multiple sites