Director, Research & Development

Yoplait Liberté Canada; Montreal; Hybrid; CAD 150,000 - 230,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work environment

Full employer-paid group insurance

RRSP/DPSP with employer contributions

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

Enhanced parental leave

Telemedicine access

Professional development

Job summary

Yoplait Liberté Canada seeks a Director of Research & Development to define and drive the company’s innovation strategy across the product portfolio, reporting to the VP of Sustainable Growth. You will lead R&D, Innovation, Food Science, and Product Development teams to launch new products, optimize formulations, and improve processes.

You will set priorities for investments, collaborate with Marketing, Sales, Operations, and Quality, and mentor senior scientists to ensure high-impact

Qualifications

• Master’s or Bachelor’s degree in Food Science and Technology, Microbiology, Food Engineering, Engineering, Chemistry, Dairy Processing, or a related field.
• Minimum of 15 years of R&D experience in the food industry.
• Minimum of 8–10 years of people management experience.
• Recognized expertise in yogurt and/or fermented product development and manufacturing.
• Proven experience managing innovation portfolios and commercial product launches.
• Fluency in both French and English.

Responsibilities

• Define and execute the R&D vision and strategy aligned with business objectives.
• Lead, develop, and coach multidisciplinary R&D teams.
• Develop and manage short-, medium-, and long-term innovation pipeline.
• Establish R&D investment priorities based on commercial potential and ROI.
• Identify contract manufacturers to support growth and address capacity.

Skills

R&D leadership

People management

Portfolio management

Cross-functional collaboration

Bilingual French/English

Education

Master’s or Bachelor’s in Food Science/Technology or related

Job description

A proudly Canadian company, Yoplait Liberté has been producing yogurts made with fresh, high-quality milk from local farms for over 50 years. Among our iconic brands: Liberté, born in Montréal in 1936, and Yoplait, which arrived in Canada in 1971.

What we offer:

• Exciting projects within a growing and transforming organization
• Flexibility through a hybrid work environment that is people-focused and supportive
• Recognition of relevant years of experience for vacation entitlement calculations
• A comprehensive group insurance plan fully paid by the employer, along with an Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• A retirement savings program (RRSP and DPSP) with employer contributions because we invest in your future
• Enhanced parental leave benefits
• Access to telemedicine services
• Meaningful opportunities for continuous learning and professional development
• The pride of contributing to iconic brands that have been part of Canadian households for decades
• The opportunity to make a real impact in a highly strategic role influencing key business decisions
• A dynamic entrepreneurial environment that values initiative, bold thinking, and creativity

The position may be based at our downtown Montréal office on an hybrid model

Your role:

Reporting to the Vice President, Sustainable Growth, the Director, Research & Development is responsible for defining and executing the company's innovation strategy across the entire product portfolio.

The Director, Research & Development leads the R&D, Innovation, Food Science, and Product Development teams to drive business growth through the launch of innovative products, formulation optimization, continuous process improvement, and the identification of new technology platforms that meet consumer and customer needs.

What you will accomplish daily

• Define and implement the R&D vision and strategy aligned with business objectives.
• Lead, develop, and coach multidisciplinary R&D teams.
• Develop and manage the short-, medium-, and long-term innovation pipeline.
• Establish R&D investment priorities based on commercial potential and return on investment.
• Actively contribute to decisions regarding technology investments and manufacturing capability improvements.
• Identify, evaluate, and select contract manufacturing partners (Co-Manufacturers) to support company growth and address internal capacity limitations.
• Monitor market trends, consumer needs, and growth opportunities.
• Collaborate with Marketing, Sales, Operations, and Quality teams to ensure and accelerate successful product commercialization.
• Drive talent development and succession planning within the function.
• Establish performance indicators to measure the impact of R&D activities.
• Ensure projects are delivered within budget, timelines, and objectives.
• Support manufacturing facilities in resolving complex technical challenges related to yogurt production.
• Lead the technical qualification of manufacturing processes, validate partners' ability to meet quality, food safety, and performance requirements, and ensure seamless integration into the company’s manufacturing network.
• Develop strategic partnerships with suppliers, universities, research centers, and industry organizations.
• Maintain scientific and technological intelligence in dairy products, proteins, functional ingredients, fermentation, and emerging processing technologies

What you need to join our team

• Master's degree or Bachelor's degree in Food Science and Technology, Microbiology, Food Engineering, Engineering, Chemistry, Dairy Processing, or a related field.
• Minimum of 15 years of R&D experience within the food industry.
• Minimum of 8 to 10 years of people management experience.
• Recognized expertise in yogurt and/or fermented product development and manufacturing.
• Proven experience managing innovation portfolios and commercial product launches.
• Fluency in both French and English.

Want to be part of a company that has both flavour… and purpose?