Senior Manager, R&D Capabilities and Excellence

Gay Lea; Hamilton; Hybrid; CAD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Gay Lea in Hamilton, ON is seeking a Senior Manager, R&D Capabilities and Excellence to shape how the R&D organization operates, grows, and delivers results. This role strengthens capabilities, elevates execution discipline, and builds systems to enable scalable, high‑quality innovation.

You will partner with the Director of R&D to translate vision into sustained success. Lead scientists and technicians, foster collaboration, drive continuous improvement, and build an execution‑driven

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in science, engineering, business, or related discipline.
• 8–10 years of experience in project management and stakeholder collaboration in R&D or technical environments.
• Proven success in building systems, stakeholder engagement, people leadership, coaching, and developing teams.
• PMP certification preferred.
• Excellent communication and collaboration with both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Knowledge of the dairy or food industry is an asset but not required.

Responsibilities

• Lead, mentor, and develop scientists, researchers, and technicians.
• Create a culture of collaboration, accountability, and continuous learning.
• Support career development and skill-building to expand team capabilities.
• Promote flexibility of resources across categories to ensure exposure and growth.
• Develop and implement the R&D capability roadmap to strengthen long-term technical depth and functional maturity.
• Build and enhance the R&D operating model, including governance, workflows, documentation standards, and execution frameworks.
• Drive portfolio visibility and performance management using standardized tools, metrics, and reporting dashboards.
• Lead knowledge management discipline by ensuring consistent documentation, trial learnings capture, and process repeatability.
• Champion a culture of continuous improvement, technical rigor, and disciplined execution across the R&D function.
• Ensure project execution contributes to building the long-term vision for the R&D organization.
• Ensure timely and high-quality execution of projects across the R&D portfolio.
• Translate innovation project plans into actionable execution deliverables in partnership with cross-functional teams.
• Oversee resource allocation and capacity planning to maximize team effectiveness.
• Monitor project progress, remove barriers, and manage risks to delivery.
• Act as liaison between R&D execution and Operations, ensuring smooth transfer of knowledge and implementation of new technologies.
• Collaborate closely with Principal Scientists on project prioritization and resource planning.
• Build strong relationships with Quality, Engineering, and other enabling functions to support seamless project execution.

Skills

Leadership

People management

Project management

Stakeholder engagement

Strategic thinking

Communication

Coaching & development

Education

Bachelor's degree in science, engineering, or business

PMP certification

Job description

Department: Research & Development

Location: 419 Rennie St, Hamilton, ON L8H 3R7

Status: 12 Month Contract, full time onsite role

Summary

The Senior Manager, R&D Capabilities and Excellence plays a pivotal role in shaping how the R&D organization operates, grows, and delivers results. This role strengthens foundational capabilities, elevates execution discipline, and builds the systems, tools, and practices that enable efficient, scalable, and high‑quality innovation. As a trusted leadership partner to the Director of R&D, the Senior Manager provides the expertise, reliability, strategic insight, and operational structure needed to translate vision into sustained, repeatable success. The successful candidate will help define and enhance the R&D operating model, drive continuous improvement, and build a strong, capable and future‑ready R&D team.

People Leadership & Team Growth

• Lead, mentor, and develop scientists, researchers, and technicians.
• Create a culture of collaboration, accountability, and continuous learning.
• Support career development and skill‑building to expand team capabilities.
• Promote flexibility of resources across categories to ensure exposure and growth.

R&D Capabilities & Excellence Leadership

• Develop and implement the R&D capability roadmap to strengthen long‑term technical depth and functional maturity.
• Build and enhance the R&D operating model, including governance, workflows, documentation standards, and execution frameworks.
• Drive portfolio visibility and performance management using standardized tools, metrics, and reporting dashboards.
• Lead knowledge management discipline by ensuring consistent documentation, trial learnings capture, and process repeatability.
• Champion a culture of continuous improvement, technical rigor, and disciplined execution across the R&D function.

Project Execution & Delivery

• Ensure project execution contributes to building the long‑term vision for the R&D organization.
• Ensure timely and high‑quality execution of projects across the R&D portfolio.
• Translate innovation project plans into actionable execution deliverables in partnership with cross‑functional teams.
• Oversee resource allocation and capacity planning to maximize team effectiveness.
• Monitor project progress, remove barriers, and manage risks to delivery.

Cross‑functional Collaboration

• Act as liaison between R&D execution and Operations, ensuring smooth transfer of knowledge and implementation of new technologies.
• Collaborate closely with Principal Scientists on project prioritization and resource planning.
• Build strong relationships with Quality, Engineering, and other enabling functions to support seamless project execution.

Systems & Process Excellence

• Ensure the execution team has the right tools, systems, and processes to deliver consistently.
• Drive improvements in lab and pilot operations to enhance efficiency and impact.
• Strengthen standardization, documentation, and knowledge management within the execution team.

Qualifications & Competencies

• Bachelor’s degree in science, engineering, business, or related discipline (advanced degree is an asset).
• 8–10 years of experience in project management and stakeholder collaboration within R&D, operations, or technical environments.
• Demonstrated success in building systems, stakeholder engagement, people leadership, coaching, and developing teams.
• Strong organizational and planning skills; PMP certification preferred.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills with both technical and non‑technical stakeholders.
• Knowledge of the dairy or food industry is an asset but not required.