Global Chocolate & Confectionery Applications Lead

AAK - Aarhuskarlshamn; Aarhus; On-site; DKK 900,000 - 1,200,000; Full time

Job summary

AAK is seeking a Global Application Excellence Manager for Chocolate & Confectionery Fats based at our Aarhus site. Lead as a global technical authority, expanding application knowledge and translating engineering insights into customer value across regions.

You will design proofs, guide development programs, and support regional teams. This role requires strong leadership, English fluency, and willingness to travel internationally as part of global collaboration.

Qualifications

• MSc or PhD in Food Science, Food Engineering, Chemical Engineering or a related technical discipline.
• 8–10+ years of relevant industry experience within chocolate, confectionery, specialty fats or related food applications.
• Recognised expertise in Chocolate & Confectionery Fats, including formulation, fat functionality, ingredient interactions and processing technologies across applications such as chocolate, compounds, fillings, spreads and caramel.
• Proven experience in application development, product development, scale-up, customer trials and commercialisation.
• Ability to translate customer needs, market trends and technical knowledge into differentiated application solutions and compelling customer value.

Responsibilities

• Act as a global subject matter expert in Chocolate & Confectionery applications, with deep knowledge of CCF formulation, fat functionality, processing technologies and ingredient interactions.
• Connect regional application experts, Customer Innovation teams and global technical functions to strengthen knowledge sharing and ensure expertise is effectively leveraged across AAK.
• Design, develop and validate compelling application proof points that demonstrate customer value and differentiate AAK’s solutions.
• Lead lower-complexity product development projects while supporting Scientists on more complex, medium- and long-term innovation programmes.
• Translate new products and technologies into customer demonstrations, application evidence, technical documentation and materials that support successful commercialisation.
• Support regional teams with complex application and processing challenges through troubleshooting, technical guidance, customer workshops, factory trials and evaluations.
• Strengthen the Confectionery Centre of Excellence by developing application methods, evaluation protocols, best practices, technical tools and knowledge resources.
• Deliver AAK Academy training and technical learning programmes while supporting the development of the CCF Customer Innovation Network and wider technical capabilities.
• Analyse customer innovation projects and market developments to identify recurring needs, application gaps, future proof points and opportunities for new product development.
• Represent AAK within the wider confectionery ecosystem through relationships with suppliers, equipment manufacturers and industry experts, while supporting technology scouting and competitive benchmarking.
• Contribute to intellectual property activities, including technical evidence, application validation and competitive differentiation where relevant.

Skills

Fluent English

Chocolate & Confectionery Fats

Product development

Scale-up

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

MSc or PhD in Food Science/Engineering

Job description

AAK is seeking a Global Application Excellence Manager for Chocolate & Confectionery Fats based at our Aarhus site. Lead as a global technical authority, expanding application knowledge and translating engineering insights into customer value across regions.

You will design proofs, guide development programs, and support regional teams. This role requires strong leadership, English fluency, and willingness to travel internationally as part of global collaboration.