Team Manager, Applied R&D Cheese, Novonesis

Novonesis; Hørsholm; On-site; DKK 900,000 - 1,200,000; Full time

Job summary

Novonesis in Denmark (Hørsholm) seeks a Team Manager for the Applied R&D Cheese, phages and dairy ingredients department. You will lead a team of scientists across cheese innovation, product development, and customer success, fostering a collaborative, knowledge-sharing culture.

The role emphasizes strategy, execution, and cross-functional collaboration with R&D, Sales, Marketing, and Business stakeholders to deliver innovative solutions and strong customer outcomes.

Qualifications

• Educational background in Food Science, Dairy Science, Food Technology, or related discipline.
• At least 3 years of people management experience.
• Experience with enzymes, cultures, dairy applications, or related industries.
• Strong stakeholder management and collaboration skills.
• Professional proficiency in English, written and spoken.
• Ability to balance multiple priorities.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop a team of 8-10 experienced scientists in Applied R&D Cheese in Denmark.
• Be an active member of the Leader Team of Global Applied RD Cheese, phages and dairy ingredients.
• Advance our BioSolutions culture toolbox and enzyme portfolio to anticipate cheeses trends.
• Ensure delivery of annual objectives and strategic priorities for the team.
• Anticipate resource and capability needs to support projects and activities.
• Collaborate with project managers, business groups, regional marketing and other stakeholders.
• Drive timely execution of New Product Development projects and customer support.
• Coordinate incoming customer requests for cheese applications in Denmark and for innovation days.

Skills

People leadership

Team development

Stakeholder management

English proficiency

Education

Bachelor's in Food Science or related

Job description

Interested in a career that matters?

Are you passionate about leadership, innovation, strategy and helping shape the future of the global cheese industry? Join the Applied R&D Cheese, phages and dairy ingredients department at Novonesis, where we develop innovative cultures and enzyme solutions that help our customers produce high-quality cheese products worldwide.

As Team Manager, you will lead a team of experienced scientists supporting cheese innovation, new product development, and customer success across multiple cheese segments. Together, we are building a global cheese expertise organization with strong customer intimacy, combining scientific excellence with practical application and outstanding stakeholder collaboration. Our department consists of approximately 60 dedicated colleagues, including managers, scientists, laboratory technicians, and cheese makers, working in an open, collaborative, and knowledge-sharing environment.

The Role & Your Impact

This is a people leadership role with a strong focus on strategy reflection, execution, optimization, and collaboration across R&D, Sales, Marketing, and Business stakeholders. You will ensure successful delivery of both innovation projects and customer support activities while developing a high-performing team of cheese scientists.

• Lead and develop a team of 8-10 experienced scientists involved in Applied R&D Cheese team in Denmark.
• Be an active member of the Leader Team of Global Applied RD Cheese, phages and dairy ingredients.
• Advance and expand our BioSolutions culture toolbox, complemented by a strengthened next-generation enzyme portfolio, to anticipate emerging cheese making process trends and deliver innovative solutions that address both current and future customer needs.
• Ensure delivery of annual objectives and strategic priorities for the team.
• Anticipate resource and capability needs to support innovation projects and customer activities.
• Collaborate closely with project managers, business groups, regional marketing and business managers, and other stakeholders to prioritize and execute activities.
• Drive timely execution of New Product Development projects and customer support activities, escalating bottlenecks and mitigating resource constraints when needed.
• Coordinate incoming customer requests for cheese applications in Denmark and for innovation days.
• Guide your team to support our growth and to create innovation opportunities.
• Be involved and represent our Applied R&D Cheese, phages and dairy ingredients team with strategic customer accounts.
• Build strong stakeholder relationships and contribute to strengthening Novonesis' global cheese expertise.
• Coach, develop, and empower team members to reach their full potential and advance their professional capabilities.

What You'll Need To Be Successful

• An educational background in Food Science, Dairy Science, Food Technology, or a related discipline.
• At least 3 years of people management experience.
• Experience working within enzymes, cultures, food applications, or related industries.
• Strong stakeholder management and collaboration skills.
• Professional proficiency in English, both written and spoken.
• Experience balancing multiple priorities.

Key competencies include

• People leadership and talent development.
• Customer orientation and business understanding.
• Strong communication and feedback capabilities.
• Structured problem-solving and decision-making.
• Ability to work effectively across different cultures and professional backgrounds.

Additional Skills & Interests We Value

• Scientific and technical knowledge of cheese manufacturing processes and applications.
• Scientific and technical knowledge on enzymes and micro-organisms.
• Experience supporting customers directly in technical troubleshooting and implementation activities.
• Experience managing activities across global or regional organizations.
• Familiarity with innovation and new product development environments.
• Passion for developing technical experts and building strong team cultures.

What We Offer

You will join a team of around 60 highly skilled and engaged colleagues, including managers, scientists, laboratory technicians, and cheese makers. You will be a member of the Leader Team of Global Applied RD Cheese, phages and dairy ingredients. We foster an open and informal environment where knowledge sharing, collaboration, and mutual support are part of everyday life. As Manager, you will have the opportunity to shape the development of a talented team of scientists while contributing to innovative solutions for the global cheese industry.

You will work closely with colleagues across R&D, Sales, Marketing, and Business Groups, giving you broad exposure and the possibility to make a visible impact on both customer success and product innovation.

Ways of Working

This is a people leadership role based in a modern office and R&D environment, with close collaboration across functions and regions. The position combines team management, project execution, stakeholder engagement, and customer interaction. While teamwork is essential to success, you will also have the freedom and responsibility to drive initiatives independently and make decisions within your area of expertise. The role includes occasional international travel, typically 3 to 4 trips per year of 2 to 4 days' duration.

Relevant Information

Application deadline: 28 October 2026

Contact: Head of Applied Research Cheese DK, Sebastien Roustel – [e-mail]

Location: Hørsholm, Denmark

Our purpose guides the way

In Novonesis, we know that solutions rooted in biology can help solve humanity’s biggest challenges. Since we began more than a century ago, this has been our guide. It’s how we've gotten so far. And it’s how we'll impact the future. Now, more than ever, the world needs change. And with biosolutions, the possibilities for transformation are endless. If our purpose resonates with you, we encourage you to apply.

Opportunities for everyone

We are committed to an inclusive recruitment process and equal opportunity for all applicants. Therefore we ask you to apply without a cover letter or photo and instead include a few sentences in your CV explaining your motivation for applying.

We make all employment decisions based on business needs and welcome candidates with a wide range of backgrounds, including ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability, or veteran status.