R&D Manager - Cote d'Or Chocolate

Mondelēz International; Birmingham; On-site; GBP 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Mondelēz International is seeking a strategic R&D leader to head MEU Cote d'Or chocolate R&D across tablets, pralines, countlines and seasonals. Report to the Director, MEU Chocolate R&D and shape the future of this globally loved brand.

You will build an end-to-end R&D vision, partnering with Commercial, Supply Chain and R&D leaders to translate consumer insights into breakthrough products and growth. This role involves cross-country collaboration and occasional travel.

Qualifications

• 8–10 years in product/packaging development in the food industry.
• Higher education in Food Technology or related disciplines; scientific degree is an advantage.
• Fluent English; additional European languages are welcome.
• Excellent communication and cross-functional collaboration across countries.

Responsibilities

• Lead R&D strategy for Cote d'Or across Growth, Quality Improvement, Brand Maintenance, and Productivity.
• Develop and drive cross-platform plans translating business needs into clear objectives.
• Champion consumer-centric product design delivering outstanding experiences.
• Design robust processes to move vision from bench to shelf.
• Identify value via smarter design, improving quality and controlling costs.
• Strengthen and protect brand equity assets with care.
• Navigate a matrix organisation and coordinate R&D resources globally.

Skills

Exceptional communicator

Collaborative influencer

Creative problem solver

Network builder

Innovation champion

Mentor and role model

Education

Higher education in Food Technology or related disciplines

Job description

Job Description

Join our Mission to Lead the Future of Snacking. Make It With Pride. This is a newly created, strategic role leading R&D for the iconic Cote d'Or brand across the MEU chocolate portfolio — tablets, pralines, countlines, and seasonals. You won't just manage projects; you'll shape the future of one of the world's most loved chocolate brands.

Reporting to the Director, MEU Chocolate R&D, you'll operate at the intersection of science, strategy, and storytelling. You'll build and execute a cohesive R&D vision across the total Cote D’Or chocolate business, partnering closely with Commercial, Supply Chain, and R&D leaders to turn consumer insights into exceptional products and huge brand growth. This role puts you in constant dialogue with Directors and VPs, so the ability to communicate with clarity and confidence is non-negotiable.

This is also a genuine career springboard. Beyond leading Cote d'Or, you'll work alongside the MEU R&D Leadership Team on shaping new ways of working, R&D strategy, and organisational effectiveness — building the experience and visibility that leads to future senior leadership roles.

Who You Are

You're a strategic thinker who loves all aspects of product development. You see the bigger picture, connect the dots between consumer desires, brand ambition, and operational reality, and you bring people along with you.

You communicate brilliantly — whether you’re translating complex technical concepts for a marketing team, aligning priorities with Supply Chain partners, or presenting a bold portfolio strategy to senior leaders. People seek you out, not just for your expertise, but because you make collaboration feel effortless.

You're a recognised expert in product development (chocolate experience is strongly preferred, but not a dealbreaker), and you stay curious — scanning inside and outside the company for ideas that drive growth. You’re the person who walks into a crowded room and makes the thinking sharper, the ambition bigger, and the plan more actionable.

What You’ll Do

• Lead R&D strategy for Cote d’Or across Growth, Quality Improvement, Brand Maintenance, and Productivity — with potential to expand to other MEU platforms and brands in future
• Develop, co-ordinate and drive cross-platform strategic plans, translating business needs into clear project objectives and creative solutions
• Champion consumer‑centric product design, ensuring every innovation delivers an outstanding experience
• Design robust processes that consistently bring your vision from bench to shelf
• Identify value through smarter design — improving quality where it matters, reducing cost where it doesn’t
• Strengthen, leverage and protect our brand equity assets with the care they deserve
• Navigate a matrix organisation with confidence, mobilising R&D resources, leveraging the CDO TCE, cocoa specialists, and other experts to deliver one aligned plan for growth

Network

• MEU R&D Chocolate Leadership Team and all platform leads including process, pack and productivity as well as R&D peers
• Cote d’Or global SME/TCE and global mass team
• Cote d’Or Equity and Marketing Teams, centrally and across all MEU BUs
• MEU Supply Chain — PCM, Procurement, Manufacturing Operations, Engineering, CS & CI
• Design, Sustainability, Regulatory, and Global Nutrition teams

The Essentials

This role is primarily strategic, and pilot plant work will primarily be achieved through others. Some travel for meetings, trials and stakeholder engagement will be required.

What you will bring

• Exceptional communicator — you influence diverse audiences and translate technical detail for non-technical partners with ease
• Collaborative influencer — you navigate perspectives, negotiate effectively, and bring stakeholders along across countries and functions
• Creative problem solver — high analytical acumen paired with genuinely original thinking
• Network builder — you create connections well beyond R&D, and leverage external resources proactively
• Innovation champion — you bring external thinking in and drive Innovation Excellence forward
• Mentor and role model — you actively develop junior talent and elevate the R&D community

Education

Higher education in Food Technology, Science or related disciplines. A scientific degree is an advantage, paired with significant business experience.

Experience

8–10 years in product/packaging development, predominantly in the food industry.

Work mix

60% office-based, with up to 20% business travel as needed.

Languages

Fluent English is essential. Additional European languages are a welcome bonus.

Location

Bournville, UK or Global Tech Centre - Wrocław, Poland

Relocation Support Available

No Relocation support available

Business Unit Summary

We value our talented employees, and whenever possible strive to help one of our associates grow professionally before recruiting new talent to our open positions.

Our people make all the difference in our succes

Mondelēz International is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation or preference, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Excited to grow your career?

We value our talented employees, and whenever possible strive to help one of our associates grow professionally before recruiting new talent to our open positions.

Job Type

Regular

Product development

Science & Engineering