R&D Associate Manager - Soups & Innovation

Kraft Heinz, Inc.; Greater Manchester; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 95,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Career development pathway

Pay for performance

Hybrid working including abroad

Parental leave benefits

Job summary

Kraft Heinz UK&I is seeking a Senior R&D Technologist for Soups & Innovation within the Mealz business. You will lead large, technical projects, coach junior technologists, and partner with Marketing, Commercial, Operations and suppliers to deliver on briefs and timelines.

You’ll drive product quality, consumer experience, and value creation while coordinating with cross-functional teams across the UK&I and export scope. English communication is essential.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or MSc in Food Science & Technology (or related field).
• 5+ years of experience in Product Development in the food industry.
• 3+ years of experience managing a small technologist team.
• Ability to lead complex projects and partner with other functions.
• Consumer and customer focus with strong scientific thinking.
• Excellent communication in English and stakeholder influence.

Responsibilities

• Lead complex technical projects end-to-end through the development process.
• Execute prototyping, development, and validation per plan.
• Own technical project planning, milestones, and dependencies.
• Ensure product quality and a best-in-class consumer experience.
• Drive ideation, value creation, and regulatory compliance.
• Coach and develop junior technologists and cross-functional teams.
• Manage budgets and coordinate resources across the portfolio.

Skills

Food science

Product development

Team leadership

Cross-functional collaboration

Consumer focus

Science translation

Communication skills

English proficiency

Education

Bachelor/MSc in Food Science & Technology

Job description

The Senior R&D Technologist – Soups & Innovation sits within R&D for the Heinz Brand in the UK&I BU Mealz Business (including export). The role leads technically large and/or highly complex projects through the company development process, driving robust technical plans, cross-functional delivery, and high product quality standards. This position is accountable for coaching and performance management of junior technologists, partnering closely with Marketing, Commercial, Operations, and suppliers to deliver against agreed briefs and timelines. You’ll be working in a high performing team, alongside peers always trying to reach the next level. You’ll be reporting to the Senior R&D Manager UK&I. This role communicates very strongly with internal senior stakeholders.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead complex technical projects end-to-end
  • Lead technically large and/or highly complex projects through the company process.
  • Partner with cross-functional teams, challenge decisions as appropriate, anticipate risks, and define mitigations or pivot opportunities.
• Execute prototyping, development, and validation
  • Execute prototyping and product development in line with the agreed brief and experimental plan.
  • Carry out required analytical and validation tests to support product and process readiness.
  • Collaborate with and leverage strategic suppliers to drive efficiency in insights, prototyping, and development.
• Own technical project planning and delivery
  • Create, own, and deliver the technical project plan, including execution milestones and dependencies.
  • Contribute to and align other functions’ activities within the overall project plan; drive timely completion of cross-functional actions.
• Ensure product quality and consumer experience
  • Ensure product quality standards and organoleptic properties are met or overdelivered.
  • Deliver products that provide an exceptional consumer experience and meet defined technical and quality requirements.
• Drive ideation and value creation
  • Generate and develop ideas and new processes that support innovation, renovation, regulatory compliance, and value creation.
• People leadership and capability building
  • Manage, coach, and mentor product technologists to support growth, capability, and performance in role.
  • Support direct reports through annual growth and development processes (including performance and development planning).
• Budget and resource management
  • Create and manage budgets for projects and/or departmental needs.
  • Coordinate resources to enable delivery of commitments across the portfolio

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or MSc in Food Science & Technology (or equivalent in a related field such as Biology, Chemistry, or Engineering).
• 5+ years of experience in Product Development within the food industry.
• 3+ years of experience managing a small team of technologists
• Ability to deal with complex projects and build effective partnerships with other functions
• Consumer & customer focus.
• Ability to translate science & technology into consumers solutions, strategic thinking
• Creative & energetic, flexible & pragmatic, resilient.
• Strong communication skills, influencing and presentation skills.
• Excellent communication in English

Professional Attributes

• Team player
  • Fast integration in the team. High performance team mentality. You connect easily with people and feel motivated by international environment and experience different cultures.
• Ability to Simplify
  • Your ability to simplify and pragmatism will be highly appreciated, as your capability to translate complex data into a simple solution with your analytical mindset.
• Multitasking
  • Manage multiple assignments/tasks concurrently with the ability to question the priority of work. Willing to work in a high pressure but rewarding environment.
• Technical expertise
  • Possess strong technical functional skills, champion in with routines, processes, WoW, methodologies; suggest changes and improvements.
• Independent and Influencer
  • High degree of autonomy and ownership, open to give coaching and bring people along the journey.

What We Offer You / You Deserve

What we offer you

• An ambitious employer with an industry-recognised career development pathway
• A meritocratic, pay for performance approach
• A fun, collaborative office culture that celebrates good food and good times with regular events and socials
• An active network of Business Resource Groups, sponsored by leadership, that promote education, celebration, & allyship, helping to create an inclusive work environment
• Flexible and hybrid working approach, including ability to work from abroad
• Family-friendly; market leading parental leave benefits & sponsored nursery scheme

Wellbeing

• Private medical cover & Digital GP
• Comprehensive Life Assurance & Group Income Protection
• Exclusive gym discounts & cycle to work scheme
• Premium membership to Calm App
• A variety of amazing sports teams & clubs!
• 3 volunteering days per year (e.g. Soup Kitchen, Magic Breakfast)