Technical Research & Development Manager

SHG SERVICES INC.; Mandaluyong; On-site; PHP 1,500,000 - 2,100,000; Full time

Job summary

SHG SERVICES INC. seeks a Technical Research & Development Manager to lead culinary innovation strategy from concept to store execution. You will manage the innovation pipeline, align with brand objectives, and ensure products meet quality, cost, and operational standards.

You will partner with Exec Chef and Ops to embed R&D into performance management and drive measurable impact on product quality and customer satisfaction.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Food Science or Food Technology; PM certification is a plus.
• At least 10 years of R&D experience, with 5+ years in leadership focused on technical management and commercialization.
• Proven track record managing complex R&D projects and commercializing food products.
• Expertise in food safety, QA, and regulatory compliance.
• Strong experience developing products for QSR or similar industries.
• Excellent technical writing, documentation, and reporting skills.
• Strong project management with timelines, budgets, and stakeholder communication.

Responsibilities

• Oversee a rolling 12–18 month innovation calendar across all brands.
• Align priorities, timelines, and deliverables among chefs, consultants, and cross-functional stakeholders.
• Ensure milestones—BTR, costing, and training handovers—are delivered on time and to standard.
• Embed R&D outputs into the Integrated Performance Management framework.
• Drive measurable impact on product quality, ops KPIs, and store-level satisfaction.
• Establish and enforce standards for costing, BOMs, specs, QRGs, and manuals.
• Lead kitchen simulations and back-to-restaurant testing for rollout feasibility.

Skills

R&D leadership

Project management

Technical writing

Quality assurance

Regulatory compliance

Food safety

QSR product development

Education

Bachelors degree in Food Science/ Food Technology

Project Management certification (advantage)

Job description

ABOUT THE ROLE

The Technical Research & Development Manager leads the end-to-end strategy, execution, and operationalization of culinary innovation across the organization. You will manage the innovation pipeline, ensure alignment with brand objectives, and deliver best-in-class products that meet quality, cost, and operational performance standards — from concept all the way through to store-level execution.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

A. Innovation Pipeline Management

• Oversee and continuously optimize a rolling 12–18-month innovation calendar across all brands.

• Drive alignment of priorities, timelines, and deliverables among internal chefs, external culinary consultants, and cross-functional stakeholders.

• Ensure critical milestones — BTR (Back-to-R&D), costing, and training handovers — are delivered on time and at standard.

B. Performance Management Integration

• Partner with the Executive Chef and Operations Leadership to embed R&D outputs into the Integrated Performance Management (IPM) framework.

• Ensure new products drive measurable impact on product quality, operational KPIs, and customer satisfaction at the store level.

C. R&D Documentation Governance

• Establish and enforce standards for product costing, Bill of Materials (BOM), recipe approvals, product specifications, QRGs, BTR forms, and technical manuals.

• Ensure all records are accurate, current, and aligned with QA and compliance protocols.

D. Operational Readiness & BTR Simulations

• Lead planning and execution of kitchen simulations with the Training & Development team and store teams.

• Validate operational feasibility of all product rollouts through rigorous back-to-restaurant testing.

E. Technology Transfer & Implementation

• Champion the effective handoff of R&D outputs to Training and Operations.

• Ensure development of trainable, user-friendly materials that support efficient and scalable execution by kitchen and front-of-house teams.

F. Systems & Workflow Optimization

• Own and evolve the systems and workflows governing the R&D function.

• Implement standardized processes, documentation formats, and naming conventions to drive consistency, speed, and traceability in product development.

JOB QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Food Technology or a related field. Additional qualifications in Project Management or relevant certifications are an advantage.

• At least 10 years of experience in R&D, with a minimum of 5 years in a leadership role focused on technical management and commercialization.

• Proven track record managing complex R&D projects and overseeing the successful commercialization of food products.

• Expertise in food safety, quality assurance, and regulatory compliance.

• Strong experience developing products for Quick Service Restaurants (QSR) or similar industries.

• Excellent technical writing, documentation, and report preparation skills.

• Strong project management skills with a focus on timelines, budgets, and stakeholder communication.