Technical Service Manager APAC

Lesaffre; Singapore; On-site; SGD 140,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

Lesaffre is seeking an Application Center Manager to lead the APAC team, providing technical support and shaping market-driven solutions. You will work with cross-functional groups to launch new concepts and manage the regional product portfolio while pioneering innovative application ideas aligned with APAC tastes.

The role requires 8+ years in technical/R&D within food ingredients, strong sensory evaluation skills, and proven people leadership. Travel across the APAC region is expected.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in a technical field such as Food Science.
• Experience in technical/innovation/R&D for B2B food ingredients (8+ years).
• Knowledge of sensory evaluation and CRM; team management preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Application Center team and provide technical support for market needs.
• Develop new application concepts and manage regional product portfolio.
• Collaborate with Sales, Global Culinary Center, Innovation and Industrialization teams.
• Plan trainings for distributors and support programs across APAC.
• Mentor food technologists and build technical capabilities within the team.

Skills

Sensory evaluation

Team management

Customer relationship management

Education

Bachelor’s or Master in Food Science

Job description

Lesaffre presence in Asia Pacific has been established for decades. With Asia Pacific regional headquarter based in Singapore, we aim to serve our customers in this region with better engagement and service. Proximity to our customers is one of our core missions. This ensures Lesaffre can collaborate with local bakers to create regional specialties and anticipate trends.

We seek highly dynamic and enthusiastic individuals to explore the opportunity to be part of Lesaffre. The ideal candidate will demonstrate the ability to balance strategic vision with practical execution, ensuring Asia Pacific continued development as a vital part of our global operations.

Job Description

Roles and Responsibilities

Application Center Manager is responsible for leading application center team, to provide technical support by developing solutions upon market needs. This role will work with cross functional departments for supporting commercial planning processes, enhance our value propositions and application knowledge.

• Lead the conceptualization and commercialization for new product launches in APAC.
• Develop new application concepts for new market segments based on market trends, customer expectations and innovation pipeline priorities.
• Manage regional product portfolio by conceptualizing existing products aligned with the regional APAC taste strategy.
• Maintain awareness of developments in the food industry and explore new alternative ingredients to incorporate into new application concept developments.
• Develop networks with external research resources and ingredient houses for technical collaboration project.

Business Development

• Collaborate closely with cross-functional teams (Sales team, Global Culinary Center, Innovation team and Industrialization team) to drive commercial success.
• Manage projects by working in synergy with the Marketing APAC department to introduce new innovative application concepts to the market.
• Network with key business partners in APAC (internal and external).

Technical Support

• Support the APAC Sales department in their technical queries, product promotion, product launches, demo kit preparation and presentation.
• Plan and organize training for distributors and newcomers, seminar/ webinar, and support programs for both external and internal stakeholders.
• Conduct physical or virtual visits to customers across the APAC region.
• Manage and lead the Regional Application Center team.
• Build technical capabilities within the team through mentoring and knowledge sharing.
• Mentor food technologists on a day-to-day basis.

Qualifications

Qualifications and Experiences

• Bachelor’s or master’s degree in a technical field such as Food Science.
• More than 8 years of professional experience in technical/ innovation/ R&D B2B food ingredients.
• Experience with sensory evaluation.
• Exhibit strong technical knowledge with customer relationship management skills.
• Candidates with experience in team management preferred.

Additional Information

General Safety & Health Responsibilities:

• Comply with local governmental HSE regulations, with Lesaffre fundamental principles and apply the safety Policy,
• Participate in entity safety activities and always show best examples (Rules application, PPE wearing, perform safety visits, accident analysis, safety committees…),
• Participate actively in the risk assessment of own’s job area
• Follow the safety action plan of own perimeter,
• Make safety rules in your perimeter, communicate it, make sure your team understands and applied them,
• Start all meetings (from 8 persons minimum) by a safety contact,
• Encourage safe acts and discourage each time you see unsafe acts,
• Report unsafe conditions / acts and near misses to the managers,
• Report within 12 hours all recordable accidents to the next level of management,
• Report each month all recordable accidents and first aids happened in your perimeter,
• Participate in the target-setting process for the safety KPIs,
• Be a part of recognition & sanction program.

Safety & Health Responsibilities within Sales Force & Marketing:

• Respect company rule regarding travel safety,
• Apply our safety rules over and above those of our customers if there are no similar rules (safety shoes, goggles, etc.),
• Apply and respect safe driving rules,
• Make sure all gift or external communication supports are online with "safety spirit" (good for health, safe, environmentally friendly).