Senior Director R&D Strategy and Performance

Mars; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 193,000 - 265,000; Full time

Job summary

Mars is seeking a Senior Director of R&D Strategy and Performance to shape and orchestrate the end-to-end R&D strategy and execution across the global organization. You will lead strategy deployment, governance, and performance management, aligning budgets and resources with enterprise growth and ensuring cross-functional collaboration and impact.

The role requires a strong track record in leading large, global programs, advancing digital-enabled processes, and influencing senior stakeholders

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in science, engineering or business. Optional advanced degree preferred.
• 10+ years leadership experience across R&D, transformation, operating model design, portfolio & program leadership, consulting or related CPG environments.
• Proven ability to simplify and standardize ways of working at scale with digitization and common processes.
• Proven track record of leading direct and cross-functional teams delivering complex, high-impact programs.
• Experience in performance management, governance, portfolio, budget and resource management, and continuous improvement across global orgs.
• Strong stakeholder influence across global and regional teams and enterprise partners, including Digital Technologies and Data.
• Experience leading integration and change programs across geographies and functions, translating strategy into coordinated execution.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Global R&D strategy and translate it into clear priorities, performance measures and investment decisions.
• Provide senior leadership for strategy deployment through KPIs, governance routines and performance frameworks.
• Oversee budget, resource and portfolio governance for highest-value opportunities.
• Define governance standards and decision forums for alignment and quality across Global R&D.

Skills

Leadership experience

Strategy deployment

Governance

Portfolio management

Stakeholder influence

Change management

Education

Bachelor's degree in science, engineering or business

Advanced degree preferred

Job description

Job Description:

Senior Director R&D Strategy and Performance

The Senior Director, Strategy & Performance – Global R&D is accountable for shaping and orchestrating the end-to-end R&D strategy and performance agenda, ensuring priorities, portfolio, capabilities, resources, budgets and governance operate as an integrated global system in service of enterprise growth.

The role provides senior leadership for the development, translation and deployment of the Global R&D strategy, leveraging R&D Work Systems to convert strategic ambition into clear choices, operating priorities and measurable execution across the organization.

The role also leads the R&D performance engine and global communications agenda, spanning portfolio, resource and budget governance, technical readiness, product stewardship, program delivery and enterprise-wide engagement, while representing R&D performance within the End-to-End Enablement operating model.

What are we looking for?

• Bachelor's degree in science, Engineering or Business; advanced degree preferred.
• Minimum of 10 years leadership experience across R&D, transformation, operating model design, portfolio and program leadership, consulting, or related CPG environments.
• Proven ability to simplify and standardize ways of working at scale, supported by digitization and adoption of common processes.
• Proven track record of leading direct and cross-functional teams and delivering complex, high-impact programs.
• Experience in performance management, governance, portfolio, budget and resource management, and continuous improvement across global organizations.
• Strong stakeholder influence across global and regional teams and enterprise partners, including Digital Technologies and Data.
• Experience leading integration and change programs across geographies and functions, translating strategy into coordinated execution.

What would your key responsibilities be?

Strategy, Performance & Governance

• Lead the Global R&D strategy and translate it into clear priorities, performance measures, portfolio choices and investment decisions aligned to enterprise growth ambitions.
• Provide senior leadership for strategy deployment through KPIs, governance routines and performance frameworks that create visibility to progress, risks, trade-offs and actions required to deliver strategic objectives.
• Oversee budget, resource and portfolio governance, ensuring capacity and investment are directed toward the highest-value opportunities across the global R&D organization.
• Define governance standards and decision forums that improve alignment, role clarity and decision quality across the Global R&D network.

Delivery, Quality & Transformation

• Lead global PMOs and transformation programs, providing the governance, coordination and executive escalation needed to deliver complex cross-functional and cross-regional initiatives.
• Govern technical readiness, product stewardship and brand change processes to protect product integrity, manage risk and support effective commercialization.
• Ensure an integrated view of priorities, interdependencies, demand and capacity so leaders can make timely decisions on sequencing, resourcing and delivery commitments.
• Drive continuous improvement in operating rhythms, decision forums and leadership agendas to simplify execution and improve organizational effectiveness.

Leadership, Engagement & Enterprise Influence

• Own the Global R&D communications strategy and execution, ensuring a multi-channel approach that elevates the strategy, strengthens engagement and creates alignment across R&D associates globally.
• Lead and develop a team that includes the R&D Communications Manager, while aligning a broader network of regional strategy and performance leads around shared priorities, standards and ways of working.
• Represent R&D performance and priorities with senior enterprise stakeholders, building alignment, influencing decisions and ensuring R&D priorities are effectively advocated in broader business discussions.
• Shape effective Global R&D leadership team discussions by framing priorities, improving decision flow and focusing leadership attention on the most critical strategic issues.

What can you expect from Mars?

Work with diverse and talented Associates, all guided by the Five Principles.

Join a purpose driven company, where we're striving to build the world we want tomorrow, today.

A strong focus on learning and development support from day one, including access to our in-house Mars University.

An industry competitive salary and benefits package, including company bonus.

#LI-BM1

The base pay range for this position at commencement of employment is between the range listed below, however, base pay offered may vary depending on multiple individualized factors, including but not limited to job-related knowledge, skills, and experience.The total compensation package for this position will include variable pay, medical and dental benefits, participation in 401k plan, and paid time off benefits.Details of participation in these benefit plans will be provided if an applicant receives an offer of employment.

The pay range shown is applicable to all US locations listed within the job posting:USD 192,560.00 - USD 264,770.00