Vice President, Research & Development - Hispanic Foods

Latina Chief | Executive Search; Jurupa Valley (CA); On-site; USD 220,000 - 250,000; Full time

Job summary

Latina Chief | Executive Search is engaged to find a visionary VP of Research & Development for a leading Hispanic foods platform in the United States.

This executive will own the innovation agenda and technical product strategy for a growing portfolio of authentic Hispanic products, coordinating with Marketing, Sales, Operations, and Supply Chain to accelerate speed to market.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a technical field related to food science or engineering.
• MBA/MS/PhD preferred for senior strategic leadership roles.
• Demonstrated ability to lead R&D and product development in food/CPG sectors.

Responsibilities

• Define and execute the company’s R&D and innovation roadmap.
• Lead end-to-end product development from concept to commercialization.
• Oversee formulation development, packaging, and regulatory compliance.
• Collaborate with Marketing, Sales, Operations, and Supply Chain.
• Drive external partnerships and strategic supplier relationships.
• Build scalable processes and stage-gate governance for faster market launches.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Cross-functional collaboration

Executive communication

Consumer insights

R&D portfolio management

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Food Science/Engineering/CMC

MBA/MS/PhD preferred

Job description

Our client is one of the fastest-growing Hispanic food platforms in the U.S., recently acquired by a global food group. They are looking for a Vice President of Research & Development to own the innovation agenda and technical product strategy for the business.

This executive will lead all core R&D functions — innovation management, new product development, formulation, process commercialization, packaging development, and regulatory compliance — for a portfolio of authentic, high-quality Hispanic foods.

The role is designed for a commercially minded innovation leader who can build scalable capabilities while accelerating growth. Working closely with Marketing, Sales, Operations, Supply Chain and Quality, the VP of R&D will strengthen the company's ability to bring products to market with greater speed, consistency, and strategic focus.

Reporting Structure

• Direct Report: Global Head of R&D, Holding Group
• Dotted-Line Reporting: CEO, U.S. Business Unit
• Executive Exposure: N-1 to Global CEO

This structure reflects the strategic visibility and enterprise-wide impact associated with the position.

Key Responsibilities

• Define and execute the company’s R&D and innovation roadmap aligned with business growth objectives
• Build and manage a robust innovation pipeline driven by consumer insights, category trends, culinary relevance, and emerging technologies
• Partner with Marketing-Sales teams to identify whitespace opportunities and support portfolio expansion
• Establish R&D as a strategic contributor to long-term growth and market differentiation
• Lead the end-to-end product development lifecycle from concept through commercialization
• Oversee formulation development, benchtop testing, plant trials, and industrial scale-up activities
• Ensure product integrity, operational feasibility, quality consistency, and profitability targets are achieved
• Improve commercialization effectiveness and post-launch performance of innovation initiatives
• Drive continuous improvement across existing products and manufacturing processes

3. Technical & Operational Leadership

• Product formulation and ingredient functionality
• Sensory evaluation and consumer acceptance testing
• Cost optimization and value engineering
• Process development and manufacturing scalability
• Shelf-life and product stability
• Food safety and technical quality
• Strengthen collaboration between R&D, Operations, Quality, and Supply Chain to ensure executional alignment across all commercialization activities
• Serve as the senior technical leader for innovation and product development initiatives

4. Packaging & Regulatory Compliance

• Lead packaging development initiatives focused on functionality, sustainability, efficiency, and consumer experience
• Maintain accountability for regulatory compliance, ingredient standards, labeling accuracy, and technical documentation
• Monitor evolving regulatory requirements, industry standards, and market-specific compliance considerations
• Ensure the organization maintains a proactive and audit-ready compliance posture
• Implement structured innovation management frameworks and stage-gate methodologies
• Introduce scalable product development processes that improve execution, and speed-to-market
• Promote the use of Agile and Design Thinking principles within cross-functional innovation teams
• Lead innovation governance processes in partnership with executive leadership and Marketing

6. External Innovation & Strategic Partnerships

• Build an external innovation ecosystem that includes strategic suppliers, research institutions, startups, and technology partners
• Identify emerging ingredients, technologies, and capabilities that can enhance product differentiation and innovation effectiveness
• Expand the organization’s access to external expertise and innovation resources to accelerate growth and capability building

7. Organizational Leadership & Transformation

• A company-wide culture of innovation, collaboration, and continuous improvement
• Lead the evolution of R&D into a more scalable, proactive, and commercially integrated function
• Develop organizational capabilities, technical talent, and succession planning within the R&D team
• Promote accountability, agility, and cross-functional alignment throughout the innovation process

8. Strategic Leadership & Decision-Making

• Prioritize innovation initiatives based on strategic value, market opportunity, and operational feasibility
• Make informed decisions regarding resource allocation, project acceleration, and portfolio prioritization
• Balance executive-level strategic thinking with hands-on operational engagement
• Influence and align stakeholders across Marketing, Sales, Operations, Finance, and Supply Chain functions

Organization Structure

The VP of R&D will lead a lean, agile, and high-impact technical organization, including:

• Culinary Innovation / Chef
• Packaging Manager
• Product Development Leaders / Food Scientists
• Technical and commercialization support staff

Education & Professional Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Food Engineering, Chemistry, Microbiology, or related technical discipline required
• MBA, MS, or PhD preferred

Critical Success Factors

• 15 years of progressive leadership experience within R&D, innovation, or product development in the food or CPG industry
• Proven experience leading products from concept development through industrial commercialization
• Strong background within U.S. food manufacturing and commercialization environments
• Demonstrated success managing multidisciplinary technical and cross-functional teams
• Strong understanding of Hispanic foods, culinary authenticity, and culturally relevant consumer trends
• Ability to connect innovation strategy with revenue growth, profitability, and operational performance
• Executive presence with the ability to operate effectively in both strategic and hands-on environments
• Strong curiosity for emerging technologies, ingredients, consumer behaviors, and sustainability trends
• Experience building external partnerships to accelerate innovation capabilities and market responsiveness
• Exceptional cross-functional collaboration and stakeholder management skills
• Ability to lead organizational changes within a fast-growing and evolving business environment
• Strong decision-making capabilities, prioritization skills, and business judgment
• Balanced leadership style combining entrepreneurial agility with operational discipline

Why This Role?

• Opportunity to lead the transformation of a growing and strategically important R&D organization
• High visibility with executive leadership and direct exposure to global decision-makers
• Ability to shape innovation within a fast-growing Hispanic-inspired food platform
• Opportunity to build scalable innovation processes within a company entering its next phase of expansion
• Base Salary: $220,000–$250,000, plus an annual bonus, executive-level benefits, and relocation assistance.