Gm- Research And Development - Food Company

Ideal Candidates; Johannesburg; On-site; ZAR 800,000 - 1,200,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading food company is seeking a GM for Research and Development in Johannesburg. The role requires overseeing innovation projects, managing R&D budget, and ensuring optimal product commercialization. Candidates should have a scientific background with extensive R&D leadership experience, along with strong project management capabilities.

Qualifications

• Minimum 10+ years in R&D with at least 5+ years in leadership roles.
• Excellent Project Management skills.

Responsibilities

• Oversee all innovation development and product optimization.
• Define and set priorities for the R&D innovation team.
• Ensure smooth handover to factories for production.

Skills

Project Management

Education

Scientific Degree in Product, Product Engineering, Chemistry, or Food Science

Job description

SUMMARY :

GM - Research and Development - Food company

POSITION INFO :

Responsible for the strategy, priority setting, execution, and delivery of local and regional innovation projects in factories and co-manufacturers.

Key Responsibilities :

• Oversee all innovation development and product optimization.
• Define and set priorities for the R&D innovation team; identify and secure appropriate technical resources to bring projects to commercialization.
• Ensure smooth handover to factories with specifications that enable current and new innovations to be produced with optimal flexibility, cost efficiency, and sustainability.
• Work closely with the GM and VP of Innovation to develop the strategic direction for the innovation organization.
• Oversee all innovation activities, including scale-up and commercialization, ensuring team contributions to key business processes.
• Manage local and regional innovation commercialization efforts and specifications.
• Partner with COEs, commercial, and factory teams to develop long-term innovation strategies for growth.
• Collaborate with COE teams to create, design, develop, and deliver extended core innovations.
• Ensure innovation processes meet timelines for product market entry.
• Coordinate with global COEs and technology teams to establish necessary research and technology strategies.
• Harmonize innovation projects across functions and peers.
• Collaborate with marketing, sales, and production teams for successful product launches and business strategy execution.
• Develop and manage the R&D budget, allocating resources efficiently.
• Align R&D efforts with market needs and company goals through close collaboration with other departments.

Essential prerequisites :

• Qualification: Scientific Degree in Product, Product Engineering, Chemistry, or Food Science.
• Experience: Minimum 10+ years in R&D with at least 5+ years in leadership roles.
• Excellent Project Management skills.