Manager, Research

Job Description

Summary

The Manager, Research & Development will lead product development and innovation initiatives across sweet goods categories, with a primary focus on icings for cakes and donuts. This role will oversee the development, improvement, scale-up, and commercialization of products that meet customer expectations, manufacturing capabilities, quality standards, and business objectives.

The ideal candidate brings strong technical bakery expertise, project leadership experience, and hands-on knowledge of cakes, donuts, icings, glazes, fillings, and related applications. Experience in confectionery product development is preferred and considered a strong asset.

What FGF Offers

• FGF believes in Home Grown Talent, accelerated career growth with leadership training. Unleashing Your Potential
• Competitive Compensation, Health Benefits, & a generous flexible medical / Health spending account
• RRSP matching program
• Tuition reimbursement and employee bonus program
• Discount program that covers almost everything under the sun - Restaurants, gyms, shopping etc.

Primary Responsibilities

• Lead the development and commercialization of icings, glazes, fillings, frostings, and other finishing applications for cakes, donuts, and additional sweet goods.
• Manage new product development and product-improvement projects from initial concept through plant scale-up and commercialization.
• Develop and execute project plans, including timelines, priorities, technical requirements, testing protocols, and commercialization activities.
• Evaluate ingredients and technologies related to icing performance, including texture, viscosity, stability, adhesion, appearance, flavour, shelf life, and application.
• Identify opportunities to improve existing products through formulation optimization, ingredient substitutions, process improvements, and cost reduction.
• Provide technical leadership during benchtop testing, product trials, plant trials, first production runs, and commercialization.
• Ensure product specifications are complete and accurate, including product characteristics, costs, measurements, ingredients, processing parameters, case pack, and distribution requirements.
• Oversee customer sample requests and the preparation of sample boards and product presentations.
• Partner with team members to prepare development samples according to specifications, including mixing, baking, finishing, decorating, packaging, and shipping.
• Conduct production and packaging line reviews to ensure quality, consistency, food safety, and product standards are maintained.
• Lead and participate in sensory evaluations focused on taste, texture, appearance, application, stability, and freshness.
• Ensure all products comply with regulatory requirements, including ingredient declarations, allergen statements, labelling, and supplier documentation.
• Work directly with customers to understand product-development needs, present solutions, and address technical inquiries.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with Operations, Quality Assurance, Regulatory Affairs, Procurement, Marketing, Sales, and external suppliers.
• Support continuous-improvement initiatives related to product quality, production efficiency, cost optimization, and manufacturing capability.
• Monitor project progress, communicate risks and priorities, and provide regular updates to senior leadership and key stakeholders.

Required Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Food Technology, or a related field, or a Culinary Diploma/Certification in Baking and Pastry Arts.
• Minimum 7 years of progressive experience in bakery product development, pastry, or food manufacturing.
• Previous experience leading R&D projects and providing direction, coaching, or mentorship to technical team members.
• Strong hands-on experience developing and manufacturing cakes, yeast donuts, and cake donuts.
• Demonstrated expertise in the development and application of icings, glazes, fillings, frostings, or other sweet-good finishing systems.
• Experience with confectionery products, ingredients, or manufacturing processes is preferred and considered a strong asset.
• Proven experience managing products from concept and formulation through plant scale-up and commercialization.
• Strong knowledge of ingredient functionality, formulation principles, processing parameters, product shelf life, and industrial bakery operations.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects and shifting priorities in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, particularly Excel.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English.
• Flexibility to