Director, R&d

**Overview**:
**Location**: Scarborough, Ontario, Canada

**Date published**: 22-Nov-2024

**Job ID**: 136729

**Description and Requirements**:
**Work Location**: Onsite

**Position Type**: Full time, Permanent

**Location**: Scarborough

**Compensation Range**:$140,000-$150,000

Our food manufacturing client is seeking a Director, R&D. The R&D Director plays a critical role in driving innovation and technical excellence within our snack and bakery co-manufacturing environment. This role leads the R&D team in transforming product concepts into plant-ready formulations, optimizing existing products, and providing technical support to manufacturing operations. By fostering a culture of collaboration and continuous improvement, the R&D Director will enhance customer satisfaction, drive innovation, and spearhead a disciplined yet flexible approach to product development.

**Responsibilities**:

- Act as a technical advisor to internal teams and external partners, offering expert guidance on existing and emerging food technologies and trends.
- Lead, mentor, and develop a team of food scientists and technicians, guiding them in making both technical and leadership decisions to meet their development objectives.
- Active member of Commercialization process, including participating and leading product trial, launches or scoping. Executing project milestones, providing documentation and support on the line as required.
- Support ingredient management, documentation and escalations.
- Identify and evaluate alternative ingredients and process improvements that optimize product cost and maintain high-quality standards.
- Ensure all formulations, specifications, and procedures are current and align with production practices.
- Foster a culture of continuous improvement within the R&D team, consistently seeking ways to enhance both product quality and team performance.
- Promote the company’s health and safety program, maintain a safe working environment and ensure continued compliance with the Occupational Health & Safety Act.
- Support cross-functional initiatives as needed, contributing to the overall success of the organization.

**Qualifications**:

- 10+ years of leadership experience in Research & Development, preferably within the food industry.
- A degree or diploma in Food Science or a related field is required.
- Experience in manufacturing, quality assurance, or other technical functions is an asset.

**Requirements**:

- Proven passion for team development, problem-solving and continuous improvement within the R&D function and product quality.
- Strong leadership and collaboration skills, with the ability to work with and lead diverse teams.
- Demonstrated teamwork, collaboration, capable of working on and leading a diverse team.
- Resourceful, adaptable and flexible; comfortable with taking a hands-on approach when necessary.
- Excellent planning, organizational and time-management abilities; capable of strategic thinking without losing attention to detail.
- Demonstrates an active, collaborative mindset, building strong relationships with both internal teams and external stakeholders.
- Experience in pastry or bakery is strongly preferred.
- Familiarity with food manufacturing environments, particularly those with HACCP regulations.
- Exceptional verbal and written communication skills with the ability to create documentation, reports and deliver presentations.
- Strong ability to multitask, prioritize and evaluate laboratory test results to form informed decisions.
- All interested applicants who meet the qualifications listed above are invited to submit a resume_