Global Manager- Emerging Technology and Pilot Testing

Champion Petfoods is expanding We are excited to announce we are looking for a Global Manager, Emerging Technologies & Pilot Testing to join our rapidly growing company.

Champion Petfoods is an award-winning pet food maker with a reputation of trust spanning 35+ years. Founded in a small town in Alberta, Canada, Champion - with its ORIJEN® and ACANA® brands - is a key player in the global premium pet food industry across three major geographic regions.

We would love to hear from you if you are passionate about personal and professional growth and see yourself as a key player contributing to our continued success as an award-winning company.

**Here's the Scoop - Summary**

Global Manager, Emerging Technologies & Pilot Testing works with the Global Director, Technical Innovation and Development, and other leaders to ensure the goals of the department are met.

This position will manage emerging technologies and food science initiatives while driving the effective use of Champion Petfoods’ pilot facility in Acheson, Alberta to support innovation and product development projects. This position involves oversight and hands-on work in several areas of innovation for Champion Petfoods (CPF) Kitchens and the greater MARS Pet Nutrition Team.

The Global Manager, Emerging Technologies and Testing will employ user research expertise and execution across technologies and products in a cross-functional environment, including conducting research using qualitative and quantitative methods to generate actionable insights and deliverables in the pet food industry.

This position acts as the key liaison between the Research and Innovation, Operations, and Marketing teams within our pilot kitchen. Problem-solving, continuous improvement, and bringing new breakthrough ideas to the development team are key practices of this role. This role is based in our North Star Kitchens in Acheson, Alberta.

This role is responsible for the management of the emerging technology and pilot facility innovation team members and will direct their work schedule and projects as well as provide Performance Reviews and contribute to their continued development.

**What a typical day looks like**:
**Pilot Facility**:

- Oversee research and development operations of pilot facility including scheduling, test run specifications and equipment readiness.
- Manage small-batch production runs for new product concepts, line extensions, or process validation.
- Collaborate with the Operations team to ensure effective use and optimal functioning of the pilot facility.

**Emerging Technology**:

- Identify and evaluate emerging technologies relevant to pet nutrition, processing, and sustainability.
- Conduct competitive and market intelligence to scout for technology trends, startups, and innovations in the pet food sector and other food industries.
- Work with Global Director to build partnerships with MARS Pet Nutrition, external research institutions, and tech vendors to accelerate breakthrough innovation.
- Develop business cases and feasibility reports for integrating new technologies into product development or manufacturing.

**Design Thinking**:

- Develop, test, and iterate prototypes in collaboration with Technical and Marketing Innovation teams.
- Lead cross-functional innovation workshops using Design Thinking methodologies to identify and solve consumer and technical challenges.
- Work with consumer insights group to translate consumer insights and unmet needs into early-stage product concepts and prototypes.
- Facilitate rapid ideation, concept development, and MVP creation tailored to pet food innovation.
- Analyze sensory data to refine formulations and optimize product attributes such as texture, aroma, and appearance.
- Provide updates/reports to the Global Director, Technical Innovation and Development, and the larger corporate team on the status of all investigations
- Accurate and efficient planning and management of resources to meet schedules and coordinate departmental functions.

**Breakthrough Innovation**:

- Aid in the development of ideas for new ingredients and products that are in alignment with the Company’s strategy and food philosophy.
- Manage ingredient development test runs and prototyping.
- Substantiate and translate breakthrough ideas and research into potential product concepts
- Conduct technical assessments of novel ingredients to ensure they meet production, scalability, and quality requirements.
- Collaborate with the QA team to manage risks and identify opportunities related to new ingredients and technologies, including mitigation strategies, kill step validation, and shelf life assessment.

**General**:

- Demonstration of a high level of understanding of the pet food industry, including attending forums or seminars related to the development of new trends or technologies within the pet food realm and reporting back to R&I team regarding findings.
- Demonstration of knowledge of the Company’s policies and pr