Head - Research & Development (10-25 yrs)

The R&D Head will lead and develop the R&D and Customer Technical Support (= CTS) team and activity. He/ she will represent R&D in the management team and will translate the business strategy into a local R&D and Business Development strategy. Thanks to a good customer understanding and relationships, he/ she will create unique, purpose-driven solutions for the local market. He / she will closely collaborate with operations, to assure smooth production, quality, supply and regulatory compliance.

Key Accountabilities:

R&D Management:

- Define the right R&D and CTS organization, adapted to the business needs; create agility by optimizing resources when needed. Assure a synergistic collaboration between the R&D and CTS teams resulting in a better output and a shorter time to market.

- Management of the R&D team: recruit talented people, assure good onboarding and continuous training, development, and succession.

- Manage the R&D department through vision and objectives in line with the strategy of the Group and the country.

Innovation, customer projects and Technical Support:

- Manage the innovation pipeline, in line with the Group strategy and guidelines (H&WB, sustainability, focus channels, key customers) and with current and future customer needs. Always assure compliance to local regulations.

- Boost, promote and enable the development and implementation of strategic and international innovation products and services; make use of the project process tools; assure a good translation to local market needs; assure training for R&D, CTS, MKT, sales..

- Be customer centric by driving customer projects: assure R&D and Application Specialists (= AS) to spend resp 30% and 50% of their time with customers, make use of the Go-no Go process; assure product development in line with the customer request and capabilities; organize and support training sessions for customers.

- Organize internal product training for the business development and operation teams.

- Organize competence building projects (internally and/or with external partners) and translate this into new business development and innovation opportunities.

- Ensure confidentiality and respect Group rules on IP protection in all activities.

- Assure adoption of digital tools and automation processes

- Give guidance to the CTS Manager in developing an innovative and creative CTS team which is customer oriented.

Support improvement of Profitability and Support Operations:

- Provide support to operations (production, QC, QA) for the implementation of new ingredients and products on our lines, during the startup of new lines, for process improvement projects, for non-conformities and customer complaints, for approval of 2nd suppliers.

- Take a pro-active approach to reduce the cost of our products, in collaboration with purchase and operations; participate in portfolio optimization projects on raw materials and finished goods.

- Assure R&D support during external quality audits; assure a perfect and traceable documentation of all relevant R&D activities.

Internal and external stakeholder management:

- Be an active member of the management team and assure good implementation of the projects in the local organization.

- Contribute to a trustful collaboration, inspire the teams with new products, services, concepts and ideas, and assure a close collaboration that results in a smooth implementation and a shorter time to market.

- Create a strong internal network with stakeholders from HQ, the region and other countries, in the effort to share best practices, learn, improve and create new solutions to meet customer - s challenges.

- Create a strong external network with key customers, suppliers, local authorities, research institutes and sectorial associations, to accelerate the detection of future challenges and opportunities, and accelerate the development according to solutions.