Head of Research And Development

The Head of R&D is a key strategic leadership role within the R&D function accountable for setting and delivering the R&D agenda in close partnership with the leadership of the Category. The role ensures that scientific excellence, innovation, and technical capability are tightly aligned with commercial priorities, customer needs, and long-term business strategy. This role leads a multidisciplinary team while acting as a trusted strategic advisor to the Category, translating market and commercial ambition into actionable, value-creating R&D programs.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead, inspire and develop a high-performing multidisciplinary R&D team
• Contribute to enterprise-wide R&D strategy, capability building and organisational leadership
• Drive talent development, succession planning, employee engagement and performance management
• Oversee R&D portfolio management, resource allocation, pipeline health, risk management and innovation delivery
• Provide technical leadership across R&D, ensuring scientific excellence, governance, quality and compliance
• Influence strategic investment decisions by balancing technical feasibility, manufacturing capability, regulatory requirements, market opportunity and financial return
• Shape future innovation capability through horizon scanning across food science, processing technologies and nutrition
• Represent the company with customers, partners, industry bodies and the wider innovation ecosystem

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Essential Requirements

• Master's or PhD in Food Science, Dairy Science, Chemistry or a related technical discipline
• Proven experience leading multidisciplinary R&D teams across multiple technical disciplines
• Senior leadership experience with demonstrated contribution to business strategy, culture and capability development
• Experience developing innovation strategies aligned with business growth and portfolio priorities
• Strong commercial acumen with the ability to link R&D investment and technical decisions to customer value, market opportunity and financial return
• Experience influencing senior stakeholders and acting as a trusted strategic advisor
• Track record of delivering innovation through internal capabilities and external partnerships
• Confident executive decision-maker with experience making complex decisions in ambiguous environments
• Executive presence with the ability to engage senior leaders, customers and external partners
• Active involvement in industry, scientific or innovation networks