Director of Research & Development

• Drive the product innovation strategy. You will drive our product development strategy in alignment with business objectives and market trends. You will work closely with customer service, sales, procurement, operations, and quality assurance to meet product innovation demands. You will prioritize projects based on customer demand, ingredient availability, and technical feasibility. You will build partnerships with customers and suppliers.
• Lead, develop, and optimize processes. You will develop, implement, and monitor effective systems and procedures to manage multiple projects in the sales and innovation pipeline. You will guide the team in meeting operational standards for quality, cost, food safety, and sustainability. You will lead cross-functional teams in the technical aspects of product development through the investigation, planning, execution, evaluation and reporting phases. You will continuously improve product development processes and incorporate best practices including overseeing the safe operation of a pilot plant environment to test and validate new products.
• Oversee the team. You will manage, teach and mentor the research and development team, identifying gaps in skills and working closely with individuals to build their strengths. You will share knowledge and expertise with the team and foster a culture of learning and growth. You will nurture in-team and cross-functional collaboration. You will lead the change management process to encourage adopting and engaging with new operating processes and best practices in product development. You will manage timelines and work priorities by allocating resources to meet the assigned timelines and goals.
• Integrate the latest food technologies in products for the market. You will lead new ingredient research and technological advancements. You will stay informed about market trends and emerging ingredients to guide the development of innovative products. This may include clean or transparent labelling, green, functional, or alternative ingredients. You will ensure all new and existing products meet regulatory requirements, quality standards, and customer specifications.
• Partner with customers to deliver successful product solutions. You will collaborate with sales and customer-facing teams to support customer discussions, technical reviews, and product presentations. You will translate customer needs and feedback into product development opportunities and guide the team in delivering solutions that meet both customer expectations and manufacturing capabilities. You will support product trials, evaluations, and commercialization efforts with key customers while maintaining alignment with quality, regulatory, and operational standards.

• The experience. You have a background in Food Science and experience in the food processing industry, specifically in product design and development. Or, you have worked in a similarly complex, high-speed industrial product development environment. You have led cross-functional teams, creating and implementing product development strategies and overseeing the execution of multiple complex deliverables simultaneously. You come with resilient, scalable processes and best practices to introduce efficiency and reduce waste (time, energy, resources, money). You are comfortable participating in trials and working in a high-speed manufacturing facility.
• The technical knowledge. You have a high-level understanding of product formulation and ingredient functionality. You have the business and industry knowledge to guide a product team as they evaluate ingredient effectiveness (flavour, colour, consistency, stability, etc.), availability, and costs to fit budgets, timelines, and demand. You have an understanding of the product innovation and renovation process from concept through commercialization. You recognize how product formulations are processed in ERP systems (i.e. D365 or SAP) to contribute to driving material demands and production planning and the importance of data integrity.
• The people leadership. You can build and nurture trusting relationships, fostering a collaborative, continuous learning and innovation culture. You are passionate about developing and supporting the individuals on your team and can teach new skills from the basic to the complex. You can navigate conflict, remove barriers, and prioritize communication. You lead by example and can influence with and without authority. You have proven success in change management, implementing new processes and creating engagement.
• The interpersonal skills. You have exceptional verbal and written communication skills, including creating documentation, generating reports, and making presentations. You are a strong collaborator who is able to work cross-functionally with internal and external stakeholders. You genuinely appreciate diverse experiences and backgrounds and are interested in understanding others, hearing their perspectives, and addressing their concerns.
• The customer-facing capability. You are comfortable engaging directly with customers and commercial partners to understand product needs, technical requirements, and feedback. You can translate customer insights into actionable product development strategies and communicate complex technical information in a clear, accessible way. You have experience supporting customer presentations, product demonstrations, or technical discussions, and can confidently represent the product development team while aligning customer expectations with manufacturing capabilities, quality standards, and business objectives.

• We care. About family, honesty, and respect.
• We communicate. Across every level, often, effectively, and clearly.
• We Empower. With trust, integrity, and accountability.
• We Deliver. Every time, through teamwork, innovation, and results.

• An in-person with the current Director of Research and Development to discuss your experience as a people, process, and product development leader.
• An onsite final interview with the Chief Financial Officer to discuss how your role aligns with the needs of the team and the opportunity to ask questions.

Skjodt-Barrett Foods