Assistant Vice President - R&D - Food Manufacturing Firm

Their is one good opportunity for AVP R&D with our Food Manufacturing client based in Ahmadabad

Role Purpose :

- Closely work with the technical as well as cross functional teams to ensure ontime and succesful delivery of NPD as well as Non-NPD projects.

- Lead disruptive as well as sutained innovations in the fields through healthy external partnership. Build and execute futuristic road maps for growth in the categories .

Being a world leader in the category, the person in the role will be expected to ensure our client remain the pioneers and disruptors of the category.

Key Responsibilities :

NPD :

- Ensure on-time delivery of NPD along with claim support and regulatory understanding

- Build strong partnership with Quality, Regulatory, Operations and Manufacturing and accelerate initiatives

- Lead collaboration with Marketing, Sales and other stakeholders as needed .

New Innovation :

- Be abreast with developments in Research and in Industry the flied .

- Bring Innovative concepts and ideas working closely with the teams, create rapid prototypes and MVP and see through exceution of the ideas all the way to launch

Process :

- Provide thought leadership and guide the teams in terms of projects as well as new capabilities

- Provide consultation and collaborate with internal teams in claims, regulatory readiness

People :

- Manage and Oversee team in terms of on-ground execution and performance management

- Build up skilling program for the team's capability development

Key Interactions :

Internal Stakeholders :

- Brand Teams

- Operations/ Manufacturing-

- Regulatory & Quality

External:

Suppliers, Academics, Doctors, Nutritionists -

- Creating & maintaining partnerships with KOLs

- Keep raising the bar and ensure that we deliver best-in-industry innovatiosns and Claims/ Claims Support.

- Attract best innovations, partnerships and be abreast in the industry to make us the most prefererd parter for our Suppliers

Key Dimensions :

Team :- Direct Reports: 5 (On-roll) + Interns (dynamic)

Role Requirements :

Qualification :

- Preferably PhD in Food Sciences/ Technology/ Nutrition Chemistry or Masters in Food Sciences and Technology or Nutrition .

Experience :

- 15+ years of professional experience with atleast 10 years of experience in managing teams in R&D developing formulations, claim support and innovation in Food, Beverages, CPG industry

- Track record of strong innovative product launches

Functional Competencies :

- Organisational & Industry Understanding - Evaluate areas of focus and guide internal teams in aligning NPD, non-NPD and any marketing initiatives and targets

- Consumer Research & Understanding - Partner with internal teams in developing thorough consumer and competitve landscape understanding and create product innovation strategy and prototype products and deliver the best value proposition for the brand and consumers

- Project Management -Work with cross functional teams through NPD activities across all stages of development, production and launch with good Project management practices

- Intellectual Properties-Be proactive on creating an IP strategy and enable creation of IP to deliver business advantage.

- Scientific Reputation-Working with KOLs and key thought leaders build strong scientific reputation.

- Problem Solving & Process - Maintain healthy balance between process and agile problem solving working with all Technical and non technical functions.