VP, R&D

Overall Goal of Position: The VP of R&D is responsible for identifying and evaluating new technologies, developing innovative products, and ensuring that the company's R&D efforts align with its overall business objectives to drive growth   Job Summary:  Responsible for leading the strategic direction and execution of all research and development initiatives. Managing a team of Product Developers and culinary experts, while collaborating with other departments such as marketing, sales, and manufacturing.  Primary focus is to provide effective leadership and technical “know-how” to enable the R&D function to deliver excellence in four (4) key areas; 1) New product innovation, 2) Product/package optimization, 3) Process and productivity improvements and 4) Capture emerging trends and capitalize on new technologies.   Position is responsible for deeply understanding emerging market/food trends, technologies in food science, and application of technologies to our products and processes.  The role is central to commercializing new products and product improvements from concept to scaled production.  This dynamic individual manages a team of product developers and will lead company R&D actions created as a part of our strategic plan and brand marketing/consumer engagement strategies.  Position reports to the Chief Growth Officer.   Key Duties and Responsibilities: Strategic Leadership: Develop and implement a comprehensive R&D strategy that supports the company's long-term business goals. Identify and evaluate emerging technologies and trends that could impact the company's products and services. Establish and maintain strong relationships with external research partners, universities, and industry experts. Provide technical insight to inform our strategic and annual business planning process specific to new product breakthroughs Research and Development Management: Oversee the planning, execution, and management of all R&D projects. Ensure that R&D projects are completed on time, within budget, and to the required quality standards. Develop and manage the R&D budget, ensuring efficient allocation of resources. Implement and maintain effective R&D processes and procedures. Oversee stage gate process of pipeline innovation and effectively manages timely delivery of profitable new products and projects Team Leadership and Development: Recruit, hire, and manage a high-performing R&D team. Provide coaching, mentoring, and development opportunities to team members. Foster a culture of innovation, collaboration, and continuous improvement. ensure proper intellectual property protection. Product Development and Innovation: Lead the development of new products and technologies that meet customer needs and market demands. Monitor technical trends in food, flavor and packaging trends in order to determine white space opportunities and anticipate consumers’ desires for new products Cultivate a robust and active pipeline of innovation identifying new concepts for products and technologies through consumer research/insights, technology, and marketing Collaborate with marketing and sales teams to ensure that new products are successfully launched and commercialized. Create channel appropriate products and processes for Foodservice and Retail Divisions to increase their effectiveness in advancing the SBI business, and enhancing our reputation as being experts in our categories Drive continuous improvement and innovation in existing products and processes. Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work closely with other departments, such as marketing, sales, manufacturing, and regulatory affairs, to ensure alignment and collaboration. Communicate R&D progress and results to senior management and other stakeholders. Work with legal teams regarding patents, and other intellectual property. Regulatory Compliance: Ensure that all R&D activities comply with relevant regulatory requirements and industry standards. Demonstrated expertise in food science/product safety techniques and methodologies   Performance Standards (the criteria that will be used to evaluate performance): Business Key Performance Indicators – tracked weekly, monthly, annually Achievement of planned revenue from branded New products (launched current year, and prior 2 years), in dollars, and % of revenue. Branded new product Pipeline-Products ready to launch in coming year, and staged for launch 1 and 2 years out, tied to business and brand strategies Achievement of established consumer acceptance benchmarks for top box/top 2 box (75% or greater) Purchase Intent norms Gross margins at or above targets for total brand portfolio and new product portfolio Delivery of private label offerings per profitability and investment guidelines Competency/Effectiveness Success rate of concept to market products that achieve/exceed Year 1-3 targets Leading an inspired team of R&D product development professionals measured by idea generation and those that “stick” Demonstrated effectiveness working internally and with 3rd party product development labs/vendors Reporting and Process Enhancement Creation of guidelines and protocol to deliver brand/company goals for new products (as measured by speed to market) Communication and cadence to shift culture and focus against highest success probability decisions through process measures and tracking What you do and how you act Leadership and contribution to overall success of SBI Personal Effectiveness-meeting timelines and productivity requirements (quantity and quality of work) Personal interaction, communication and teamwork with internal and external parties, consistent with OurRecipe@SauerBrands   What We Are Looking For:   Personal Characteristics Entrepreneurial drive and the desire to “build a business” Passionate, energetic, and results oriented personality Overall confidence in one abilities and comfortable communicating the facts Smart/technically proficient, creative and inquisitive Integrity-Does the right thing even when no one is looking Disciplined approach, and accountable for KPIs Determination/grit - No excuses mindset Dependable team player with positive attitude Passion for food and inspired flavors and experiences in eating Personal values that mesh with SBI values Performance History Documented history of R&D impact through personal efforts A proven leader and change agent Stellar references based on contributions and performance Demonstrated proficiency in the following Areas Food science/formulation and processes Research techniques and sensory evaluation Ability to participate in strategic conversations and translate to actionable R&D outcomes Passionate driver; thrives under time constraints and prioritizes responsibilities Demonstrated technical thought leadership including analytics tied to product development/engineering Demonstrated success leading transitions in the R&D realm Strong project management skills and demonstrated ability to lead complex cross-functional initiatives across a variety of stakeholders Team oriented, collaborative, diplomatic, and flexible Education & Experience: BS degree in the sciences or related technical discipline (math, physics, engineering).  Master degree in food science would be preferred 10 -15 years of experience desired, with a minimum of 5 years of heavy new product commercialization work (concept to bench-top to scale) Minimum 5 years of project management experience, including proficiency in project management tools and operating in a multi-location environment. Experience working in food or beverage industry (large CPG foundation and nimble start-up experience preferred). Member of food science industry associations Other: Location Flexible in one of 3 locations (Richmond, VA, Greenville, SC, Kansas City, KS) 25% - 40% Travel based on location.   What Is In It For You?Our company acknowledges talented people are attracted to companies that provide competitive pay, comprehensive benefits packages and outstanding advancement opportunities. For this reason, we offer a Comprehensive Benefits Plan that includes the following: 401K Medical/Dental/Vision Coverage Vacation, Sick Days and Holidays Flexible Spending Accounts Tuition Reimbursement Employee and Dependent Life Insurance Voluntary Disability Insurance Other Voluntary Insurance Options Sauer Brands, Inc. is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.