Director R&D Innovation Potato

Position Title: Director R&D Innovation Potato

Position Type: Regular - Full-Time

Position Location: Oakbrook Terrace

Requisition ID: 18016

“We bring enjoyment to people’s lives through great tasting food.” This statement underpins everything we do at McCain Foods. Our Canadian family-owned business is a trusted brand in over 160 countries around the globe. It’s not just about the food we make, it’s about how we conduct ourselves in every aspect of our business. From farmer and customer relationships to sustainable agricultural processes – we strive to make every element of our business good.

If you are a creative and passionate individual who is interested in building a career within R&D and are interested in working for a family owned business, then there is a place for you at our table.

The Innovation Director is accountable for identification, analysis and overall delivery of the innovation pipeline. Executional focus is on the Front End / Breakthrough Innovation, translating prioritized Demand Spaces into product concepts & solutions. Experience with people management, innovation management, design thinking, product design and market testing is crucial to this role.

Core Accountabilities

• Accountable for identification, analysis and delivery of the Business Unit’s Innovation Pipeline. Closely collaborate with the Innovation Marketing, Brand Marketing, Sales Teams & S&OP Owners, to ensure alignment of the portfolio and resources.
• Develop pipeline of early-stage concepts and prototypes, in partnership with Marketing and Culinary teams. This requires capability to understand Demand Spaces, translate to Insights, product concepts and design elements. Leverage iterative prototyping to test and refine hypotheses around consumer, customer and competitive insights to design & refine products and solutions.
• Leverage Design Thinking approach to solving problems and establishing design strategies, demonstrating an ability to understand the technical, social and emotional values that have critical business significance. Successfully directs multi-disciplinary design & development resources (internal and external). Develops and adjusts strategies and/or processes to meet changing market and competitive conditions. Execute and analyze results from market tests.
• Ideate and construct ideas within a team-based design environment by creating a culture of “What if” and “How might we”. Participate and contribute to brainstorming sessions and consistently use sense of creativity, foresight and good design judgment in developing and applying marketplace trends
• Sell the team's design concepts and propositions internally to Marketing partners and externally with customers. Presenting strategy/concepts in a clear and concise manner - excellent presentation skills are required.
• Create/manage concepts from ideation to full commercialization utilizing the Stage Gate process and through partnership with business development teams. Leverage the operational network of internal manufacturing and external partners to design & develop new product solutions.
• Develop and coach direct team and other members of the broader R&D team. Leverage shared resources, especially Sensory & Packaging Design.
• Connect internationally with peer teams in Europe, Asia and Australia to share ideas, pipeline and best practices.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Food Science or Food Science, Engineering, Design, MBA/Master’s in Design & Development preferred
• 10 years of relevant experience in the Food and Beverage industry with a minimum of 3 years of managerial or supervisory experience
• Record of having led transformative initiatives, demonstrating an ability to influence the business to achieve positive results
• Candidates must have hands on approach; demonstrate a strong intellect and proficient skills in communications, combined with a drive to deliver results.
• Ability to influence key stakeholders and peers. Ability to stand alone, set clear standards and hold other accountable. Courage to have difficult discussions with groups from all level of the organization.
• Excellent communication skills: is able to effectively and persuasively articulate positions both verbally and in electronic mediums to various audiences including senior executives in a clear, concise and compelling manner.
• Strong team player, highly motivated, who can effectively interface with and present results to all levels of management and teams across the business.

The health and safety of McCain employees and their families has been our number one priority since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Supported by science, and in line with our culture and values, we believe that being vaccinated is the most effective way to protect each other, our families, our customers, and our communities. It is therefore a requirement that the successful candidate for this role be fully vaccinated and have completed the mandatory incubation period prior to the candidate’s start date with McCain, subject to reasonable accommodations if you are unable to be vaccinated for protected grounds under applicable human rights legislation (e.g. medical or religious reasons).

McCain Foods is an equal opportunity employer. We see value in ensuring we have a diverse, antiracist, inclusive, merit-based, and equitable workplace. As a global family-owned company we are proud to reflect the diverse communities around the world in which we live and work. We recognize that diversity drives our creativity, resilience, and success and makes our business stronger.

McCain is an accessible employer. If you require an accommodation throughout the recruitment process (including alternate formats of materials or accessible meeting rooms), please let us know and we will work with you to meet your needs.

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Job Family: Research & Development
Division: Global Research and Development
Department: Research and Development CPAT
Location(s): US - United States of America : Illinois : Chicago || US - United States of America : Illinois : Lisle || US - United States of America : Illinois : Oakbrook Terrace

Company: McCain Foods USA, Inc.