Job title: Head of Product Development
Reporting to: North America General Manager
Location: Lakeland, USA
The Opportunity
The Head of Product Development will lead the Product Development team to successfully deliver business and organizational objectives. They will ensure that a commercially relevant portfolio of ingredients and business solutions are developed and commercialized to support customer requests. Lead the team and help build knowledge depth and skills to create an industry center of excellence. Drive people development and appropriate training to facilitate proper people and performance management.
What it’s like to work here
We’ve been making the world taste better since 1886 and sell over 3000 products in more than 90 countries, but we’re only just getting started. We’re on an exciting journey and have ambitious plans to become the indispensable partner of choice for the world’s leading flavor and fragrance houses, beverage and consumer brands.
On joining Treatt, you’ll become one of over 300 international experts, working together to collectively surprise and delight our customers. Nothing is more important to us than the happiness of our people as without them, we’d never succeed.
Duties & Responsibilities
• Lead research planning and develop creative and novel products - bringing them to commercial fruition
• Ensure strategy alignment in assignment of objectives and team responsibilities
• Management of direct reports including identifying and meeting training needs and conducting regular one to one development reviews
• Oversee all customer briefs to ensure that briefs are feasible and completed in line with customer expectations
• Work with Marketing, Category Managers and Sales to ensure that the right products are selected for promotion adopting a “Right Product, Right Customer, Right Time” approach.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives
• Review and Authorise Standard Operating Procedures and Risk Assessments
• Ensure that the working area in the laboratory is maintained in a clean and orderly condition and that any hazard or potential hazard is reported
• Ensure maintenance of a range of laboratory and pilot-plant equipment (introducing new innovations where necessary), during product development
• Oversee team’s responsibilities to include:
• Identification of relevant raw materials for the development of products, partnering with the Procurement team to meet requirements
• Work with the Category Management team in the planning of innovation and customer priorities
• Manage category demands, providing consistent communication of category innovation efforts and commercial implications of development work
• Participate in / oversee planning, monitoring and documentation of plant trials leading to successful commercialization of new products
• Support the Production Supervisor to determine, define and improve production efficiencies of new and existing products
• Participate in sensory evaluation of matching projects, new products, reformulations, ingredient substitutions, and competitive products
• Maintain accurate records of lab work, and documentation of used ingredients, formulation modifications and provide statistical evaluations and reports
• Ensure project owners technical reports and ensure proper, streamlined documentation of all work generated
• Develop product and raw material specifications suitable for QA and Regulatory team
• Coordinate with Quality Assurance in scheduling the use of laboratory facilities and equipment to ensure the appropriate levels of QA testing are performed
• Keep up to date with current worldwide product innovation efforts and transfer new knowledge to Treatt product lines
• Continually explore and identify ways to tailor Treatt product lines to appeal to new markets
• Cultivate sales opportunities with current customers and other industry contacts by building strong partnering relationships with key technical personnel in these organizations
• Participate in product demonstrations as needed
• Work with customers as needed on new product developments and reformulations
• Present to customers, showcasing product expertise
• All team members to support QC sensory panels
• Partner with sales team members to identify and analyze consumer market trends that might provide increased sales and product development opportunities.
• Work closely with Marketing / Consumer Insights to ensure staying on top of market trends
• Act in the best interest of Treatt at all times
• Practice safe behaviors and processes and ensure every individual accountable for safety
• All other duties as customary or as delegated
Education & Training
• A bachelor’s degree in chemistry, Food Science or a related subject plus a minimum of 8 years lab and product development experience in a closely affiliated field.
• Sensory knowledge and training a plus
Knowledge Skills & Experience
• A proven independent worker with strong creativity and problem-solving skills
• An in-depth understanding of fundamental chemistry/food science/scientific principles
• Demonstrate knowledge of regulations, policies, procedures and processes in food science and product development
• Influential in the category, with an ability to build relationships across the category and wider business.
• Superior ability to research and analyze information and data to arrive at valid conclusions and plans of actions
• Effective communication skills at all levels - both verbally and in writing
• Experience in People Management
• Ability to use various spreadsheets, word-processing and database computer software
• Communication – The ability to give and gather information and to actively manage the communication process
• Customer Focus (Internal and External) – Actively pursue the highest level of customer service
• Integrity and Ethical Management – The ability to work ethically according to professional and company values
• Resilience – The ability to be resilient and to achieve through repeated effort
• Planning and Organizing – The ability to plan, organize and priorities work. Balancing resources, skills, priorities, and timescales to achieve objectives
• Motivation – The ability to support and encourage individuals and teams so that they give their best
• Influencing – The ability to influence and persuade others
• Time Management – The ability to make most effective use of one’s own time and that of others
• Commercial, Technological and Financial Awareness – The ability to apply understanding of the company and industry to improve effectiveness and profitability
• Delivering Results – The ability to manage workload and priorities effectively to deliver results on time
• Developing Self – The ability to focus on own development and to take action to learn
• Adaptability/Change Management – The ability to respond and adapt to changing circumstances and to manage, solve problems and provide solutions in a climate of ambiguity
• Health & Safety – The ability to apply knowledge, training, skills, and experience to ensure tasks are performed in a safe manner
• Practical Skills – The ability to apply training and knowledge to complete activities where observation and recording results are essential
• Problem Solving, Thinking and Communication Skills – ability to identify and define problems, generating alternative solutions, evaluating, and selecting the best alternative and implementing the selected solution
• Personal Attitude and Professional Ethics – The ability follow personal and professional standards of behavior in line with company values
• Dissemination Skills – The ability to pass on information, knowledge, and opinions to a wider audience
We want you to love your work and bring that energy to the job every day, no matter what the task. You’ll be someone who keeps up to date with the latest technologies and is always willing to share their knowledge with colleagues.
Our department is busy. We need someone who can run with the pack but also bring their own personality to their work.
You should be personable, friendly and supportive, acknowledging that you’ll get to work with colleagues from all seniority levels across all departments on a daily basis.
What we’ll do for you
We offer an excellent package which includes a competitive salary; vacation time as well as the opportunity to purchase additional vacation, we also offer a discretionary annual bonus, medical, dental and vision coverage, AFLAC, 401k employer matching up to 6%, company-paid short term and long term disability insurance, company-paid life insurance and stock purchase options.
With the encouragement and development you need, we help you to become your ultimate you. Beyond building a successful career, we also support the wishes and ambitions of our staff outside of the office in achieving a health work/life balance - the wellbeing of our staff is paramount to us, which we actively promote and support by regularly delivering a variety of wellbeing initiatives. There will also be opportunities to be actively involved in community and charity projects and to take part in numerous subsidized social events.
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Polite Notice
We politely request that we are not contacted by any recruitment agencies. We have a preferred supplier list and high volumes of speculative calls from agencies negatively impact upon the efficiency of our business. Please help us to maintain the highest levels of customer service by respecting our wishes.