R&D Product Innovation Project Manager- Food at Flora Food Group

About the position

Location: Hackensack, NJ OR New Century, KS

Salary : 150-165K- Depending on experience

Hybrid 2-3 days in Office or plant

Role Summary
The Technical Project Lead / Product Design Lead owns the technical delivery and design leadership of complex product innovation, renovation and commercialization initiatives across Flora Food Group’s portfolio. The role translates business and consumer needs into robust product and process solutions, leading cross‑functional R&D projects from concept through factory implementation. Operating at senior expert level, the role ensures technical excellence, delivery discipline and alignment between R&D, Supply Chain and markets, while shaping future product design capabilities.
Key Responsibilities
Impact

Own end‑to‑end technical delivery of high‑complexity product innovation, renovation and transformation initiatives, translating consumer needs, culinary insight and competitor benchmarks into robust product and process solutions that meet performance, quality, cost and timing objectives.

Act as the R&D technical authority in multidisciplinary project teams, balancing consumer relevance, technical feasibility and supply‑chain constraints to guide design choices and trade‑off decisions.

Translate portfolio and brand strategy into executable product and technology roadmaps, leading and developing senior technologists and technical project leads to deliver against agreed priorities and standards.

Ensure readiness for scale‑up and commercialisation by validating factory capability, specifications and risk‑mitigation plans, including dHACCP, across both Flora Food Group factories and third‑party manufacturers (3PMs).

Deliver product design solutions across retail, professional and industrial applications, adapting formulations, processing and specifications to channel‑specific requirements while ensuring consistent consumer benefit..
Innovation

Shape product and process design strategies in close collaboration with Product Science experts and ingredient/technology suppliers, integrating scientific understanding, consumer insights and external innovation into scalable product designs. Job title Product Design Lead Function R&D Reporting to Head of Product Design

Team size (number of reports)
2-8

Integrate emerging ingredients, processing technologies and scientific insights into scalable product designs.

Continuously improve product design methodologies, technical governance and project execution standards.

Sponsor and guide breakthrough innovation, renovation and productivity programs across categories and markets.
Communication

Act as senior R&D interface to Supply Chain, Marketing, Regulatory, Quality and Manufacturing (internal).

Influence senior stakeholders through clear articulation of technical trade‑offs, risks and recommendations.

Represent R&D in external forums with suppliers, technology partners and manufacturing partners (external).

Provide transparent communication on project progress, risks and decisions to leadership forums.

Work closely with Product Science, Nutrition, Packaging and suppliers to integrate scientific evidence, ingredient functionality and processing constraints into coherent product design decisions.
Career Path

Feeder roles: Senior Product Technologist, Senior Product Scientist.

Potential next career steps: Head of Product Design

Requirements
Experience / Competencies
Functional/ technical competencies:

Deep expertise in food product and process design within FMCG environments.

Proven experience leading complex R&D projects from concept to factory implementation.

Strong understanding of scale‑up, industrialization and supply‑chain integration.

Ability to translate portfolio strategy into technical roadmaps and execution plans.

Experience managing senior technical talent and/or multiple workstreams.
Behavioural/ leadership competencies:

Owns outcomes and drives delivery through influence and technical authority.

Strategic and structured thinker, able to simplify complexity and make decisions under ambiguity.

Strong people leader, developing high‑performing technical teams.

Confident stakeholder manager, operating effectively at senior leadership level.
Qualifications / Education

Required: Master’s degree (or equivalent experience) in Food Science, Food Technology, Chemical Engineering or related field.

Preferred: 8–12+ years’ experience in R&D product design, technical project leadership or commercialization roles.
Knowledge

Advanced knowledge of food formulation, processing and industrialization.

Advanced understanding of R&D portfolio management and project governance.

Intermediate to advanced knowledge of regulatory, quality and supply‑chain systems.

Travel Requirements
Regular international travel for factory scale‑ups, supplier engagement and market support

What’s next

If this position sounds interesting, please hit the apply button now!