Director of Beverage R&D

Our client is seeking a highly driven Director of Research & Development to lead product innovation, development, and commercialization for a growing consumer packaged goods organization. This role is responsible for transforming new product concepts into scalable, high-quality commercial products while driving continuous improvement across existing product lines. The ideal candidate combines deep food science and product development expertise with strong manufacturing knowledge, commercial awareness, and team leadership capabilities. This individual will play a critical role in shaping innovation strategy, improving core products, and building a high-performing R&D organization. Key ResponsibilitiesProduct Development & InnovationLead the development of new products from concept through commercialization.Translate innovation opportunities into technically sound, consumer-focused products.Partner with commercial teams to evaluate feasibility, ingredient selection, and product performance.Drive a robust innovation pipeline that supports business growth and category expansion.Product Quality & OptimizationContinuously improve existing product lines to enhance quality, consistency, and consumer experience.Establish product specifications, standards, and performance benchmarks.Lead formulation improvements, ingredient optimization, and packaging performance initiatives.Balance product quality, cost, and operational efficiency while maintaining brand integrity.Manufacturing & Scale-UpLead scale-up activities from bench development through commercial production.Partner closely with manufacturing teams and external production partners to ensure successful product launches.Conduct plant trials, troubleshoot commercialization issues, and improve process reliability.Ensure products perform consistently under real-world manufacturing conditions.Team Leadership & Capability BuildingBuild, mentor, and develop a high-performing product development team.Foster a culture of curiosity, accountability, ownership, and continuous improvement.Establish clear project priorities, development processes, and performance expectations.Develop future technical talent and strengthen organizational capabilities.Cross-Functional CollaborationServe as a key technical partner to Marketing, Supply Chain, Quality, Regulatory, and Operations teams.Provide technical insight during concept development and commercialization planning.Collaborate with suppliers to identify new ingredients, technologies, and market trends.Act as the bridge between product innovation and manufacturing execution. QualificationsRequiredBachelor's degree in Food Science, Engineering, or a related technical discipline.10+ years of product development experience within food, beverage, or consumer packaged goods industries.Proven success developing products from concept through commercialization and scale-up.Strong knowledge of food science, ingredient functionality, and manufacturing processes.Experience working with both internal manufacturing operations and external production partners.Demonstrated leadership experience developing and managing technical teams.