Director of Innovation

About the role

We are seeking a Director of Innovation to lead Seaboard Foods' product innovation strategy and oversee the development and commercialization of value-added pork products across key growth categories.

Essential Duties And Responsibilities

• Define and lead the product innovation strategy for value-added pork categories, aligning initiatives with company growth priorities.
• Own and manage the innovation pipeline and roadmap, maintaining a balanced portfolio of short- and long-term opportunities.
• Lead, coach, and develop the product innovation team, establishing clear priorities, accountability, and a high-performance culture.
• Oversee end-to-end product development from concept through commercialization, ensuring effective execution of the stage-gate process.
• Drive cross-functional alignment across Marketing, Sales, Operations, and Supply Chain to support successful product launches and commercialization efforts.
• Translate consumer, customer, and market insights into actionable innovation strategies and differentiated product opportunities.
• Ensure products are scalable and aligned with manufacturing capabilities, including packaging formats, plant constraints, and regulatory/USDA requirements.
• Build and manage external partnerships while driving business impact through successful innovation initiatives that deliver revenue growth, margin improvement, and cost optimization.

CORE COMPETENCIES FOR SUCCESS IN ALL ROLES

• Instills trust
• Communicates effectively
• Is action-oriented
• Ensures accountability
• Drives results

Qualification Requirements

• Required:
• Bachelor’s degree in Meat Science, Food Science, or related field
• 8-12+ years of experience in meat/protein product development, R&D, or innovation
• Proven experience leading innovation strategy and commercialization of value-added/meat products
• Hands-on experience in formulation and commercialization of value-added protein/meat products
• PREFERRED:
• Strong knowledge of processing, packaging, and plant operations
• Experience working with retail and foodservice customers
• Established industry network (suppliers, customers, co-packers)
• Proficiency in Excel and PowerPoint

WORK ENVIRONMENT

• The physical and work demands listed below are representative of those an employee should possess to successfully perform the essential functions of the position.
• Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the job.
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to move around the facility.
• The employee must regularly lift and move up to 25 pounds and occasionally lift and move up to 50 pounds.
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, color vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.
• The noise level in the work environment depends on which environment you are in.
• The hours and days of work are established by departmental needs and at the discretion of management.
• After-hours, weekends, and overnight travel as requested.

WHY SEABOARD FOODS?

• Medical, vision, and dental benefits
• 401(k) with company match
• Paid Time Off and company holidays
• Wellness program and employee pork purchase program
• Tuition reimbursement

For a complete list of our benefits, please visit our career site: here.

Seaboard Foods is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, gender identity, protected veterans’ status, status as a disabled individual, or any other status protected by law.