VP of R&D - Frozen food CPG
Position Overview
The Vice President of Research & Development is responsible for setting and executing the company’s enterprise-wide innovation and product development strategy across a multi-site food manufacturing network. This role drives both top-line growth and operational performance through disciplined commercialization, portfolio management, and scalable product development.
Key Responsibilities
Define and execute a long-range R&D and innovation strategy aligned with company growth targets
Build and manage a robust product pipeline across branded, private label, and customer-specific initiatives
Translate consumer insights and market trends into commercially viable, scalable products
Partner with executive leadership to align innovation priorities with financial and operational goals
Lead end-to-end product development from concept through commercialization across multiple manufacturing sites
Drive disciplined stage-gate processes, ensuring speed to market, cost targets, and margin expectations are achieved
Oversee formulation, scale-up, and process optimization to ensure consistent product quality and manufacturability
Implement systems to improve commercialization success rates, reduce errors, and increase execution speed
Partner closely with Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing, and Sales to ensure seamless product launches and execution
Support plant operations through process development, cost savings initiatives, and technical problem-solving
Lead cross-functional initiatives tied to margin improvement, complexity reduction, and operational efficiency
Build, lead, and develop a high-performing R&D organization across multiple disciplines (product development, process, regulatory, microbiology)
Establish clear structure, accountability, and performance metrics across the team
Drive a culture of innovation, collaboration, and continuous improvement
Develop internal talent and long-term succession planning within the R&D function
Own and manage R&D budgets, capital investments, and resource allocation
Drive measurable business impact through innovation (volume growth, margin, cost savings)
Implement KPI-driven management of pipeline performance, commercialization success, and ROI
Required Experience & Background
15+ years of progressive R&D experience within food or CPG manufacturing
10+ years of leadership experience, including oversight of multi-functional R&D teams
Demonstrated success driving innovation tied to measurable business outcomes (volume, margin, cost savings)
Proven experience leading large-scale commercialization efforts across multiple plants
Strong background in process development, scale-up, and manufacturing integration
Experience building and leading organizations (team design, restructuring, capability build-out)
Bachelor’s degree in Food Science or related field required
Advanced degree preferred