VP R&D Global Snacking

About the role

Reporting to the Chief Innovation & Marketing Officer, the Vice President, R&D – Global Snacking provides enterprise leadership and accountability for all aspects of global Snacking product development and product stewardship. This role translates McCain’s enterprise growth ambitions into a differentiated, consumer-led innovation and renovation agenda, while accelerating speed to market and ensuring flawless execution across regions and channels.

Responsibilities

• Define and lead the global Snacking R&D strategy aligned to McCain’s enterprise growth agenda, brand strategies, and long-term innovation ambitions.
• Own the global Snacking innovation portfolio, ensuring clear prioritization, disciplined investment, and accelerated speed to market.
• Challenge traditional ways of working and remove structural, functional, and decision-making barriers that slow innovation delivery.
• Champion agile, test-and-learn approaches that enable faster concept development, prototyping, and commercialization.
• Lead the development and execution of Annual Operating Commitments, ensuring alignment across regions, platforms, timelines, resources, and budgets.
• Ensure strong portfolio governance, transparent decision-making, and disciplined stage-gate execution from concept through launch.
• Integrate product, process, and technology strategies with brand positioning to ensure consistent, high-quality product experiences across all channels (Retail, Foodservice, QSR).
• Safeguard long-term brand equity through strong technical stewardship, regulatory compliance, and food safety excellence.
• Build, lead, and inspire a high-performing global R&D leadership team and broader technical organization.
• Develop future-ready capabilities, talent pipelines, and succession plans across Snacking R&D.
• Foster a culture of collaboration, accountability, inclusion, and continuous improvement across regions and disciplines.
• Accountable for global Snacking R&D investment effectiveness, including budgets, resource allocation, and ROI.
• Partner with Finance and business leaders to balance growth, margin, risk, and capability investments.
• Represent Snacking R&D in enterprise forums and contribute to cross-category, cross-platform innovation and capability building.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Food Science, Food Engineering, Chemical Engineering, or a related scientific discipline.
• MBA or advanced business training preferred.
• 15+ years of progressive leadership experience within R&D, Innovation, or Product Stewardship in consumer-packaged goods, food, or snacking categories, including senior global roles.
• Proven track record of leading complex, global innovation portfolios and delivering strong commercial and brand results at scale.
• Experience managing large, multi-site, multicultural organizations and significant R&D and capital budgets.
• Dairy and/or cheese experience is an asset.

Skills

• Deep expertise in Snacking product development, including frozen and ready-to-eat platforms; coatings; frying and baking technologies.
• Strong business acumen with the ability to balance growth, margin, risk, speed, and long-term capability building.
• Demonstrated success accelerating speed to market through simplification, agile execution, and decisive leadership.
• Executive presence with exceptional influencing, stakeholder management, and communication skills.
• Strong understanding of global regulatory, food safety, and nutrition landscapes.
• Fluent in English; additional languages an asset.

Benefits

• Compensation Package: 300,000 - 350,000 USD annually + Bonus eligibility + Long-term incentive eligibility
• Health coverage (medical, dental, vision, prescription drug)
• Retirement savings benefits
• Leave support including medical, family and bereavement
• Well-being programs including vacation and holidays, company-supported volunteering time, and mental health resources

Pay

Compensation Package: 300,000 - 350,000 USD annually + Bonus eligibility + Long-term incentive eligibility

Schedule

Willingness to travel approximately 15- 25% based on business needs – globally

Company

McCain Foods USA, Inc.

Job Family

Research & Development

Location

• US - United States of America : Illinois : Chicago
• US - United States of America : Illinois : Lisle
• US - United States of America : Illinois : Oakbrook Terrace