Director of R&D - Baked Goods

CSG Talent are working with a highly regarded & exciting private equity backed premium desserts & baked goods business who are looking to hire an R&D director to play a key role in strategic product development plans & strategies.

The business has excellent financial backing & a very exciting pipeline of new product developments. We are seeking an individual with existing leadership experience within baked goods settings to join & play a key role in the successful role out of multiple new, exciting & innovative products.

Please note that this position can be based in either London or Delta, with relocation assistance offered to assist with the move to be closer to one of the sites if required.

Responsibilities:

• Serve as the central point of coordination for all R&D-related communication, ensuring prompt and effective responses to customer needs while instilling a proactive, fast-paced mindset within the team.

• Lead and grow the R&D team through hands-on mentoring, technical guidance, and professional development efforts.

• Partner with departments such as Procurement, Production, and Marketing to support product scale-up initiatives and long-term strategic planning.

• Provide technical expertise in customer interactions, supporting the Sales team in aligning development with client expectations.

• Drive continuous improvement efforts across product lines, with a focus on optimizing formulations, enhancing production efficiency, and reducing costs.

• Act as the department's technical authority, troubleshooting complex processing and formulation issues while evaluating new technologies that could enhance product quality or reduce operational expenses.

Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Chemistry, Food Engineering, or a closely related field.

• High level of hands-on experience in food product development, preferably in the commercial bakery sector

• Proven experience overseeing department budgets, managing expenditures, and ensuring financial accountability within technical operations.

• Strong theoretical and practical knowledge in product formulation, manufacturing processes, and the use of novel ingredients in baked goods.

• Demonstrated success in working with functional or speciality ingredients relevant to the baking industry.

To learn more about this unique opportunity, please reach out to Harry Barker at CSG Talent or click apply!

Keywords: Research and development, R&D, product development, innovation, baking, baked, bakeries, bakehouse, pastry, pastries, cake, bread, formulation, product developer.