Research and Development (R&D) Manager at RCL Foods

Job Description    
This specific position that we are recruiting for is in SIQALO Foods Pty Ltd, a Remgro Group Company and market leader in Spreads with the well-known brands Rama, Stork and Flora. SIQALO Foods works in partnership with RCL Foods.

Our Talent Team are currently looking for a dynamic Research and Development (R&D) Product Development Manager to join the SIQALO Foods Business. The role will be based at the Head Office in Durban and report into the R&D Executive.

SIQALO Foods entrusts the R&D Product Development Manager to be responsible for Product Development across the continuum from medium to long term research on product design to the deployment in market; more specifically within Product Development, responsible for the key product capabilities namely regulatory, consumer technology insight and nutrition.

Minimum Requirements    

• Food Science or Biotechnology Bachelor’s degree
• 5+ years relevant experience within the food manufacturing industry
• Product development, science & technology expertise
• A business leadership certification would be advantageous

Duties & Responsibilities    

• Deliver product development to relevant projects/part of projects of the portfolio according to key project deliverables
• Lead the planning and execution of all technical tests and analytical measurement activities (including sensory, nutritional and shelf-life evaluation) both within projects and day to day activities, as well as competitor monitoring
• Define the CTI plan required to generate technical understanding of consumer needs, to convert consumer need insights into technical hypotheses and to define and support execution of evaluation of prototypes
• Lead and/or define product innovation plans to address consumer needs using relevant science and technology options
• Work closely with other capability teams, namely packaging and process development and together with internal (marketing, SC, customer development) & external (suppliers, universities, 3P’s) partners to identify technical options to deliver consumer need & generate new ideas
• Ensure regulatory compliance with proper use of Siqalo Foods enabling systems
• Define technical specifications for materials and formulations
• Develop and deliver a patent review strategy in the product development area
• When applicable: develop a strategic vision for specific areas of product development (such as the SF nutrition strategy)
• Ensure nutritional compliance to SF nutritional strategy
• When applicable, manage-to-delivery external research projects/open innovation projects as well as joint development projects with suppliers
• When leading projects, work closely with marketing to define and deliver projects
• When applicable, for those with line manager responsibilities: coach and make development plans for project/team members
• Assess new ingredients/suppliers and facilitate approval of these, according to the Siqalo foods Ingredient/ supplier protocol
• Drive continuous improvement programme relevant to recipe and ingredient optimisation.

Closing Date: 23rd, May 2022