Director, Product Development

About the position

The Product Development team's purpose is to lead the innovation and productivity agendas to grow KDP brands, transform beyond its core, and improve the profitability of our products. At KDP, our inspiration is to bring meaningful impact and that starts with our company vision -- Drink Well, Do Good! This Leadership role within R&D will lead the Innovation agenda to design and develop products across the Carbonated Soft Drinks (CSD) Portfolio and Food Service.

Responsibilities

• Partner with Marketing to build the Innovation strategy across our CSD portfolio and Food Service channels by influencing stakeholders and peers on the strategic vision and road map
• Leads the Product strategy, planning, influencing, and commercialization of the Food Service agenda with the Commercial and Marketing team
• Implements the CSD R&D strategy, goals, and business plans to drive growth while appropriately allocating resources to balance immediate and long-term objectives
• Collaborate with R&D, Marketing, Commercial, Procurement, and Supply Chain on the CSD Innovation and Food Service pipeline across the KDP portfolio
• Partners actively with R&D leaders in the progression of Design-to-Value, Product Design, New Technologies, Supplier partnerships, and external innovation to build out a robust multi-year pipeline
• Manages team of Scientists, where role is empowered to make decisions & recommendations on productivity ideas and development while influencing key stakeholders and Brand owners on the purpose, functionality & role of the product
• Provides technical leadership in the development and optimization of products from bench to pilot scale up, and through full commercialization for the US and Canadian market
• Proactively influences and co-leads Innovation workshops, planning, and the technical and financial assessment of ideas with cross-functional partners
• Develops and communicates key business updates to stakeholders and senior leadership
• Ability to create and lead processes to drive efficiency, resolve complexity, and prioritize high performance team behavior
• Inspires, motivates, and develops talent maintaining a forward thinking, agile, and people focused environment
• Manages and aligns the overall CSD and Food Service R&D budget and planning

Requirements

• Minimum bachelor's degree, graduate degree is a plus. (Food Science or Engineering preferred)
• 12+ years of experience with a food/beverage company is highly desirable
• 5+ years' experience managing, leading, and developing direct reports
• Additional experience with hot fill, cold fill, retort, and aseptic processes is a plus
• Proficient in consumer design and value creation is a plus
• Extremely strong skills in business acumen, financial analysis, influencing, leading cross-functional teams
• Must have excellent presentation and communication skills
• Demonstrated consumer empathy for developing consumer centric propositions
• Ability to travel is required

Nice-to-haves

• Experience with hot fill, cold fill, retort, and aseptic processes
• Proficient in consumer design and value creation

Benefits

• Robust benefits to support your health and wellness
• Employee programs designed to enhance your professional growth and development
• Culture and opportunities that empower our team of ~29,000 employees to grow and develop