R&D Foods Director – Global Culinary Capabilities

Overview
This role is in the Culinary team within the Product Development Function. Role can be based in Plano, TX or Beaumont Park (UK).
A key focus area for this team is to build capabilities which deliver Culinary inspired growth agenda of the company. This is a transformational role of with highly complex and matrixed responsibilities to define and deploy an End to End program for R&D and PepsiCo under the vision of becoming a food centric organization.
This role will influence R&D at a global level partnering across all the areas and regions. This role will be responsible for leading a team to elevate our skills and competencies in various culinary capabilities and therefore will be required to develop mulit year programming via the identification and building of key internal/external partnerships with influencers, stakeholders and experts in Culinary fields.
This position will have the ultimate responsibility of evolving the current capabilities into enhanced and applied solutions for the organization.
This person will also be responsible of defining future CAPEX investments on R&D facilities to support the Culinary agenda.
Responsibilities
The successful candidate will lead key workstreams which requires a high degree of creative technical thinking to deliver business-relevant market-differentiated solutions.
Work with commercial partners and the wider R&D community to create executable culinary centric capabilities
Lead the generation of strategies to develop world class culinary capabilities (project planning, culinary insight, digital hub development, compelling consumer reason to believe based on food culture traditions and needs, integration of flavour technologies into culinary protocepting, external culinary professionals network (eco system).
Understand, design and apply insights from consumer research, concept and product testing to deliver agenda, partnering closely with Insights teams.
Consider global applicability of concepts developed locally
Build external interfaces with External culinary led Suppliers, i.e., Flavour Experts and Universities etc.
Identify suitable ingredient vendors and establish collaborative working relationships, ensuring that PepsiCo IP is appropriately protected.
Execute aspects of our Food culture adoption programme
Digital technologies
Food content creation – digital media content.
Culinary Recipe database optimisation, working process & governance optimisation.
Compensation and Benefits:
The expected compensation range for this position is between $122,300 – $242,700 based on a full-time schedule.
Location, confirmed job-related skills and experience will be considered in setting actual starting salary.
Bonus based on performance and eligibility; target payout is 25% of annual salary paid out annually.
and an additional target payout of 10% of annual salary is paid out over 3 years following the end of the performance period.
Long term incentive equity may be awarded based on eligibility and performance.
Paid time off subject to eligibility, including paid parental leave, vacation, sick, and bereavement.
In addition to salary, PepsiCo offers a comprehensive benefits package to support our employees and their families, subject to elections and eligibility: Medical, Dental, Vision, Disability, Health and Dependent Care Reimbursement Accounts, Employee Assistance Program (EAP), Insurance (Accident, Group Legal, Life), Defined Contribution Retirement Plan
Qualifications
Degree or equivalent in a Food Science area
Formal Culinary training
Minimum of 10 years experience with corporate Chef experience (desirable).
Successful track record of results delivery, demonstrated via history of innovation concepts to commercial application and scale
Results oriented people leader with strong verbal and written communication skills to influence senior leaders, ability to create vision and articulate fact based information into simple actions
Flexible and comfortable with change; ability to balance need to deliver aggressive business innovation goals with scientific excellence.
Highly creative and collaborative working style with a global perspective and cultural appreciation
Ability to operationalize long term strategies into short term capabilities that result in a pipeline of innovation – balance between local requirements and global reapplication
Solid network of leading academic and industry specialists.
Excellent understanding of broader business drivers with ability to demonstrate business acumen and experience partnering with senior business leaders across key functional areas both inside and outside of R&D organization
Clear communicator and strong negotiation and influential skills
Differentiating Competiencies Required:
Deep knowledge of culinary techniques, trends and industry capabilities
Human Centric – skilled at understanding consumer foresights and identifying new business possibilities
Ability to integrate consumer inputs with technical feasibility and business viability to define platformable innovation briefs for creativity and innovation within a commercially driven environment
Experienced thought leader with ability to seamless lead cross-functional teams through iterative divergent and convergent work processes that lead to innovative pipeline creation.
People management experience to inspire passion and confidence in team’s goals
Strives for high standards, seeks innovative solutions, drives continuous improvement of products and processes and demonstrates a high degree of intellectual curiosity.
Ability to explain and inspire through food references to a technical & non-technical audience.
Cultural sensitivity/flexibility in responding to different cultures.
Proven record of building effective partnerships with other R&D leaders and cross-functional partners to ensure relevant, high impact global agendas.
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