R&D Director of Innovation
Job Description
WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR:
We are seeking a highly motivated and experienced R&D Director of Innovation to lead our team in the development of groundbreaking solutions and drive innovation. This role will play a pivotal role in identifying new opportunities, fostering a culture of creativity, and managing projects to bring cutting-edge products and technologies to fruition. A successful R&D Director should have a combination of vision, leadership, and strategic thinking to advance our position as a market leader in the industry.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:
• Develop and implement a clear innovation strategy aligned with the organization's overall objectives and business goals. Evaluate market trends, technology advancements, and customer needs to identify potential areas for innovation and growth, including evaluating new product platforms, personnel, and potential M&A activity
• Manage the protection of intellectual property rights through patent applications and other legal measures. Collaborate with legal teams to ensure proper documentation and safeguarding of proprietary information.
• Foster a culture of innovation by collaborating with other departments, including marketing, engineering, and product development, to align innovation efforts with business objectives; including working with Development Scientists to build prototypes
• Facilitate open communication and brainstorming sessions to encourage a collaborative and creative environment and generate innovative ideas and concepts. Conduct thorough research and feasibility studies to assess the potential of proposed ideas
• Establish key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure the success of R&D innovation initiatives. Regularly assess the performance of projects, teams, and individual contributors to identify areas for improvement and allocate resources effectively. Identify skill gaps within the team and coordinate training initiatives to enhance expertise and capabilities
• Lead projects to completion, in a timely manner, and within budget. Develop and maintain project plans, tracking progress and resolving any obstacles that may arise. Build process of innovation to day-to-day management process
• Monitor industry developments and competitor activities to identify potential risks associated with R&D projects and implement mitigation strategies to minimize negative impact to stay ahead of the market and mitigate potential threats
• Participate in and lead special projects and assignments, as required
**If you’d like to hear more about this opportunity and others we are currently working on, please contact Kristine O’Sullivan at kosullivan@cps4jobs.com.
JO: 270AKO.23
#LI-KO1
Job Requirements
SKILLS / KNOWLEDGE:
• Demonstrate leadership skills and the ability to inspire and motivate cross-functional teams
• Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving abilities to assess market trends and identify potential opportunities
• Ability to adapt to a dynamic and fast-paced environment, embracing change and uncertainty
• Deep and holistic understanding of the innovation process, from ideation to commercialization
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:
• Bachelor's degree in a relevant field (e.g., Engineering, Science, Technology), required. Master's or Ph.D., preferred
• Over 10 years’ experience in leading R&D teams, innovation projects or equivalent experiences
• Mastery of project management skills with a track record of successfully delivering projects on time and in budget
• Familiarity with emerging technologies and trends in the CPG industry
• Prior experience in developing and protecting intellectual property, preferred
ABOUT SIMPLY GOOD FOODS
Simply Good Foods USA, Inc. is an operating affiliate of The Simply Good Foods Company (Nasdaq: SMPL)
(“Simply Good Foods”). Simply Good Foods aims to lead the nutritious snacking movement with trusted brands that offer a variety of convenient, innovative, great-tasting, better-for-you snacks and meal replacements. Our nutritious snacking platform consists of mission-driven brands, including Atkins® and Quest®, that enable consumers to meet their nutritional goals and fuel their healthy lifestyles.
Our approach to nutrition has the potential to change lives and we’re looking for great people to join our team who are committed to providing people a more nutritious way to eat. Simply Good Foods is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, marital status, age, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, pregnancy, genetic information, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status, or any other status protected under federal, state, or local law.
WHAT WE VALUE:
We are committed to attracting, developing and retaining a diverse workforce that infuses equity and belonging throughout our culture and business practices. We celebrate diversity and are dedicated to creating an inclusive environment for our employees.
This commitment is driven by our core values, which guide our daily interactions with one another and influence how we show up each day by creating transparency and developing trust across Team Simply, and with our vendors and external partners. Our five core values are:
• Lead with Innovation
• Act with Integrity
• Be Empowered
• Succeed through Interdependence
• Bring Passion Every Day
COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS:
The health, satisfaction and well-being of our employees are important to us and an integral part of our organization’s goals. In this spirit, we are excited to share the available compensation for this role, which includes a base salary range and an annual short-term incentive.
The projected CA salary is: $160,000- $180,000 exclusive of benefits or additional incentives (highlighted here). Additionally, this position is eligible for an annual short-term incentive target of 25% and long-term incentive target of 20%. If you are hired at Simply Goods Foods, your final base salary compensation will be determined based upon such factors as: geographic locations, skills, training, education and/or experience. Please keep in mind that mind that hiring at the range maximum would not be typical in order to allow for future and continued salary growth. Lastly, we offer a total rewards package that includes competitive compensation, and best-in-class health and wellness options. We understand that each employee’s situation is unique - Our intent is to deliver an overall benefits package that can be tailored to each employee to support their exclusive lifestyles, as well as, the needs of their families. All full-time employees and their eligible dependents have access to medical, dental and vision insurance, health reimbursement arrangement (company paid), life and disability coverage, 401(k) retirement plan, and other voluntary benefits. We offer time off benefits including vacation time, sick leave, flexible time off (for exempt positions) and paid parental leave, plus remote workdays on Monday and Friday.
**If you’d like to hear more about this opportunity and others we are currently working on, please contact Kristine O’Sullivan at kosullivan@cps4jobs.com.
JO: 270AKO.23
#LI-KO1
Meet Your Recruiter
Kristine O'Sullivan
Sr. Partner
The Food and Beverage Division specializes in the placement of technical professionals in the food and beverage industry from entry level to executive level candidates. I have a talented group of recruiters who specifically source Technical Sales Professionals, Scientists, Regulatory Affairs, Scientific Affairs, Executive Technical professionals, Quality Assurance, Product Development, Technical Service, Nutrition, Analytical and Corporate Chefs. We work on both a contingent basis for professional level searches and retained search for executive level searches. CPS, Inc. has been in the talent recruitment business for 40+ years and we recruit nationwide.