Director of Research Development

Director of Research and Development Food Manufacturing London, Ontario The Company: Our client is a leading North American Food Manufacturer with several facilities across Canada and the USA. A leader in their category selling into Food Service, Retail and Wholesale channels nationally, they are seeking a Director of Research & Development / Product Development to lead a team of about 5 Product Developers spanning two Canadian facilities. The Opportunity: Reporting to a VP Research & Development this is great opportunity for someone who loves to lead processes and people. This is a key leadership role responsible for driving product innovation, quality improvement, and technical excellence while ensuring all new and existing products meet performance, cost, and quality standards. With an 20+ year history of high quality food products, this role requires someone who combines scientific rigour with creativity with a Continuous Improvement approach. Looking for a passionate, results-driven, and hands-on leader who combines scientific expertise with creativity and business acumen. The successful candidate will oversee all aspects of the R&D function—guiding product innovation from concept to commercialization, managing a high-performing technical team, and collaborating cross-functionally with operations, procurement, sales, and marketing.Key Responsibilities & Job Duties: • Lead, mentor, and develop the R&D team while fostering a culture of collaboration, accountability, and innovation.• Oversee the development and commercialization of new bakery products and improvement of existing items.• Stay current on consumer trends, technical advancements, and ingredient innovations within the food and bakery industry.• Partner with Operations, Purchasing, and Marketing to execute product scale-up, ensure quality standards, and align with strategic business goals.• Manage vendor approvals, sourcing of alternate ingredients, and Design-to-Value initiatives to optimize cost and efficiency.• Serve as the technical liaison for customer and sales teams, providing solutions and ensuring successful project delivery.• Identify and implement continuous improvement opportunities in product formulation, processing, and technology.• Establish clear priorities, budgets, and performance metrics to support R&D and company-wide objectives.Qualifications & Competencies: • Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Food Engineering, Chemistry, or a related discipline.• 10–15 years of progressive experience in food product development, with at least 5 years in a leadership or management capacity.• Proven track record of successful product launches from concept to commercialization.• Strong understanding of bakery systems, ingredients, and production processes would be an asset.• Excellent leadership, communication, and project management skills.• Financial acumen and experience managing departmental budgets.• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, SharePoint).• Ability to travel up to 25% of the time.This is an outstanding opportunity for a dynamic R&D leader to shape the future of a growing food manufacturer and contribute to developing the next generation of bakery products enjoyed across North America.