Provides technical leadership for food product development within R&D, overseeing formulation, process optimization, scale-up, trials, troubleshooting, and commercialization. Leads multiple projects, coaches product developers, reviews technical decisions, and balances quality, cost, feasibility, and business impact. Collaborates with Sales, Marketing, Operations, QA, Purchasing, and Finance to establish priorities and drive continuous improvement.
Job Description: Manager, Product Development Department: R&D – CO/Peachtree
Position Summary
The Product Development Manager provides technical leadership and oversight for product development activities within R&D. This role combines hands-on product development expertise with leadership and coaching to drive high-quality, efficient and scalable development work while strengthening technical rigor, critical thinking and accountability across the team.
Key Responsibilities- Provide technical leadership and direction for product development activities across assigned projects. Lead and supervise Project Levels 1–2, with the ability to support select/lead Level 3 projects as needed
- Guide development approaches and decision-making to ensure sound technical judgment and execution discipline. Review and challenge formulation, process and scale-up work to improve quality and reduce downstream risk
- Coach and mentor product developers to strengthen capability, accountability and
critical-thinking skills. Remain hands-on as needed with formulation, trials, troubleshooting and commercialization support
- Ensure development decisions appropriately consider quality, cost, commercial feasibility and long-term business impact. Support continuous improvement and capability building within the R&D function
- Collaborate cross-functionally with Sales/Marketing, Operations, QA, Purchasing and Finance while leveraging external resources to determine development priorities
- BS in Food Science or a related field required, or equivalent experience. MS in Food Science desirable.
- 8–10 years of progressive experience in food product development or R&D within a food manufacturing environment, including a minimum of 5 years in a management or lead role
- Demonstrated experience leading or supervising product development projects from formulation through scale-up and commercialization
- Proven ability to manage multiple development projects simultaneously, providing timely technical direction and guidance across varying scopes and priorities
- Strong expertise in product formulation, process optimization, experimental design, and quality improvement. Experience evaluating technical tradeoffs related to quality, cost, manufacturing feasibility, and risk
- Prior experience providing technical guidance, mentoring, and leadership to product developers
- Strong analytical, problem-solving, and critical-thinking skills
- Ability to effectively balance hands-on technical work with leadership and oversight responsibilities
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