Head of Product Development, B2B Dairy (m/f/d)

Responsibilities:

In this key role, you will report directly to our Global Vice President of R&D and—together with an experienced team of currently seven product developers—take responsibility for a development team focused on our fruit preparations for the dairy, dairy substitute, and food industries.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Leading our fruit preparation product development team (B2B)
• Providing technical and managerial leadership to this team, as well as actively supporting and developing team members
• Taking responsibility for the budget, resources, and development processes
• Strategic and operational management of development projects in close collaboration with our customers
• Identifying trends and translating them into product concepts
• Developing and implementing our innovation and technology strategy for milk and dairy alternative products
• Developing new products, technologies, and applications for our national and international key accounts
• Close collaboration with research and innovation management, as well as liaison with sales, production, QA/QC, and the supply chain
• Management of our formulation development from the initial idea through laboratory testing to scale-up—taking into account economic, regulatory, and sustainability-related aspects
• Ensuring compliance with high quality, process, and documentation standards throughout the entire product development process
• Independently managing selected European key accounts, including providing technical consulting
• Screening and evaluating new or alternative raw materials and suppliers, with a focus on hydrocolloids
• Conducting workshops, product, and technology presentations

Your Profile:

• A successfully completed degree in food technology, nutrition science, or process engineering, or a comparable qualification
• Several years of professional and leadership experience in the development of fruit preparations, dairy products, or related B2B food technologies
• Demonstrable experience in leading and developing teams
• Expertise in food law and relevant quality standards
• In-depth knowledge of recipe development and working with raw materials such as fruits, flavorings, stabilizers, and hydrocolloids
• Very good understanding of the process engineering requirements of the dairy and food industries
• Expertise in project and innovation management
• Proficiency with Microsoft 365 (Office tools)
• Business-level proficiency in spoken and written German and English; knowledge of French is a plus
• Strong presentation and communication skills, as well as a confident demeanor
• A passion for innovation, an entrepreneurial mindset, and strong problem-solving skills
• Confident interaction with B2B customers and a strong customer-focused approach
• A structured, results-oriented approach to work, as well as a willingness to take occasional, primarily European business trips

Perks & Benefits: