Chief Research Officer

The Chief R&D Officer will lead the R&D function for a fragrance and flavour business, shaping its innovation strategy and supporting continued growth.

• Develop and implement R&D strategies aligned with business goals, market trends and customer needs.
• Lead the innovation pipeline for new fragrance and flavour formulations, maintaining fast development timelines.
• Oversee product development from concept through to launch.
• Collaborate with Account Management, Marketing, Production and Regulatory Affairs to ensure successful development and compliance at formulation and finished-product level.
• Direct research into new ingredients, technologies and industry trends.
• Foster a collaborative culture of innovation, creative problem-solving and continuous improvement.
• Lead and mentor scientists, perfumers, flavourists and laboratory technicians, managing project timelines, budgets and resources.
• Ensure products meet quality standards and regulatory requirements, and maintain best practices in laboratory operations and safety.
• Work closely with Marketing to develop new product concepts informed by consumer insights and R&D research.
• Contribute to the development of a planned educational campus supporting the next generation of scientists and evaluators.

• Significant R&D leadership experience, ideally 15+ years within fragrance, consumer goods or related industries.
• An advanced degree in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering or a related discipline. A PhD is desirable but not essential.
• Proven people-management experience and a track record of successful product launches and innovation.
• Exposure to fragrance or chemicals, gained within a fragrance house or consumer goods business. Experience in home care, personal care or candles is particularly relevant.
• Understanding of fragrance formulation and sensory evaluation. A perfumer or evaluator background is not required.
• Strong emotional intelligence, communication, collaboration and project-management skills.
• A hands-on leadership approach suited to a lean organisation, with the willingness to learn, build relationships and evolve established ways of working.
• Experience across multiple product categories, international markets and complex regulatory environments is advantageous.
• Familiarity with sustainable and environmentally responsible product development is desirable.