Senior R&D Technologist - Soups & Innovation

The Senior R&D Technologist – Soups & Innovation sits within R&D for the Heinz Brand in the UK&I BU Mealz Business (including export). The role leads technically large and/or highly complex projects through the company development process, driving robust technical plans, cross-functional delivery, and high product quality standards. This position is accountable for coaching and performance management of junior technologists, partnering closely with Marketing, Commercial, Operations, and suppliers to deliver against agreed briefs and timelines.

You’ll be working in a high performing team, alongside peers always trying to reach the next level. You’ll be reporting to the Senior R&D Manager UK&I. This role communicates very strongly with internal senior stakeholders.

• Lead complex technical projects end-to-end
  • Lead technically large and/or highly complex projects through the company process.
  • Partner with cross-functional teams, challenge decisions as appropriate, anticipate risks, and define mitigations or pivot opportunities.
• Execute prototyping, development, and validation
  • Execute prototyping and product development in line with the agreed brief and experimental plan.
  • Carry out required analytical and validation tests to support product and process readiness.
  • Collaborate with and leverage strategic suppliers to drive efficiency in insights, prototyping, and development.
• Own technical project planning and delivery
  • Create, own, and deliver the technical project plan, including execution milestones and dependencies.
  • Contribute to and align other functions’ activities within the overall project plan; drive timely completion of cross-functional actions.
• Ensure product quality and consumer experience
  • Ensure product quality standards and organoleptic properties are met or over delivered.
  • Deliver products that provide an exceptional consumer experience and meet defined technical and quality requirements.
• Drive ideation and value creation
  • Generate and develop ideas and new processes that support innovation, renovation, regulatory compliance, and value creation.
• People leadership and capability building
  • Manage, coach, and mentor product technologists to support growth, capability, and performance in role.
  • Support direct reports through annual growth and development processes (including performance and development planning).
• Budget and resource management
  • Create and manage budgets for projects and/or departmental needs.
  • Coordinate resources to enable delivery of commitments across the portfolio

• Bachelor’s or MSc in Food Science & Technology (or equivalent in a related field such as Biology, Chemistry, or Engineering).
• 5+ years of experience in Product Development within the food industry.
• 3+ years of experience managing a small team of technologists
• Ability to deal with complex projects and build effective partnerships with other functions
• Consumer & customer focus.
• Ability to translate science & technology into consumers solutions, strategic thinking
• Creative & energetic, flexible & pragmatic, resilient.
• Strong communication skills, influencing and presentation skills.
• Excellent communication in English

• Team player
  • Fast integration in the team. High performance team mentality. You connect easily with people and feel motivated by international environment and experience different cultures.
• Ability to Simplify
  • Your ability to simplify and pragmatism will be highly appreciated, as your capability to translate complex data into a simple solution with your analytical mindset.
• Multitasking
  • Manage multiple assignments/tasks concurrently with the ability to question the priority of work. Willing to work in a high pressure but rewarding environment.
• Technical expertise
  • Possess strong…