More jobs:
Associate Director, Product Development
Job in
Wauconda, Lake County, Illinois, 60084, USA
Listed on 2026-05-31
Listing for:
Synergy Flavors, Inc
Full Time
position Listed on 2026-05-31
Job specializations:
-
Manufacturing / Production
Product Engineer, Operations Manager
Job Description & How to Apply Below
Product Development Associate Director
The Product Development Associate Director plays a senior leadership role in driving Synergy Flavors' product development capabilities. This position sets high standards for scientific rigor, product innovation, people leadership, technical strategy, and cross‑functional collaboration.
Roles and Responsibilities- Lead, mentor, and inspire a high‑performing Product Development team, ensuring robust performance management, coaching, and career development.
- Champion a culture that is curious, collaborative, growth‑oriented, resilient, and aligned with Synergy’s values.
- Build organizational capability by developing technical talent, strengthening scientific competencies, and enabling team members to take on increasing levels of responsibility.
- Provide strategic guidance to elevate technical capabilities across savory, beverage, confection, bakery, dairy, and nutrition categories.
- Identify, assess, and translate emerging trends—such as alternative proteins, taste modulation, and sugar/salt reduction—into actionable product and capability development strategies.
- Lead long‑term roadmaps that strengthen Synergy’s culinary science, application science, and innovation toolkits.
- Ensure scientific excellence in formulation design, ingredient functionality, processing considerations, and food manufacturing principles.
- Direct proactive development of finished product prototypes that demonstrate ingredient performance, flavor efficacy, and Synergy’s creative capability.
- Oversee the full innovation cycle—from ideation to prototype creation to customer handoff—ensuring high‑quality deliverables and clear documentation.
- Support customer scale‑up efforts by providing technical guidance, process insights, and troubleshooting for successful commercialization.
- Ensure appropriate use of Good Laboratory Practices within product development activities.
- Drive seamless collaboration and communication with Flavor Creation, Sensory, Research, Sales, Marketing, and Business Development to align project priorities and accelerate innovation.
- Lead continuous improvement initiatives that enhance workflow efficiency, product development processes, and cross‑functional execution.
- Establish clear frameworks, communication pathways, and operating rhythms to strengthen coordination and project outcomes.
- Serve as a key customer‑facing representative, delivering technical presentations, facilitating co‑creation sessions, and demonstrating deep product and application expertise.
- Build strong customer partnerships by providing proactive product development support, insights into emerging technologies, and thoughtful solution recommendations.
- Represent Synergy’s technical capabilities with professionalism and leadership at customer visits, conferences, and collaboration events.
- Contribute to global strategic platforms and communities of practice, sharing knowledge and driving alignment across Synergy’s international R&D teams.
- Engage with global colleagues to leverage shared capabilities, integrate best practices, and support multinational innovation initiatives.
- Bachelor’s degree in Food Science or related applied science. Advanced degree preferred.
- 10+ years of product development experience across food, beverage, and flavor industries.
- 5+ years of progressive people leadership in a food or food ingredient organization.
- Strong oral and written communication skills.
- Deep food science knowledge, including ingredients, processing technologies, and manufacturing considerations.
- Expertise in Good Laboratory Practices within food product development.
Salary Range: $147,000 - $198,000
Carbery Group is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer, committed to fostering a supportive work environment.
#J-18808-LjbffrPosition Requirements
10+ Years
work experience
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