Director, Innovation and Product Development, Salty Snacks

Location: Massillon, Ohio

Our Client (“The Company”) is a leading snack manufacturer based in Ohio. The Company operates eleven state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities in Ohio, Iowa, Arizona, Pennsylvania, Minnesota, Texas, Oregon, Arkansas, Virginia and Canada and received the snack food industry's highest sustainability award for environmental responsibility.

The Company offers its customers a unique value proposition that includes innovation, product development, manufacturing, and category management expertise.

Competitive Environment.

 Because of the unique business model and value proposition, the Company has very few competitors that match its total portfolio of capabilities. Drivers of Growth/”Reasons to Believe”

 The Company has more than quadrupled its growth over the last 10 years through strategic acquisition and organic growth, making it the leading private label and contract manufacturer of salty snacks, cookies, and crackers.

 The Company is a strategic supplier to a diverse customer base of leading retailers and branded snack food companies.

 Product innovation, technical product development, and category management are important and significant capabilities and set the Company apart from its smaller competitors in establishing a value proposition in the market place.

The Company provides the opportunity to be part of a values-based culture where people and communities are considered important stakeholders and respect, teamwork, and giving back are key cultural guideposts.

SCOPE AND RESPONSIBILITIES: The Director, Innovation & Product Development has a primary responsibility to refine and add onto the Company’s R&D capabilities. This position is key into sustaining and exceeding their current capabilities from an R&D perspective. This key role also has a direct career path to a Vice President position in the origination. The Director will also lead and direct their branded products with a growing number of new product development initiatives as a leader of the Product Life Cycle & Innovation team within the Company’s Salty Snacks Commercial Team. This role is accountable for leading the dynamic and fast growing demands of a critical process and core capability for Shearer’s business. This position manages the needs of both internal and external partners and is key as the business continues to scale.

The Director, Innovation & Product Development leads the product development team of salaried and hourly associates whose roles include Food Technology and Seasoning/Sample Lab technicians. This role is responsible for the execution and continuous improvement of Shearer’s New Product Development (NPD) processes and documents and contributes expertise and leadership to the Company’s New Product Commercialization Stage-Gate Process. Additional roles and responsibilities include identifying, vetting, and developing supplier partnership and championing direct customer relationships. This position works extensively with cross-functional and supporting departments including: Technical Services, Processing, QA, Scheduling, Operations, Procurement, Manufacturing and Commercialization Management. The Director, Innovation & Product Development reports to the Vice President, Product Life Cycle & Innovation.

Specific Responsibilities:

 Craft, develop and refine new processes, programs, and platforms to gain consumer insights and drive product development ideation.

Effectively lead the Company’s Innovation and Product Development team and prioritize and execute projects.

Direct new product ideas from inception through to food solution ensuring adherence to the Company’s stage gate process approach to vet, validate and launch innovation. Ensure projects launch on time and on budget.

 Create new product forms (e.g. bases) and flavors (e.g. seasonings) and conduct proof of concept work.

 Build supplier partnerships by working in conjunction with Procurement and Quality to leverage and deliver quality ingredients and finished products that meet on-trend customer needs. Collaborate and partner with external suppliers to source resources, solve challenges and contribute to the Company’s commitment to ongoing product innovation.

 Identify opportunities for growth, and initiate project work to present new ideas to customers. Engage and consult with leadership including the Company’s Innovation Steering Team to review innovation opportunities and secure alignment and resource support to execute.

 Complete and review nutrition and ingredient information for new products working in conjunction with the Company’s Regulatory and Formulations Manager. Provide technical product support to sales team with regards to ingredients, NLEA, marketing claims and food business regulatory issues.

 Lead the Company’s sensory capabilities and design and execute value add capabilities including consumer panels and competitive cutting evaluations. Develop and conduct the Company’s internal sensory panels and capabilities. Direct external panel work and expert panel review work.

 Direct, manage, and continuously improve accurate and effective research and development of new formulations, seasoning and raw material evaluations.

 Ensure new products are in compliance with the Company’s Global Food Safety Initiative SQF Level 3 commitment to excellence. Track and manage the development of new and proposed products’ technical ingredient and raw material specifications including key quality assurance components of allergens, nutritional information, shelf life and more.

 Work with QA and sanitation to communicate allergens or other food safety and nutritional concerns to ensure accurate new product trials and product launches.

 Design, direct and lead continuous improvement efforts including initiatives that deliver cost savings without impact to quality.

 Build a working knowledge of all production lines and the processes involved in product manufacturing. Understand the impact of these processes on the finished product with respect to nutritional composition and regulatory compliance.

 Foster, coach and develop teamwork, encourage continuous learning and model positive leadership across the organization.

Reporting Relationships (between two facilities: Massillon, OH, and Perham, MN):

 Reports to the Vice President of Product Lifecycle and Innovation

 Direct reports: Food Technologists and Seasoning Samples Manager

Indirect reports: Lab Technicians and Documentation Specialist Peer Interfaces and other Internal/External Interfaces: Internal

 Commercialization Management

 Quality Assurance & Regulatory

 Category Management & Customer Marketing

 Sales

 Manufacturing

 Procurement

 Finance External

Seasoning and other raw material suppliers

 Customers

QUALIFICATIONS:

 B.S. Degree in Food Science or related field.

 6+ Years of experience in product development in the food industry including formulation design.

 Strong business acumen and ability to think strategically for long term growth.

 Expertise using Genesis.

 Demonstrated capability in evaluating Regulatory and Marketing packaging claims.

 Proficient with Microsoft Office software suite.

 Travel up to 25% to production plants, customers, suppliers and other business needs.

Excellent ability to organize, track, and maintain details.

 Proven track record of success and has professed into positions of increasing responsibility.

For more information contact Nick Ingram at