Sr. Manager R&d

**Position Title**:Sr. Manager R&D

**Position Type**: Regular - Full-Time

**Position Location**: VilleneuvedAscq RD

**Grade**: Grade 06

**Requisition ID**: 37282

**As R&D Manager for the Potato Category in the EMENA region, you will**be responsible for** leading the development and delivery of a robust product pipeline that drives innovation, portfolio maintenance, and value creation across our potato portfolio in all channels (Retail, Foodservice and QSR).**

**You will work cross-functionally with Marketing, Commercial, Operation, Supply Chain, Engineering, TechOps, Procurement, Global R&D, and other disciplines,**leveraging** strong project management principles to ensure best-in-class execution.**

**You will also**be responsible for** the day-to-day management and development of a high-performing technical team, fostering a collaborative and growth-**mindset** culture. Through close alignment with global and regional business strategies, you will translate consumer insights and demand spaces into product development initiatives, championing operational efficiency, and technical excellence.**

**What you’ll be doing.**

Product Development & Technical Leadership
- You lead the successful execution of product development projects from concept through commercialization, ensuring adherence to quality, safety, time, and cost standards, for new products, renovation, cost optimization, product maintenance and manufacturing efficiency.
- You’re the main partner with Marketing, Consumer Insights and Sensory & UX teams to translate consumer needs and demand spaces into actionable technical briefs.
- You provide technical project leadership, representing technical functions in the stage-gate process (ILT): Procurement, TechOps, Manufacturing.
- You will partner with manufacturing to successfully scale up new product and process designs.
- You actively participate in EMENA and GB Management Team, staying informed of business/industry priorities and conveying this information to your team.
- You identify synergies and efficiencies with GB R&D and Global R&D for Interco, SCA, and global innovation programs.
- You oversee the budget management for Potato for EMENA.

Communication
- You provide consistent updates on project milestones and risks to R&D leadership: (Sr) Director/VP using standardized reporting and governance tools.

People Leadership & Team Development
- You manage and coach a team of scientists and technical leads across the EMENA region.
- You build team capability on process technology, product design, scale up and data driven decision making. You also build a culture of technical curiosity, accountability, continuous improvement and growth mindset.
- You drive people performance plans, conduct regular KPI reviews, and support succession planning for all direct reports. Ensure the successful completion of Personal Development Plans (PDPs) in collaboration with them. Utilize these reviews as effective development tools for team members by conducting quarterly evaluations.
- You’re the champion of team development, especially in areas like Design of Experiments (DOE), prototype design, and manufacturing scale-up.

**What you’ll need to be successful.**
- Minimum of 8 years of working in a fast-moving consumer goods and food environment
- A proven experience in leading product development projects, ideally on a regional scope.
- Strong understanding of quality, safety, time, and cost management.
- Excellent understanding of process technology.
- Savvy with data and experimental design, enabling data driven decision making.
- Ability to build and maintain strategic relationships.
- Degree level in food science or technology, chemical engineering or related.
- Experience of managing people and delivery of NPD and VE projects to consumer requirements using project management Principles.
- Full clean Driving Licence and willingness to travel as and when required
- Excellent communication (verbal, written) proven at senior levels in cross-departmental working
- Passionate about developing people

**Benefits of the role**.**
- An environment where you can continue to grow and learn everything about the international food industry
- A competitive salary over 13 months
- Profit-sharing/participation around 10%
- 35 days of annual leave (25 days of paid vacation and 10 days of reduced working time)
- An excellent pension plan
- Mutual insurance, life insurance, PEE & PERECO
- The national collective agreement for the processed food industry applies

**About the team**.**

You report to the R&D Director and manage 5 people.

**About McCain**.**

**Click Here** to learn more about McCain** and how w**e provide you with opportunities to make an impact that matters**.**

**Leadership principles**.**

**At McCain, our leadership principles**guide** how we engage with customers, collaborate as a team, and achieve success. We focus on understanding customer needs, driving innovation, empowering people, and taking