Head - Innovation & R&D

About the Company

A rapidly scaling, innovation-first FMCG company focused on redefining consumer food choices through healthier, science-driven products. The organization combines strong R&D capabilities, consumer insights, and manufacturing excellence to build high-quality, market-leading offerings.

Roles and Responsibilities

• Product Development & Formulation
• Lead recipe development and prototype creation aligned with market trends
• Design formulations balancing taste, nutrition, cost, and manufacturability
• Conduct sensory evaluation, shelf-life testing, and quality analysis
• Develop SOPs, BOMs, and technical documentation
• Scale-Up & Manufacturing
• Manage transition from lab-scale to commercial production
• Partner with contract manufacturers and resolve scale-up challenges
• Establish quality checkpoints and standardize manufacturing processes
• Ensure packaging compatibility and product stability
• Regulatory & Compliance
• Ensure adherence to food safety and regulatory standards
• Manage product approvals, labeling, and compliance requirements
• Guide ingredient sourcing in line with safety standards
• Vendor & Stakeholder Management
• Manage external consultants and technical experts
• Evaluate and collaborate with ingredient suppliers
• Build strong industry and partner relationships
• Cross-Functional Collaboration
• Partner with product, marketing, and operations teams
• Translate consumer insights into technical product requirements
• Support go-to-market and quality teams with technical inputs
• Innovation & Continuous Improvement
• Identify emerging trends and build innovation pipeline
• Optimize existing products for cost, quality, and sustainability
• Track competitor products and benchmark innovationsDegree in Food Science, Food Technology, or related field
• 5–10 years of experience in FMCG/food product development
• Proven track record of taking products from concept to commercialization
• Strong expertise in formulation, sensory evaluation, and shelf-life testing
• Understanding of regulatory and food safety standards
• Experience working with contract manufacturing partners
• Strong analytical thinking and problem-solving capability
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills

Skills and qualifications

• Degree in Food Science, Food Technology, or related field
• 5–10 years of experience in FMCG/food product development
• Proven track record of taking products from concept to commercialization
• Strong expertise in formulation, sensory evaluation, and shelf-life testing
• Understanding of regulatory and food safety standards
• Experience working with contract manufacturing partners
• Strong analytical thinking and problem-solving capability
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills

What's On Offer

This role offers a leadership opportunity to drive innovation strategy and build a high-impact product portfolio in a fast-growing organization. You will work closely with senior leadership, influence business direction, and play a critical role in scaling new products, with strong growth potential and competitive rewards.