Sr. Director, Plant-Based Foods Innovation & Commercialization

This is an exciting entrepreneurial leadership opportunity within an ultra-innovative category defining plant-based food & beverage, functional foods and nutritional products company with new research labs and expansive growth plans. You will be charged with overseeing new Product Development, Innovation and Commercialization of innovative new lines of vegan plant-based dairy alternatives including beverage, coffee creamers, sour cream and meatless/plant-based meat products from product launch through to commercialization. Your overall roles and responsibilities will include:

Overseeing Product Development, Innovation and Commercialization of innovative non-dairy food & beverage products including beverage, coffee creamers, sour cream and meatless/plant-based meat products and category defining all natural plant-based dairy food alternatives.

Overseeing Product Development and Innovation to introduce and grow non-dairy food & beverage products including milked beverage, coffee creamers, sour cream and meatless/plant-based meat products and category defining all natural plant-based dairy food alternatives.

Partnering with marketing, scientific and technical core team members to define project scope, success criteria, and critical paths while maintaining Stage Gate methodologies from innovation, R&D, process scale up, sensory testing, product launch through to successful completion of post-launch reviews.

Understanding and leveraging the nutritional impact value of products, interpreting results and working with Marketing to further product development efforts.

Driving Scientific Marketing campaigns through content creation, PR campaigns and writing for scientific whitepapers and informational documents.

Effectively communicating scientific and technological concepts to technical and non technical audiences at multiple levels through a variety of mediums to enable sound business decisions.

Driving the success of Business Operations through forecasting, budgeting, P&L accountability, development of KPIs and e-commerce analytics.

Serving as member of the company's leadership team overseeing and developing the emerging Health and Nutrition Science Division.

Desired Skills & Experience

5+ years of successful product development and marketing experience from within plant-based foods, dairy alternative, meatless foods, nutritional products, nutraceutical, infant formula, toddler products and or food-pharma related industries.

MS or Ph.D. in Food Science, Nutritional Science, Nutrition or related scientific field. MD or MBA a plus.

Scientific expertise developing and commercializing non-dairy food & beverage products including milked beverage, coffee creamers, sour cream and meatless/plant-based meat products.

Marketing and Commercialization experience building early stage natural foods, organic foods, plant-based foods, nutraceutical, nutritional products and non-dairy alternative brands into category market leaders.

Project Management experience developing nutritional food products from discovery, R&D, development, product launch through to commercialization phases.

Process Innovation expertise working with aggressive Stage-Gate methodologies.

Scientific lab expertise working with functional foods, plant-based foods, nutritional ingredients, flavor chemistry, nutritional food components, emulsions or sensory science a plus.

Experience developing clinical trial protocols, scientific studies and laboratory testing methods which support marketing claims.

Strong publication, presentation and patent record.

Experience working within FDA, GMP, HACCP and CFR compliance.

Entrepreneurial, visionary and strategic leadership experience with the ability to work within a dynamic fast paced ultra innovative environment.

Company Description

This position is within a Buffalo Area natural products and nutritional foods spinoff company backed by a major CPG, Dairy and Nutritional Products Manufacturer. It is an incredible opportunity to get on board within an ultra-innovative, fast paced and friendly entrepreneurial environment with an exciting portfolio of new product launches.