Director, Digital Transformation R&D

IFF•Holmdel Township, NJ

About The Position

How will you shape the future of Scent R&D by unlocking the power of AI driven digital products? IFF is a global leader in flavors, fragrances, food ingredients, and health & biosciences. We deliver sustainable innovations that elevate everyday products. Our Digital ambition is bold: to reimagine every Scent function through intelligent automation and AI‑powered augmentation—freeing our teams to think bigger, move faster, and create the ultimate expression of customer satisfaction and consumer delight. By harnessing the full potential of AI, we will elevate how we innovate, how we create, how we operate, and how we grow—empowering our people to deliver excellence at scale. We will bring this vision to life by building AI‑powered workflows, activating next‑generation AI agents, and transforming digital experiences across every Scent domain—Commercial, R&D, IC&D, Regulatory, Finance Operations, Procurement, and beyond. Together, these capabilities will ignite new levels of creativity, performance, and breakthrough innovation. The Digital Product Director – Scent R&D will be a catalytic leader within the Digital organization, shaping and championing the end‑to‑end digital product and application vision for R&D. This includes defining AI‑augmented workflows and agents, establishing the supporting data strategy, and orchestrating the roadmap that integrates these capabilities into the heart of the Scent digital ecosystem. In this role, you will drive the creation of high‑value digital solutions that accelerate innovation, amplify human creativity, and strengthen operational excellence. As Product Director, you will set the strategic direction, bring together cross‑functional champions, and inspire adoption across the organization—partnering closely with Scent Digital Ecosystems and R&D leadership to scale transformative impact across the globe. The role can be based in Benicarlo (Spain), Neuilly-Sur-Seine (France) or Union Beach, NJ (USA). You will be part of a forward‑thinking, collaborative, high‑impact team where together we unlock creativity, accelerate innovation, and transform how Scent R&D delivers value worldwide.

Requirements

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Business, Product Management, Information Systems, Engineering, or a related field
8+ years of experience in digital product management or product ownership roles
Proven leadership experience managing Product Owners or cross‑functional product teams
Demonstrated success leading complex digital product portfolios or multi‑application ecosystems
Experience working in R&D, creation, or innovation‑driven environments
Strong background in Agile and modern product delivery frameworks
Experience working with large, complex datasets, ideally in chemical, material, or scientific domains
Solid understanding of UX/UI principles, workflow design, and digital solution development

Nice To Haves

Experience designing and scaling AI‑augmented workflows and intelligent automation in R&D environments
Strong expertise in product analytics, KPI definition, and data‑driven decision‑making
Proven ability to influence senior stakeholders and lead global digital transformation initiatives

Responsibilities

Define and continuously elevate the digital product vision for Scent R&D, aligning with business priorities and enterprise transformation goals
Build and orchestrate multi‑year digital product roadmaps that translate user needs into bold, actionable solutions
Lead the creation of AI‑powered workflows, agents, and automation that accelerate R&D innovation and productivity
Drive value‑based prioritization to maximize customer impact, operational excellence, and innovation velocity
Standardize and harmonize digital experiences across new and legacy R&D applications
Lead process transformation initiatives, from requirements definition through deployment and measurable improvement
Establish and govern best‑in‑class product backlogs across the Scent application ecosystem
Define and track KPIs that measure adoption, performance, quality, and business value
Inspire global adoption through effective change management, communication, and training strategies

Benefits

Be at the forefront of AI‑driven transformation within a world‑class Scent R&D organization
Shape digital products that directly impact creativity, innovation, and consumer delight
Work in a highly collaborative, global environment with diverse expertise across science, digital, and business
Lead high‑visibility initiatives with strong executive sponsorship
Grow your leadership impact while developing future‑ready digital capabilities
Join a purpose‑driven company committed to sustainability, innovation, and people development
We are a global leader in taste, scent, and nutrition, offering our customers a broader range of natural solutions and accelerating our growth strategy.
At IFF, we believe that your uniqueness unleashes our potential. We value the diverse mosaic of the ethnicity, national origin, race, age, sex, or veteran status. We strive for an inclusive workplace that allows each of our colleagues to bring their authentic self to work regardless of their religion, gender identity & expression, sexual orientation, or disability.
Visit IFF.com/careers/workplace-diversity-and-inclusion to learn more
At IFF, we make joy through science, creativity and heart. As the global leader in flavors, fragrances, food ingredients, health and biosciences, we deliver groundbreaking, sustainable innovations that elevate everyday products – advancing wellness, delighting the senses and enhancing the human experience. We value an inclusive, creative workplace where all individuals can thrive and do their best work. We consider all qualified candidates equally and based on merit, without regard to religion, ethnicity, national origin, race, age, veteran status, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation or disability.