Director, R&D Commercialization

Little Caesars•Detroit, MI

33d•Hybrid

About The Position

Bigger Better Future Imagine working for a company that measures its success based off the growth of its colleagues, a company that invests in its future by investing in you. Little Caesars is a company where our colleagues make an impact. Your Mission: The Director, R&D Commercialization will lead and manage R&D projects associated with commercializing new products and product platforms within our organization. This role is critical in driving the company’s innovation pipeline and ensuring the successful market launch of new products. The ideal candidate will be responsible for leading and managing commercialization strategies, processes, timelines, and collaboration partnerships with suppliers, Supply Chain, QA, Finance, and Marketing. This role will also be accountable for managing commercialization managers as well as executing commercialization projects.

Requirements

A bachelor’s degree in food technology, food chemistry, food microbiology, product development, food science, or culinary science is required.
Candidates must possess 7–10 years of experience in research and development as well as team management.
Applicants should demonstrate a proven track record in the successful commercialization of ingredients.
Strong leadership skills with the ability to manage people and projects.
Excellent communication, organizational, and problem-solving abilities.
Ability to work collaboratively with cross-functional teams.
Passion for food, the science behind it, and innovation.
Possesses high standards of food quality and detail.
Self-starter with strong project management and documentation skills
Ability to travel 30-40% by car or plane domestic and internationally.

Nice To Haves

Experience in quality assurance is highly valued, and a background in R&D and commercialization or scale-up within the quick service restaurant (QSR) sector is preferred.
Experience with international product launches and knowledge of global market dynamics.
Expertise in project management software and tools.
Background in managing multiple projects at once.
Ability to motivate teams and achieve set objectives.

Responsibilities

Leads and manages the commercialization of new products and product platforms.
Ensures compliance with Little Caesars Quality Standards, Manufacturing Programs, regulatory requirements and industry standards throughout the commercialization process.
Fosters a culture of continuous improvement and innovation within the R&D team.
Develops and implements commercialization strategies, processes, and timelines.
Collaborates with suppliers, Supply Chain, QA, Finance, and Marketing to ensure successful product commercialization.
Manages and mentors commercialization managers.
Works with suppliers to explore, test, and finalize ingredients requested by the culinary team for new product development.
Partners with suppliers to scale ingredients, develop specifications, identify key product attributes, validate ingredient yields, document and validate final recipes, and manage final recipes for food costing and financial analysis.
Stays abreast of food science and technical innovations.
Sources high-quality ingredients and foster relationships with suppliers and vendors.
Represents the R&D Department in executive meetings and contributes to strategic planning.
Participates in culinary, marketing, and promotional activities to enhance the brand's culinary reputation.