Job Information
Dawn Food Products Director Product Development in Jackson, Michigan
_ Dawn Foods is a global leader in bakery manufacturing and ingredients distribution. As the partner of choice for inspiring bakery success, we helpcustomers grow their business through meaningful partnerships, research-driven insights and innovations, and products and expertise they can depend on. As a family-owned company, our commitments to our people, products, customers, and corporate values, are all part of our recipe for success. _ Why work for Dawn Foods?
PEOPLE. PRODUCTS. CUSTOMERS.
Why should you apply? We invest in you! Industry-leading health insurance on Day 1! Competitive Pay 401(K) + company match 10 Paid Company Holidays 3 weeks PTO Professional training Family-owned business over 100 years in service An opportunity for career advancement, working as part of an empowering workforce.
About the Job This position is responsible for oversight of the Product Development Dry Mix organization for all North America. This role will oversee all activities required to support Dawn's core dry mix business including product development and managing a core group of employees. The types of projects will include, but not be limited to, custom product development, manufacturing and quality support, raw material evaluation, cost reduction, and coordinating cross functional projects with Procurement, Marketing, and Regulatory. The expectations of this role are to oversee not only the day-to-day management of the product development organization, but also resource allocation, prioritization, conflict resolution, and ensuring that projects get completed on time. In addition, they will be responsible for working with the PMO to look for continuous improvement opportunities on how we execute projects. They will oversee full product development execution, which includes formulation, bench trials, plant trials, specifications (raw materials, work in process, and finished goods). They will be expected to coordinate with marketing on the strategic goals for Total Cake and Total Donut.
The successful candidate will live local to one of the following plants: Jackson, MI, Louisville, KY, or Burlington, ON. Relocation Assistance Provided Must be able to travel up to 25%
What Does It Take to be a Director for Product Development at Dawn Foods? Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Chemical Engineering, Biological Science or related field required. Proven experience with a minimum of 10 years with a technical background in product development roles within the food or CPG environment. Ability to understand strategic business plans for Dawn's core business and apply it to technical resources. Demonstratable ability in sound scientific processes Demonstrate an owner's mindset when it comes to products and formulations. Experience leading large teams with responsibility for developing and managing direct reports required. Passion for baking and staying updated on latest baking trends and innovations for customers. Persuasiveness and able to influence and motivate others to drive change. Experience in ingredient technology and/or processing required. Demonstrated communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills that communicate complex concepts clearly across different audiences and levels of the organization. Must be able to travel up to 25%
Preferred Qualifications: Master's degree in Food Science, Chemical Engineering, Biological Science, or related field. Experience in the baking industry preferred.
What You'll Do as a Director for Product Development Direct day to day leadership of the North American Dry Mix Product Development team Conduct research and analysis on new project briefs and be the R&D vote to accept or deny projects. Prioritize all project activities within the team. Assign resources to projects. Support qual