Innovation Manager

Job Description

Position Summary: 

Reporting to the General Manager, the Innovation Manager is responsible for leading the organization's product innovation initiatives. This role plays a critical part in ensuring the consistent quality of the organization's products, driving continuous improvement, and developing new and innovative solutions to meet customer needs. 

Mission: 

• Support Lesaffre South Africa and Bakelab to achieve our growth objectives for the ingredient’s activity.  

• Collaborate with formulators in the MEA region by providing advice and support. 

• Lead several formulation projects for the Lesaffre South Africa and Bakelab to develop new solutions meeting customer demand and market trends. 

• Ensure the efficiency and the cost-competitiveness of our products range. 

• Comprehensive understanding and close monitoring of the raw materials to assess their possible benefits. 

• Formulation support for Baking Center technicians by guiding them towards the products best suited to their requests. 

• Support sales and marketing to help them better understand product. 

• Provide technical support to operations for daily duties. 

• Drive innovation and continuous improvement to enhance the organization's product offerings and manufacturing capabilities. 

• Contribute to the overall competitiveness, customer satisfaction, and long-term success of Lesaffre South Africa and Bakelab 

Main Responsibilities: 

Product Innovation and Development: 

• Formula conception of new innovative and profitable product formulas meeting customer preferences while maintaining quality standards. 

• Update and optimize existing products by carrying out benchmarks and integrating new high-performance raw materials. 

• Conduct experiments, such as tests in the Baking Center or at customer facilities. 

• Co- animate the ingredients project review. 

• Maintain accurate records of all product development and formulation information, including adjustments and modifications, in our IT tools, including LIP. 

• Provide technical briefings to the sales and marketing teams on the new product developed, including PowerPoint presentations. 

• Develop and conduct technical training programs on ingredient solutions and functionalities for sales and marketing teams and newcomers. 

• Collaborate with the operations team to ensure effective and efficient production, including streamline of the raw material references and handling recycling requests and quality complaints. 

• Lead project funnels in line with sales teams. 

Continuous Improvement and Optimization: 

• Provide training and development opportunities to the Quality and Production teams to enhance their skills and capabilities. 

• Analyse performance data and customer feedback to identify areas for improvement and drive the implementation of innovative solutions. 

Stakeholder Collaboration and Communication: 

• Collaborate with the Production, Supply Chain, and Sales teams to align quality and innovation initiatives with the organization's overall business objectives. 

• Communicate effectively with the General Manager and other senior leaders to provide updates, share insights, and address any quality-related concerns. 

• Represent the organization's quality and innovation functions and serve as a subject matter expert in cross-functional initiatives. 

Qualifications

Education and Experience: 

• Bachelor's degree in Food Science 

• Minimum 7-10 years of experience in quality management, product development, or innovation leadership roles, preferably in the food manufacturing or consumer goods industry 

• Proven track record of driving continuous improvement 

Technical Skills: 

• Proficient in using quality control, product development, and data analysis software 

• Strong understanding of food science, manufacturing processes, and quality management principles 

• Expertise in implementing and maintaining food safety management systems, such as HACCP and FSSC 22000 

Personal Attributes: 

• Strategic and analytical mindset with the ability to translate data into actionable insights 

• Excellent problem-solving and decision-making skills to address complex quality and innovation challenges 

• Strong leadership and team-building skills to effectively manage the Innovation within the business 

• Effective communication and interpersonal skills to collaborate with cross-functional stakeholders 

• Commitment to continuous improvement and the development of innovative solutions 

Additional Information

Working Conditions: 

• Combination of office-based and production facility work. 

• Ability to work under pressure and meet tight deadlines, including occasional weekend or overtime work.