R&D MANAGER
JOB DESCRIPTION
1- What’s a R&D Manager ?
A Research and Development Manager is responsible for research, planning and implementing new programs in the company. S/he oversees and monitors the entire process of creation or improvement for new products and programs from the initial planning phase until the production.
The main responsibility for a R&D Manager is to keep updated about the industry and innovations in order to fit the customers’ expectations and remain competitive on the market. S/he is led to work with other departments like the marketing or sales to define new project goals and gather the consumers’ insights.
2- What are the main missions ?
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Implementing new research programs to develop or enhance the products or services’ offer from the company
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Establishing a testing process with prototypes, following-up every step and reporting to senior management every technical issue
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Developing new concepts with the Business Unit and monitor the overall costs of research
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Keeping updated about the customers’ reviews with the Marketing team
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Leading research projects and make recommendations to the top-management to reach the sales goals
3- What are the required competencies ?
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Leadership and management skills
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Budgeting ability
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Communication and presentation skills
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Ingenuity and creativity
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Analytical and understanding skills
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Ability to see the big picture of a project and pay attention to details
4- How to become a marketing manager in the Food & Beverage Industry ?
To become a R&D Manager, you need to have graduated at least from a Bachelor degree but a Master degree is the best. The most common diplomas in this field are engineering so, it can be quite general. However, many universities or schools deliver engineering diplomas with a specialization like Agribusiness, Food & Nutrition etc. There are also more and more engineering schools dedicated to the food industry. Here is a not exhaustive list of schools in Europe to get enrolled in this studies :
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European Master Food Innovation and Product Design, Agroparistech (France)
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Master of Food Technology, KU Leuven (Belgium)
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MSc Agricultural Technology and Innovation, Royal Agricultural University (England)
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Master Agribusiness Development, AERES Applied Sciences (Netherlands)
Generally, to access a R&D Manager position, 5 years of experience in the covered area as a development specialist and around 3 years of experience as a supervisor are required.
5- What are his/her main challenges today ?
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Being innovative in a really competitive market
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Answering the consumers’ expectations, who are increasingly demanding about a product’s functionality, packaging, use etc.
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Developing new products and services which fit the CSR policy and are sustainable. Which means also, sourcing sustainable materials and rethinking all the process of production (packaging, formulation etc.)
6- Why should a R&D Manager in the food industry come on uFoodin ?
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To keep an eye on the market, innovations and competitors
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To find new business partners (manufacturers, producers, consulting companies)
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To lead surveys to professionals, gather reviews and publish about his/her company’s latest innovations
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To recruit new talents in the R&D field : we have thousands of people specialized in R&D.
