R&D Director

Located in Toronto, ON

 

R&D Director

Location: On-Site
Job Type: Full-Time, Permanent
Salary: up to $190,000 per year
Reports To: SVP, Marketing, Innovation & Business Strategy

 

About the Company

Join an established and growing bakery organization with a strong focus on product quality, innovation, and customer value. The company operates in a commercial food manufacturing environment and is focused on developing and commercializing innovative bakery products while continuously improving existing products, processes, and formulations.

 

The organization combines bakery expertise, manufacturing capabilities, and a strong customer focus to bring new products from concept and development through pilot testing and full-scale production. This is an opportunity to play a key leadership role in shaping the company's future product innovation and technical capabilities.

 

Position Summary

Our client is seeking an experienced R&D Director to lead the company's bakery research and development and innovation agenda.

 

Reporting to the SVP, Marketing, Innovation & Business Strategy, the R&D Director will bridge scientific expertise, consumer insights, and commercial execution to drive the development and commercialization of innovative bakery products, technologies, and formulations across multiple product categories.

 

The R&D Director will lead a high-performing team of food scientists, R&D chefs, and bakery technologists, guiding projects from concept and bench-top development through pilot testing and full-scale manufacturing. As the technical leader of the innovation function, this individual will ensure that new concepts are translated into profitable, scalable, and operationally viable products while maintaining high standards of quality, food safety, and regulatory compliance.

 

The successful candidate will work closely with Sales, Marketing, Operations, Manufacturing, Quality Assurance, and Supply Chain to support strategic growth, product improvement, cost optimization, shelf-life enhancement, and successful commercialization.

 

Key Responsibilities

Innovation & Product Strategy

• Define and execute the company's long-term bakery innovation roadmap.
• Translate consumer trends and market opportunities into commercially successful products.
• Lead the product development pipeline from initial concept through commercialization.
• Prioritize R&D investments and resources in alignment with business objectives.
• Build and maintain a robust pipeline of new products and innovation initiatives.
• Identify opportunities to strengthen the organization's technical capabilities and competitive position.

Technical & Product Development Leadership

• Oversee the formulation and development of breads, pastries, batters, doughs, and related bakery products.
• Apply advanced knowledge of ingredient functionality, including flour systems, enzymes, yeast, sugars, fats, and hydrocolloids.
• Lead product development activities from bench-top formulation through pilot testing and full-scale manufacturing.
• Drive shelf-life extension, preservative systems, and moisture-management strategies.
• Lead product reformulation initiatives to improve cost efficiency while maintaining product quality.
• Support the development of innovative bakery products, technologies, and formulations.
• Ensure new products are scalable, manufacturable, and operationally ready for commercialization.

Team Leadership & Capability Building

• Lead, manage, mentor, and develop food scientists, R&D chefs, and bakery technologists.
• Establish clear goals and expectations for the R&D team.
• Build a high-performance culture focused on technical excellence, innovation, and continuous improvement.
• Strengthen organizational technical capabilities through training, mentoring, and professional development.
• Evaluate team performance and identify opportunities for talent development.

Cross-Functional & Commercial Partnership

• Collaborate closely with Sales, Marketing, Operations, Manufacturing, Quality Assurance, and Supply Chain.
• Ensure new products are aligned with customer requirements and commercial objectives.
• Ensure products are profitable, manufacturable, scalable, and operationally viable.
• Provide technical support for customer presentations, product specifications, and pricing discussions.
• Support the successful transition of new products from development into commercial production.
• Work cross-functionally to resolve technical, product, quality, and manufacturing issues.

Quality, Compliance & Food Safety

• Ensure product development activities comply with applicable food safety requirements and regulatory standards.
• Ensure compliance with labeling, allergen, nutritional, and other applicable requirements.
• Maintain high standards of technical excellence throughout product development and commercialization.
• Ensure products are operationally ready and meet established quality requirements prior to launch.
• Support continuous improvement initiatives related to product quality, consistency, and food safety.

Ingredient & Supplier Management

• Identify and evaluate functional ingredients and raw materials for use in product development.
• Develop and maintain strategic relationships with ingredient and technical suppliers.
• Assess ingredient performance and opportunities to improve product functionality and quality.
• Review and optimize legacy formulas where appropriate.
• Identify opportunities to improve product quality, shelf life, functionality, and cost efficiency through ingredient optimization.

 

Key Outcomes

Success in this position will be measured by the ability to:

• Deliver a robust pipeline of profitable new products and innovations.
• Improve existing formulations through quality, shelf-life, and cost optimization.
• Build and develop a high-performing technical R&D team.
• Successfully commercialize new products and ensure operational readiness for full-scale manufacturing.
• Maintain compliance with applicable food safety, labeling, and regulatory requirements.
• Strengthen the organization's position in bakery innovation and technical excellence.

 

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Food Science, Food Engineering, or a related field.
• Professional certification from a recognized Baking and Pastry Arts Management program is highly desirable.
• 10+ years of product development experience in a commercial food manufacturing environment.
• At least 5 years of experience within a high-volume, automated industrial bakery.
• Extensive experience developing and commercializing innovative bakery products, technologies, and formulations.
• Strong technical knowledge of industrial baking processes and machinery.
• Strong understanding of dough rheology, fermentation chemistry, thermal processing, and related bakery science.
• Deep knowledge of ingredient functionality, formulation, product optimization, and shelf-life considerations.
• Proven experience leading product development from concept through pilot testing and full-scale manufacturing.
• Strong leadership and team development capabilities.
• Excellent cross-functional collaboration and stakeholder management skills.
• Strong business acumen and understanding of the commercial implications of product development.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to balance innovation, product quality, manufacturing requirements, cost, and commercial objectives.
• Willingness to work on-site.
• Willingness to undertake occasional business travel.

 

What We Offer

• Salary: up to $190,000 per year.
• Leadership opportunity within an established commercial bakery organization.
• Opportunity to shape the company's product innovation and R&D strategy.
• Ability to lead and develop a multidisciplinary R&D team.
• Opportunity to drive product innovation from concept through commercialization.
• A challenging environment focused on innovation, quality, and continuous improvement.
• Occasional business travel associated with the role.

 

Compliance & Equity Statement

This posting reflects a current employment opportunity. Only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.

 

We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive workplace and encourage applications from all qualified individuals. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, colour, religion, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, disability, marital status, family status, or any other protected ground under applicable provincial and federal human rights legislation.

In accordance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, accommodations are available upon request for candidates participating in all stages of the recruitment and selection process. Applicants requiring accommodation are encouraged to notify the recruiter so appropriate arrangements can be made.

 

The salary listed in this posting represents the expected compensation for this position based on market conditions and internal considerations. Final compensation will be determined based on the selected candidate’s experience, qualifications, and alignment with the role requirements.

 

The recruitment process may include interviews, reference checks, and verification of relevant qualifications or experience. All personal information collected during the recruitment process will be handled in accordance with applicable privacy and employment legislation.

 

Any tools used in the recruitment process are applied in a fair and non-discriminatory manner.

 

Candidates must be legally authorized to work in Canada.

 

 

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