Product Development Manager

ABOUT THE COMPANY

For decades, Furlani Foods has combined a rich heritage of making great quality specialty garlic bread products, with an entrepreneurial spirit. We’ve always been passionate and committed to transforming everyday meals into memorable experiences that everyone can enjoy together. The Company operates from four state-of-the-art bakeries in Oak Creek (Wisconsin) and North Liberty (Iowa) in the US and in Mississauga (Ontario) in Canada. We manufacture and distribute specialty topped bread products to North America’s leading retailers and food service operators. At Furlani Foods, we are bakers at heart. We are fueled by a passion for bringing added joy to consumers’ meals, success to our partners, and well-being to our team. We are grounded in our principles of integrity, courage and the relentless drive towards excellence in everything we do.

ABOUT THE ROLE

We are seeking a Product Developer Manager who will be a hands-on expert leading the technical aspects of product development projects through the commercialization process. These projects include innovation, renovation & continuous improvement projects & can range in difficulty from simple to complex. The Product Development Manager will also provide oversight to a team of product developer(s) & help coach, prioritize & problem solve to help them achieve departmental objectives. The Product Development Manager is expected to be collaborative, customer centric & solutions oriented with a continuous improvement mindset. Product Development Manager will take business objectives and translate them to products for our customers.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT:

• Provide hands on technical support and management for new product launches, product changes and cost savings. These projects can be simple to technically complex.
• Work collaboratively with cross functional partners such as Marketing, Sales, Operations, Procurement, QA and Commercialization for new product launches, product changes and cost savings, ensuring high quality products are translated from the bench to production in an efficient & safe manner.
• Conducts plant trials and first production runs to ensure a smooth transition to the commercialization of an approved lab prototype.
• Conducts sensory assessments and prepares sensory reports for product assessments and approvals to standardize sensory practices and protocol.
• Maintains safe and clean working environment by enforcing procedures, rules, and regulations.

CUSTOMER/STAKEHOLDER MANAGEMENT:

• Work collaboratively with cross functional partners to improve ways of working, helping the department to be efficient & effective.
• Responsible to compile departmental metrics.
• Communicates clearly and effectively to all key stakeholders at various levels of business. Keeps key stakeholders informed when issues arise.
• Packs and ships samples as required to customers and stakeholders.

TEAM MANAGEMENT:

• Provide guidance & coaching for product developers/technicians to support product development projects.
• Hold product developers accountable for deliverables & help to problem solve issues.
• Communicate to team clear objectives and deliverables.
• Ensure team is well trained. Opening share learnings and trainings to elevate team skill base.
• Promote a collaborative working environment, both within the function & with cross functionals.

Other Responsibilities:

• Travel required: 25% of the time
• Specifically, but not limited to within North America (USA & Canada).
• Some weekend and/or hours outside regular operating hours may be required.

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE:

• Degree in Food Science, Engineering or Science from a recognized University, or a diploma in Baking or Culinary Arts from a recognized College
• Certified Master Baker preferred.
• 5-10 years of experience in bakery manufacturing, preferably in R&D. Experience with industrial bakery equipment for yeast raised products, breads, rolls or chemically leavened products and with formulating bakery products and associated ingredient functionality.
• Prior management experience is an asset

REQUIRED SKILLS AND PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Proven leadership abilities, with an outstanding communications and interpersonal skills.
• Excellent organizational and time management skills.
• Solid problem solving and decision-making skills, sense of urgency, attention to detail, organization, ability to execute multiple tasks and meeting deadlines.
• A positive, “can do” attitude and team oriented.
• Engagement with employees in the plant is required but some work will be in an office environment.
• Must be willing/able to perform duties and responsibilities in a food manufacturing environment, adhering to all required food safety protocols.
• Safely work independently and around others by following all required site procedures.

SALARY RANGE

• $115K – $125K CAD annually

This posting is for an existing vacancy . Furlani Foods does not use artificial intelligence (AI) to screen, assess, or select applicants. All hiring decisions are made by our Human Resource team and hiring managers.

Furlani Foods is committed to fostering an inclusive and accessible workplace.

Accommodations are available upon request throughout the recruitment and selection process.