Director, Product Development, Global Coffee

Please note: This is not a Remote role and will require the incumbent to be based in Tokyo, Japan and follow a hybrid work schedule. This is a People Leader/ Manager role.

Our approach to business is to start with facts, based in science and our passion is to work towards a better shared future to make a difference in people’s lives, communities, and our planet. Our scientists help support that future and we are looking for an individual that will support the execution of new product development initiatives designed to create the robust pipeline of innovations across categories to meet the short and the long-term priorities of the region. We are currently seeking a Director, Product Development, Global Coffee who is experienced in setting the direction for product developments for 1–3- year innovation pipeline and technology development in partnership with our Operating Unit, Technical C Supply Chain, Marketing, and other related functions.

The Director, Product Development – Global Coffee will work closely with APAC technical center, senior members of Operating Unit (OU) Technical, Innovation and Supply Chain (TISC), marketing, Strategy teams, and Commercial Product Supply (CPS), with senior supply chain members of bottlers, to drive and enable 1 to 3-year innovation agenda and pipeline to grow and expand RTD coffee category. Lead the Global RTD coffee Japan innovation team to deliver agreed annual Japan South Korea OU business plans (only Japan) with full alignment of RCD priorities and resources. Lead and manage productivity and business continuity programs for APAC RCD. Provide leadership to ensure the right capability and capacity to meet the short-term and long-term OU needs. Additionally, as one of team members in global coffee team, this role will co-create 3+ global future innovation agenda with team members working on global agenda and

global other functions.

What You’ll Do for Us

• Lead the delivery and co-develop of the product innovation strategies to deliver annual Operating Unit’s business plan targets and 1–3-year pipeline for growth, productivity, and continuity plans.

• Lead the delivery of the Operating Unit’s relevant aspects of the technical needs for quality and productivity initiatives. Define the organization objective and targets to deliver business commitments, with clear metrics.

• Plans, manages and resource work prioritization across a team, while developing diverse and inclusive team.

• Collaborate with team members working for global agenda and other enterprise team members and import/export consumer insights linked to technical solution to drive pipeline development and to support category development.

• Ensure technical efforts on category learnings from consumer insights, business models, competitions benchmarking and important technology trends, such as patent to deliver advantaged solutions.

• Enable the assessment of intellectual property across the product pipeline.

• Together with key stakeholders, develop the RTD coffee category innovation pipeline to drive innovative product solutions across the APAC region that meet consumer and customer needs through product guidance insights.

• Lead and collaborate through strong partnerships with OU technical and Marketing to drive innovative and impactful beverage solutions for RTD coffee category.

• Recommend validated product innovation solutions with an informed defined risk with regional OUs for RTD coffee category.

• Lead the product development process within relevant categories to leverage support functions and vendor capabilities to ensure completion of development and commercialization success criteria in project execution.

• Manage the overall effective and efficient use of resources within the categories in his/her scope including headcount, budget, and materials, to ensure priorities are handled effectively by modifying plans and actions in alignment with OU needs.

• Lead, inspire and build the capability of his/her team to tap the full potential of each team member.

• Develop and maintain strategic and effective working relationships across the OUs, and related internal and external OU functions to support OU growth initiatives.

• Proactively identify opportunities to drive productivity and system efficiency, build up relevant framework and create a competitive advantage in the area of productivity.

Qualifications & Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in food science, Agriculture science, Chemistry engineering or related field.

• 10+ years relevant experience and knowledge of product development in FMCG Industry, preferably in food and beverage.

• Proven experience in product development or research experience in beverage categories including food ingredients, flavors, concentrates and beverage bases with expertise in category leadership.

• Experience working as people leader or project management leader in team.

• Knowledge and understanding of business economics, value chains, risk management, risk mitigation and storytelling.

• Demonstrated ability to successfully operationalize solutions across cultures, organization lines, in a matrix or networked organizational structure.

• Functional Skills Required in Technical Competency and Credibility. Business Acumen, Strong Leadership, Management, and Influencing Skills.

Related Work Experience:

• Knowledge of how food C beverage ingredients and products interact with manufacturing processes.

• Knowledge of principles of fluid dynamics, mass transfer, and heat transfer, with basic knowledge of microbiology and some chemistry.

• Understanding lab and pilot plant operations, safety risks, and lab operational standards.

• Solid knowledge of product development and the ability to contribute expertise in ingredients, package, nutrition, process, manufacture, etc., especially coffee development.

• Knowledge of project management principles and the ability to apply the principles, tools, and techniques to

• develop/plan, manage or execute multiple projects and tasks or work plans to ensure successful completion (e.g., on time, within budget).

Functional Skills: 

• RTD coffee categories.

• New Product Development. Commercialization.

• Supply Chain.

• Languages: English (Advanced), Japanese (Fluent) Research and Research Application.

• Working knowledge of how to apply Technical Consumer Research.

• Working knowledge of how to leverage cross-functional capabilities to deliver optimal consumer proposition (i.e., Science enablers, process development, packaging development, etc.).

What can help you be successful in the role?

Growth Behavior:

• Growth Mindset: Demonstrates Curiosity. Welcomes failure as a learning opportunity.

• Smart Risk: Makes bold decisions/recommendations.

• Externally Focused: Understands the upstream and downstream implications of his/her work.

• Performance Driven & Accountable: Has high performance standards. Outperforms her/his peers.

• Fast/Agile: Removes barriers to move faster. Experiments and adapts. Thrives under pressure and fast pace.

• Empowered: Brings solutions instead of problems. Challenges the status quo. Has the courage to take an unpopular stance.

Leadership Behavior

• Act Like an Owner: Deliver results, creating value for our brands, our System, our customers and key stakeholders.

• Collaborate with the System, Customers and Key Stakeholders

• Develops Self and Others: Develop self and support others' development to achieve their full potential.

• Drive Innovation: Generate new or unique solutions and embrace new ideas that help sustain our business.

What We Can Do For You 

• Career growth and development: Leveraging our boundaryless network, we provide access to educational platforms and provide coaching, mentoring and feedback, as a part of our Leadership & Development process.

• Diverse and inclusive culture: You’ll be embraced for who you are and empowered to use your voice to help others find theirs. We want to make our culture inevitable.

• International Experience: Become part of international projects and work along multicultural teams, through our global network.

Skills:

Chemistry; Product Development; Continual Improvement Process; Research and Development Operations; Environmental Science; Microbiological Test; Waterfall Model; Food Sciences; Food Technology; Communication; Food Safety and Sanitation; Laboratory Testing; Data Compilation; Quality Control (QC); Green Solutions; Sensory Testing