Product Development & Support Manager Patisserie

Share our taste for life!
Together with you, we want to empower you to achieve this mission with us. We value you as a person and actively support you on your professional journey, while caring for your future. Join our big little family and let’s make products for you and the world to love.  Do you share our taste for life? 

To support our continuous growth in the bakery category, we are looking for a passionate food developer to strengthen our European R&D team. In this role, you will be based in Ghent with frequent travel to our production plants in Belgium and The Netherlands.

Your key responsibilities and challenges are: 
As Project Leader of NPD projects you are the driver to develop customer demands or ideas into a product, which includes:

• You discuss ideas or customer demands on a technical basis (with commercials, customers, …) and translate these ideas or commercial product demands into technical product definitions.
• You plan and follow up trials in a test bakery (in cooperation with a baker) and on industrial scale (in cooperation with production).
• You get approval of the customer/commercials concerning the developed product (product characteristics, cost price, ingredient declaration, …).
• You transfer and follow-up all necessary information to quality, purchase, packaging, operations, … in order to create the new product.
• Finally you follow-up the first productions to ensure the new product is produced according to the specifications agreed upon during the development.

Concerning innovation:

• You support in the product development part of the innovation funnel.
• You are creative to come with new innovative ideas to drive breakthrough innovation in cooperation with the category manager. 
• You are in contact / close cooperation with external stakeholders  to evaluate new concepts. 

As product expert of a product category:

• You give technical support to the commercial teams and you organize or assist in customer visits to Vandemoortele or technical visits to the customer.
• You know and have a good understanding of the plant capabilities and processing conditions. 
• You are able to keep an helicopter view of the ongoing projects in the defined product group.
• You build up specific technical knowledge through contacts with suppliers & customers, internal networking and literature, patents, seminars, institutes etc.

Major R&D Projects:

• Next to the challenging responsibilities above, you also participate in important R&D projects, including projects outside of the direct scope of the function.

What’s in it for you?    

• You will join our big little family: Our associates are the beating heart of our company – they bring the flavour to our organisation. We cherish each member, prioritising their well-being and supporting their professional journey. As a global family business, we foster a human-centric approach where everyone feels welcome.
• We value you as a person: At Vandemoortele we value each one of our associates and recognise their unique contributions to team successes. We place great importance in giving our associates the freedom to shape their own professional journey. You will have flexible working hours and the opportunity to work from home.
• We care about your future and we support your professional journey: We believe in the power of our associates and the value of their actions and support their career aspirations by offering internal mobility and promotional opportunities. We embrace individual ambitions and encourage our associates to create a successful professional journey and entrust them to take ownership.
• We make products for you to love: We are a team of passionate food enthusiasts. In our mission to shape a tasty future we strive to create a wide range of food solutions that connects people, cultures and traditions. You can kickstart your day with a delicious croissant fresh out of the oven and enjoy tasty food in our company restaurant. In our cosy coffee corners, you will find healthy fruit baskets to enjoy your break to the fullest

Are you the one we’re looking for?

• You hold a Master degree in Engineering (Bio-engineering, industrial engineering, etc.) or equal by experience.
• You have 2 years of experience in product development within the food industry. 
• Above all you are ambitious, energetic, driven and open to receive and give challenges. Your drive and enthusiasm will motivate you to go the extra mile in engaging others.
• As a food Lover, you are passionate by food.
• Your excellent communication and persuasion skills enable you to motivate, drive and engage your internal (R&D, production, purchase, logistics, master data,…) and external stakeholders.
• You are proactive and you are a driver for change. At the same time, you are pragmatic, problem-solving and looking for initiative.
• You are able to work together on major projects and you like to take ownership.
• You have excellent interpersonal and communication skills, both written and verbal, in English, Dutch and French as you will be in close contact with our production plants (French/Dutch)
• You are willing to travel on regular basis to the production sites in Belgium and The Netherlands. For this exciting role you will be working at our Food Experience Center in Ghent.

Join us in making sweet memories!
We look forward to welcoming you to our delicious journey!

Submit your updated CV and compelling cover letter (optional) highlighting your relevant experience and motivation.

For questions or additional information, mail us: Joselien.neyt@vandemoortele.com