Temporary Product Development & Support Manager (+/- 1.5 yrs)

Share our taste for life!
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?

In Bakery Products, Vandemoortele offers throughout Europe a wide range of frozen bread products, donuts, pastry, patisserie and savoury products for professional users in the bakery and foodservice channels as well as for retailers, who appreciate the quality and convenience of Vandemoortele’s products. To support our continuous growth in Bakery Products, we are looking for a passionate food developer for a temporary assignment of about 1.5 years. In this role you will strengthen our R&D team in Izegem across our categories of Pastry, Bread and Donuts.

Your role

Project leader of NPD projects:
As Project Leader you are the driver to develop customer demands or ideas into a bakery product, which includes:

• You discuss ideas or customer demands on a technical basis (with commercials, customers, marketing, …) and translate these ideas or commercial product demands into technical product definitions.
• You plan, execute and follow up trials in a test bakery and on industrial scale (in cooperation with production and other R&D colleagues).
• You get approval of the customer/commercials concerning the developed product (product characteristics, cost price, ingredient declaration, …).
• You check, 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.

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.
• You support other NPD and Sr tech expert colleagues in their initiatives.

R&D Systems:

• Finally you manage the R&D systems (recipe management, cost calculation, new ingredients…) and procedures.

What’s in 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, prioritise their well-being and support their professional journey.
• We value you as a person: At Vandemoortele we value each one of our associates and recognise their unique contributions to team successes. You will have flexible working hours and the opportunity to work from home.
• 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.

Are you the one we’re looking for?

• You hold a Master degree in Food science/Engineering and have a good first experience of at least 2 years in product development within the food industry.
• 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 a strong team player. You are able to work together on major projects and you like to take ownership.
• You are skilled in proper project management
• Your drive and enthusiasm will motivate you to go the extra mile in engaging others.
• As a food Lover, you are passionate about 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 (customers, suppliers,…) stakeholders.
• You have excellent interpersonal and communication skills, written and verbal, in English. 
• You are willing to travel 15% of your time (short trips) and are open to a temporary position of about 1.5 year.
• In this role, you will be based in our R&D Center in Izegem.

Join us in making sweet memories!
We're looking forward to welcoming you to our delicious journey!
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