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R&D Director (Food & Beverage Innovation)

Singapore Permanent View Job Description
This is a senior innovation leadership role for someone who combines strong food science and product development expertise with a highly commercial mindset. Rather than focusing purely on technical R&D, the successful candidate will be expected to understand what consumers want, what the market will buy, and how to turn an idea into a commercially successful product at scale.
  • Leading Asian food & beverage group
  • Global R&D Director based in Singapore

About Our Client

We are partnering with a leading Asian food & beverage group to appoint an R&D Director based in Singapore.

Job Description

  • Lead the overall R&D and product innovation strategy across relevant food and beverage categories, identifying opportunities that can generate sustainable commercial growth.
  • Build and manage the new product development pipeline from consumer insight and concept creation through formulation, pilot trials, scale-up and commercial launch.
  • Translate market trends, consumer behaviour and competitive intelligence into differentiated product concepts with clear commercial potential.
  • Partner closely with Marketing and Commercial teams to evaluate product propositions, pricing, positioning and market potential before committing significant R&D resources.
  • Drive product formulation and reformulation, balancing taste, quality, nutrition, shelf life, manufacturing feasibility, ingredient cost and target margin.
  • Work with manufacturing and supply chain teams to ensure new concepts can be successfully industrialised and produced consistently at commercial scale.
  • Develop a disciplined stage-gate innovation process with clear success metrics covering consumer acceptance, technical feasibility, cost, margin and revenue potential.
  • Review the existing product portfolio and identify opportunities for renovation, cost optimisation, premiumisation, localisation or rationalisation.
  • Identify emerging food technologies, ingredients and processing capabilities that can create competitive advantages or unlock new product categories.
  • Build relationships with external ingredient suppliers, technology partners, universities and research organisations to accelerate innovation.
  • Lead, coach and develop the R&D organisation, creating a culture that is consumer-focused, commercially accountable and fast in bringing products to market.
  • Present innovation strategies, business cases and product recommendations to senior leadership, clearly linking technical decisions to commercial outcomes.

The Successful Applicant

  • Degree or postgraduate qualification in Food Science, Food Technology, Nutrition, Chemical Engineering or a related discipline.
  • At least 15 years of experience within food & beverage products R&D, with significant leadership responsibility.
  • Strong track record of launching new products that have achieved meaningful commercial success in the market.
  • Experience managing the full innovation lifecycle from concept development through formulation, scale-up, manufacturing and commercial launch.
  • Strong understanding of consumer-driven innovation rather than purely laboratory-led product development.
  • Commercially minded with the ability to evaluate market size, consumer demand, product positioning, cost, margin and revenue potential alongside technical feasibility.
  • Strong exposure to categories such as beverages, ready-to-drink products, instant foods, noodles, snacks, sauces, convenience foods or other mass-market F&B products would be highly relevant.
  • Experience working closely with Marketing, Sales, Consumer Insights, Manufacturing and Supply Chain teams.
  • Strong understanding of ingredient functionality, formulation, sensory evaluation, shelf-life optimisation and food manufacturing processes.
  • Proven ability to challenge conventional product-development thinking and make clear decisions about which innovation projects should be accelerated, changed or stopped.
  • Strong leadership and stakeholder-management capability, with the ability to influence senior business leaders as well as technical teams.

What's on Offer



  • Experience managing the full innovation lifecycle from concept development through formulation, scale-up, manufacturing and commercial launch.
  • Leading the Regional R&D team in Singapore.
Contact
Hazel Choi (Lic No: R24122391 /EA no: 18S9099)
Quote job ref
JN-102026-7119696
Phone number
+65 6533 2777

Job summary

Function
Engineering & Manufacturing
Specialisation
Engineering Design, R&D and NPI
What is your area of specialisation?
Industrial / Manufacturing
Location
Singapore
Contract Type
Permanent
Consultant name
Hazel Choi (Lic No: R24122391 /EA no: 18S9099)
Consultant contact
+65 6533 2777
Job Reference
JN-102026-7119696

Diversity & Inclusion at Michael Page

We don't just accept difference - we celebrate it. We encourage applicants from all backgrounds to apply for this role and are committed to building inclusive, diverse workplaces where everyone can thrive. If you require any support or reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process, please let us know.