Kinder's Premium Quality Seasonings & Sauces ยท 4 months ago
Senior Director, Product Development
Walnut Creek, CA
Full-time
Onsite
Senior Level, Lead/Staff, Director/Executive
12+ years expKinder's is a fast-growing company dedicated to delivering exceptional flavor solutions to consumers. The Senior Director of Product Development will lead the product innovation and renovation projects, manage a team of product developers, and collaborate with various stakeholders to bring best-in-class products to market with speed and quality.
Food and BeverageFood ProcessingManufacturingRestaurants
Responsibilities
Drive the end-to-end development of key line extensions, from concept to commercialization, including new flavors and new packaging formats
Support the commercial scale-up of new products, ensuring a seamless transition from development to launch
Partner with key internal stakeholders (Brand Management, Sales, Innovation, Project Management) to identify development priorities and translate them into an aggressive, cohesive and attainable project plan
Ensure market-leading speed to market and volume of innovation, while delivering against the high quality standards of the brand
Build a culture of strong product design excellence including application of design-for-manufacturability and design-for-margin principles
Partner with R&D leadership to transition new product platforms from the R&D phase to long-term product development
Implement learnings from key R&D projects (e.g. clean-label evolutions, quality / technical upgrades)
Partner with Brand Management, Finance, and Project Management teams to identify and prioritize key opportunities to drive improved product margins while sustaining or increasing product quality
Lead the team in the renovation of key existing products to improve cost, quality, and overall consumer value
Partner with cross-functional SWAT teams to drive key renovation /optimization projects based on quality standards, financial goals and aggressive attainment timelines
Lead the review and maintenance of all product documentation, ensuring accuracy and accessibility for key internal and external partners
Effectively communicate product specifications and critical information to commercialization partners, including creative/packaging design teams, the quality department, and key external partners (including co-packers)
Drive a project hindsight process to capture key insights and incorporate them into future project team briefing and project prioritization
Lead and mentor a team of product developers, guiding key projects supporting the core product platforms of the business
Partner closely with cross-functional leaders (e.g., Marketing, Sales, Operations, Quality, and Finance) to drive project alignment and ensure successful delivery of key programs
Facilitate project team meetings, create and present status reports, and provide clear communication on project risks and opportunities to departmental and senior leadership
Act as a champion for the Product Development process, fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement
Qualification
Required
12-15+ years of experience in product development, innovation management, or a similar field
CPG experience, including at least some advanced experience in food development required
Proven experience leading the development and commercial scale-up of key line extensions and product renovations
Strong project management skills with the ability to lead and collaborate with cross-functional teams including both internal and external stakeholders
Consumer-obsessed innovator with a passion for turning consumer needs into high value product solutions
Proficiency in developing and implementing product development and commercialization strategies
Data-driven mindset, with the ability to analyze efficiently and make data-backed decisions quickly
Proven people-centric leader with an emphasis on driving performance through culture and mentorship
Bachelor's degree
Preferred
Technical degree (e.g. food science, chemistry / engineering, etc.), while not required, is a significant plus
Company
Kinder's Premium Quality Seasonings & Sauces
Kinder's Premium Quality Seasonings & Sauces produces sauces, seasoning, rub, and marinates.
51-200 employees
Funding
Current Stage
Growth StageLeadership Team
Jim H.
Co-CEO & Chief Brand Officer, Director
Joe Rainero
CEO
Company data provided by crunchbase