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Dawn Foods Global · 3 days ago

Sr Director of Product Development & Regulatory

Jackson, MI

Full-time

Hybrid

Director/Executive

$141K/yr - $247K/yr

6+ years exp

Dawn Foods is a global leader in bakery manufacturing and ingredients distribution. The Senior Director of Product Development and Regulatory is responsible for driving innovation, ensuring regulatory compliance, and delivering customer-focused product solutions across North America.

Food and BeverageManufacturing

H1B Sponsor Likely

Hiring Manager

Alyssa Hicks

Responsibilities

Lead Agile Product Development : Drive the end-to-end product development process with agility, ensuring rapid iteration, cross-functional collaboration, and alignment with customer and commercial needs

Deliver Customer-Centric Solutions : Translate customer insights and market trends into differentiated product offerings that create value and strengthen Dawn’s competitive position

Regulatory Strategy & Compliance : Monitor and interpret changes in the regulatory landscape, proactively integrating compliance into product development and commercialization strategies

Build Innovation Pipeline : Help develop and maintain a robust pipeline of product innovations aimed at defending core business, expanding market share, and enabling entry into new categories

Collaborate Cross-Functionally : Partner with commercial, procurement, and operations teams to support category strategy, resolve raw material shortages, and address quality and operational challenges

Advance Baking Science : Elevate Dawn’s scientific understanding of baking, ingredient functionality, and process interactions to unlock new capabilities and enable non-obvious solutions

Integrate Emerging Technologies : Identify and apply new technologies and methods to enhance product performance, sustainability, and manufacturing efficiency

Lead and Develop High-Performing Teams : Manage and mentor a team of food scientists, process engineers, and packaging experts, fostering a culture of innovation, accountability, and continuous improvement

Drive Scientific Rigor : Establish and promote robust scientific processes across R&D, ensuring data-driven decision-making and knowledge transfer to other functions

Support Business Agility : Provide rapid technical support for commercial initiatives, quality issues, supply chain constraints, and cost optimization opportunities

Strategic Portfolio Management : Evaluate and prioritize product development opportunities, balancing short-term deliverables with long-term strategic goals

Champion Dawn’s Values : Promote and embody the philosophies and policies of Dawn Foods, supporting the Circle of Excellence and contributing to a purpose-driven culture

Qualification

Food ScienceRegulatory ComplianceProduct DevelopmentInnovation ManagementStatistical AnalysisB2B Food ManufacturingTeam DevelopmentLeadershipCommunication SkillsCross-Functional Collaboration

Required

A Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Material Science & Engineering, Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, or a related technical discipline with 8 years of progressive experience in product development, regulatory affairs, or food innovation — or —

A Master's degree in the above fields with 6 years of relevant experience — or —

A Ph.D. in a related field with 4 years of relevant experience

A minimum of 3 years of people leadership experience, including coaching, mentoring, and performance development of technical teams

The proven ability to manage budgets, allocate resources effectively, and align team efforts with strategic business goals

Experience building and managing a product innovation pipeline that supports core business, market expansion, and new category entry

A high level of business acumen with the ability to translate technical capabilities into commercial value

The ability to leverage external networks, including suppliers, academic institutions, and industry partners, to identify and integrate emerging technologies

A deep understanding of ingredient functionality, processing technologies, and their impact on finished product performance

Demonstrated experience in processing R&D, including the interaction between ingredients, equipment, and manufacturing processes

A strong foundation in scientific methodology, with the ability to apply data-driven approaches to solve complex technical challenges

Proficiency in using statistical and analytical tools to support product development and process optimization

A solid knowledge of North American food regulations and experience integrating regulatory requirements into product development

The ability to anticipate and respond to changes in the regulatory landscape with proactive strategies

Self-directed, forward-thinking, and comfortable making complex decisions in a fast-paced environment

Strong communication and influencing skills, with the ability to engage both technical and non-technical stakeholders

Preferred

Experience in B2B food manufacturing, bakery, or ingredient technology is strongly preferred

Familiarity with agile product development methodologies and cross-functional collaboration in a matrixed organization

Benefits

Industry-leading health insurance on Day 1!

Competitive Pay

401(K) + company match

10 Paid Company Holidays

Paid Time Off

Professional training

Dawn is proud to employ the top talent in the baking industry, and we reward our people with comprehensive health and well-being coverage, competitive compensation packages, and award-winning benefit offerings.

We also help protect your future financial health with a generous 401(k) matching program that provides additional retirement funds and many tools and resources on financial wellness.

Dawn encourages professional growth through tuition assistance and educational programs, and we are always searching for ways to improve our industry-leading services and benefits.

Company

Dawn Foods Global

We believe baking is about more than ingredients.

Founded in 1920

Jackson, Michigan, USA

1001-5000 employees

https://www.dawnfoods.com

H1B Sponsorship

Dawn Foods Global has a track record of offering H1B sponsorships. Please note that this does not guarantee sponsorship for this specific role. Below presents additional info for your reference. (Data Powered by US Department of Labor)

Distribution of Different Job Fields Receiving Sponsorship

Represents job field similar to this job

Trends of Total Sponsorships

2025 (3)

2024 (4)

2023 (3)

2022 (7)

2021 (4)

2020 (4)