Barry Callebaut Group · 1 day ago
Sr. Customer R&D Project Manager
Chicago, IL
Full-time
Hybrid
Senior Level, Lead/Staff
$110K/yr - $138K/yr
10+ years expBarry Callebaut is a global organization committed to growth and sustainability, seeking passionate individuals to join their team. The Sr. Customer R&D Project Manager will manage complex R&D projects, translating customer requirements into new products and ensuring successful project execution.
Food and BeverageFood ProcessingManufacturingRetail
Responsibilities
Lead and manage complex new product development projects from theoretical recipe to lab prototype and industrial product for internal and external clients
Ensure full project follow-up and completion of necessary project documents, including recipe creation
Drive complete project from concept to commercialization
Provide guidance and direction to the R&D product experts and technologists, fostering a collaborative and high-performing team environment
Translate technical learnings and insights into commercial opportunities
Lead also customer projects for PDI or innovations with our Product Experts and Innovation people
Offer necessary technical support and expertise to vendors, customers, operations and quality when product-related problems occur
Advise the sales team on technical and application matters
Provide assistance to all departments as needed regarding technical issues related to confectionery product manufacturing
Actively participate in customer visits and plant trials, providing technical expertise and support to drive successful customer projects
Actively participate in various projects of the Research and Development team, maintaining close interaction with Sales, Operations, Quality, Sourcing and cocoa R&D within the country or region
Serve as the key technical contact for the customer, building strong relationships and effectively communicating project updates, technical recommendations, and solutions
Identify and pursue new market opportunities by providing technical support and insights to existing and potential customers
Oversee, ensure and complete accurate and comprehensive project follow-up, documentation, including recipe creation
Qualification
Required
Substantial experience as a Senior Customer R&D Project Manager
Technical expertise in food chemistry
Proven track record in problem-solving
Exceptional organizational skills
Strong leadership abilities
Ability to deliver results in a dynamic and fast-paced environment
Excellent communication skills to effectively engage with customers and internal stakeholders (Sales, Operations, Quality, etc.)
Keen attention to detail
Ability to lead projects from inception to completion
Extensive experience in the chocolate or cocoa industry
R&D development experience
Fluent in the local country language and proficient in English
Minimum 10 years of relevant experience in the food industry, with a strong focus on new product development
Proven experience in leading and managing cross-functional teams
Solution driven, capable of working under pressure, and managing multiple complex projects simultaneously
Excellent teamwork, communication, and leadership of influence
Strong analytical mindset, with the ability to translate technical findings into actionable insights and commercial opportunities
Flexibility and willingness to travel as needed
Excellent oral and written communication skills, including external customer communication
Ability to present technical information in a clear and concise manner
Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, Google suites and Salesforce required
Knowledge of SAP or other project management software is an asset
Travel requirements: up to 30% of time
Preferred
Extensive knowledge of the confectionery sector is highly desirable
Benefits
Paid time off, plus generous holiday time
Environment that welcomes workplace flexibility
Ability to grow personally and professionally within an organization that values development and internal career growth
Company
Barry Callebaut Group
With annual sales of about CHF 14.8 billion in fiscal year 2024/25, the Zurich-based Barry Callebaut Group is the world’s leading solutions provider of high-quality chocolate experiences across the full spectrum of chocolate, cocoa, cacao coatings and non-cocoa alternatives – from sourcing and processing cocoa beans to crafting premium chocolates, fillings and decorations.
10001+ employees
H1B Sponsorship
Barry Callebaut Group 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 (9)
2024 (2)
2023 (3)
2022 (3)
2020 (3)
Funding
Current Stage
Public CompanyTotal Funding
$2.91B2025-02-13Post Ipo Debt· $1.83B
2025-01-14Post Ipo Debt· $328.76M
2024-06-10Post Ipo Debt· $753.44M
Leadership Team
C
Ciptadi Sukono
Managing Director for Indonesia
Dhruv Bhatia
Managing Director, Japan & Korea
Recent News
MarketScreener
2025-12-16
2025-12-10
Company data provided by crunchbase