Ingredion Incorporated · 20 hours ago
Director of Innovation, Protein Fortification
Bridgewater, NJ
Full-time
Hybrid
Director/Executive
$181K/yr - $242K/yr
10+ years expIngredion Incorporated is a global powerhouse across more than 60 industries, dedicated to transforming lives through natural ingredients. The Director of Innovation for Protein Fortification will lead cross-functional teams to deliver innovative solutions that align with strategic goals in the protein fortification segment.
BrewingFood and BeverageFood ProcessingManufacturingRetail
Responsibilities
Serve as a member of the Protein Fortification leadership team, helping to define the segment’s strategic direction and key programs/projects to drive growth or improve operating margins through new product/process innovation and ingredient solutions in targeted market and application segments
Act as a recognized expert and primary contact for major global and/or regional customers, driving innovation and meeting their specific protein fortification needs
Maintain strong industry connections, leveraging relationships to accelerate innovation. Be active in relevant technical organizations and regularly lead symposiums or deliver presentations at industry events
Shape, sponsor, and own innovation projects and programs that define our protein fortification strategy and competitive approach
Own the development of the segment’s Innovation agenda and project pipeline. Manage the delivery of innovative solutions through a portfolio of projects
Collaborate with business segment partners, regional go-to-market teams, and key Innovation personnel to support global rollout of new protein products, ensuring successful product launches
Coordinate assessment of Intellectual Property potential and communicate key challenges and opportunities to the business
Develop or support capital investment justifications to implement new technical capabilities in Protein Fortification Innovation
Ensure regular communication of portfolio and project evolution to global stakeholders as part of innovation review processes
Stay current with key technologies and developments in the protein and food ingredient industries to ensure the team is equipped with the latest knowledge and access to relevant external expertise, technical institutes, and facilities
Lead, coach, influence, and guide assigned Innovation teams to consistently deliver on challenging technical and business goals. Assess team’s functional and technical capabilities, identify key performance gaps, and develop and execute improvement plans
Work with appropriate line managers to define key yearly objectives for inclusion in our performance management system. Actively participate in talent development discussions with line managers for members of the Protein Fortification innovation community
Leverage our enabling management systems to support and accelerate innovation, ensuring Protein Fortification projects are resourced for success and prioritized at the enterprise level
Drive effective project management processes, utilizing appropriate skill sets and capabilities to allow rapid commercialization of new protein ingredients and solutions. Apply insights across a broad range of formulation/ingredient development opportunities and respond to internal/external customer needs
Qualification
Required
PhD/MS degree in food science, chemistry, engineering, or a related field with 10+ years of R&D/product development experience
Broad knowledge across R&D/product development categories
Extensive expertise in food ingredient technology, with specialized knowledge in protein systems, technologies, and processing
Robust technical background in proteins and protein fortification technologies
Innovative thinking and the ability to drive change through teams
Experience developing and translating strategy into clear objectives and deliverables
Proven ability to manage teams and communicate effectively with multifunctional, multiregional teams and stakeholders
Excellent people management and coaching skills
Strong networking, influencing, project, and time management abilities
Demonstrated analytical and problem-solving skills
Outstanding interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to interact across all levels of the organization and in various cultures, internally and externally
Excellent written and oral communication skills, with a demonstrated ability to write comprehensive technical reports and deliver technical presentations
Expected Travel: Approximately 15-25% (regionally and globally)
Benefits
Total Rewards Package – Competitive salary and performance-based pay recognizing your contributions to our success
Comprehensive Benefits & Wellness Support – Health, long-term savings, and resources for your physical, mental, and emotional well-being
Career Growth – Learning, training, and development opportunities, including tuition reimbursement
Employee Recognition Program – A culture of real-time appreciation, with personalized recognition rewards globally
Employee Discount Program – Provides exclusive discounts on everyday products, services, and travel
Medical, dental and vision coverage
401(k) plan with an competitive company match
Company
Ingredion Incorporated
Ingredion Incorporated (NYSE: INGR) headquartered in the suburbs of Chicago, is a leading global ingredient solutions provider serving customers in more than 120 countries.
10001+ employees
H1B Sponsorship
Ingredion Incorporated 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 (6)
2024 (11)
2023 (1)
2022 (5)
2021 (7)
2020 (3)
Funding
Current Stage
Public CompanyTotal Funding
$1B2025-08-27Post Ipo Debt· $1B
2003-01-10IPO
Leadership Team
James Zallie
President and CEO
K
Kevin Wilson
Vice President and Corporate Treasurer
Recent News
2026-01-07
Food Business News
2025-11-11
Company data provided by crunchbase