R&D LEAD CORE PRODUCT DEVELOPER

About the Company

Our Client, INDIAN OCEAN TUNA LTD. (IOT) is one of the largest and leading canned tuna manufacturers in Seychelles. A THAI UNION (TU) GROUP company, our client, a multinational, plays a crucial role in Seychelles' economy as the second-largest industry after tourism.

Our Client is currently looking for a seasoned and well experienced R&D Lead Core Product Developer to join its outstanding team.

Scope

The R&D Lead Core Product Developer will be involved in driving and supporting the Branded BU superiority program helping create differentiation between branded canned tuna offering and private labels as well as competition.

This will involve identifying and assessing process and recipe levers to improve product quality and consumer satisfaction as well as improving and updating the finished goods specifications, ensuring all product features are being captured.

In respect of IOT’s NPD process and working closely with Marketing, Operations, Supply Chain, Engineering, Quality, Packaging and Finance departments, the R&D Core Product Developer delivers new and renovated products from brief through to launch in close collaboration with commercial project leads.

He/she is also a key player in organizing and overseeing factory trials as well as analyzing data collected on Product and process improvement projects supporting business objectives.

He/she leads the upscaling of cross-markets Innovations coming from Thai Union Innovation Hub as well as supporting the R&D Packaging team in coordinating and supervising local packaging trials as required.

He/she assists in factory lead projects to improve processes and on the introduction of new equipment as required and contributes to building strong knowledge and know-how with regards to tuna canning process.

Key Accountabilities

Product Development

• Help in capturing and formalizing client needs (Product definition, COGs target, Launch timings)
• Develop prototypes according to client briefs and seek validation
• Set-up and pilot industrial trials and launch (Manufacturing Batch and Half Day Run) with production, supply and quality teams, ensuring smooth industrialization
• Issue trials and tasting reports as well as follow correctives actions following Manufacturing Batch and Half Day Run using appropriate templates
• Ensure that risk analysis (HACCP) is duly completed prior to launch
• Issue Technical Pack Copy and Product specifications
• Improve and maintain core tuna branded specification (around 200 cross market)

NPD Projects Management

• Co-participation in project Gantt Chart generation with Marketing Team and Supply Chain
• Organize regular projects meetings with Operations, QA, Marketing and Supply Chain
• Ensure projects are delivered based on agreed timings, cost and quality and that the NPD process is fully followed. Raise potential challenges on timing with Manager
• Present projects in TUE Governance meetings as required and for gates approval

Packaging

• Support the Inno Hub Packaging team in organizing and supervising packaging trials (Primary and secondary)
• Issuing Packaging trials reports

Process Improvement

• Proactively make recommendations based on observations and data analysis to improve product cost and quality
• Consistently seek to maintain product and process performance
• Optimizing and implementing new processes and/or new equipment as part of NPD or Supply Chain projects as required
• Project team member representing TUE R&D in factory lead initiatives

Key Relationships

• BU Marketing Projects Managers
• IOT senior management team
• IOT Operation/ QA/ Supply Chain / Engineering / Finance
• Build connection with other Tuna Processing plant across the Group
• TU R&D Product Development Managers and team members
• TU Innovation Hub
• TU central Supply Chain team
• TU central QA team (including Intakes)
• TU Central Purchasing Team
• Group Science & Technology experts

Qualifications and Experience Required

Technical Skills

• Degree in Food Science/product & process development
• Minimum of 3 years’ experience in a multicultural industrial environment, in food industry is necessary; experience in the canning industry is a plus
• Good sensory skills
• Practical experience in development of new products
• Knowledge of HACCP principles
• Problem solving with analytical skills (basic statistical analysis) and the ability to apply reason, logic and data to influence others to get the right job done
• Projects management
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office
• Knowledge of SAP is a plus
• Fluency in English (written and verbal)

Soft Skills

• Excellent team abilities and strong communication skills
• Strong organization and project management skills
• High level of diligence and responsibility. Ability to work autonomously
• Open minded
• Problem-solving skills
• Pro-active
• Resilient
• Creative
• Rigorous
• Good synthesizing skills
• Attention to detail
• Computer skills