Head of R&D Operations – Europe

About the role

We are seeking a senior leader to drive the R&D operational strategy across Europe for a multinational food company. The role will align business‑unit priorities with regional and global R&D objectives, ensuring consistent execution and continuous improvement across all plants.

Key responsibilities

• Lead deployment of the Europe‑wide R&D operational strategy, aligning BU priorities with regional and global goals.
• Oversee R&D project pipelines across all European plants, managing resources, risks, milestones and fostering a results‑driven culture.
• Serve as the primary liaison between local R&D operational teams and regional/global R&D Development, Packaging, Portfolio Management, and industrial functions.
• Standardise R&D operational processes to provide visibility, control and synergies while promoting continuous improvement.
• Identify strategic project opportunities with cross‑functional partners and lead benchmarking to share best practices and scale innovation.
• Collaborate with Quality, Regulatory and Engineering to ensure compliance with food safety, quality and legislative requirements.
• Support Europe investment plans by assessing CAPEX projects, reviewing business cases and handing over new equipment or technologies.
• Monitor and report consolidated project progress and KPIs, providing insights to the Europe R&D Director.
• Develop contingency strategies with Supply Chain, Sourcing and R&D functions to address raw‑material, packaging or process constraints.
• Drive cost‑optimization and performance‑improvement projects related to formulation, raw materials and processes to support EBITDA and growth targets.
• Represent R&D Operations in strategic forums at European and cross‑regional levels.

Required profile

• 15+ years of progressive R&D experience, including at least 5 years in regional or multi‑country leadership.
• Strong background in the food industry, with deep knowledge of European food legislation, hygiene and safety standards.
• Operations/manufacturing expertise and the ability to work across diverse cultures and countries.
• Proven skill in business‑case development and financial prioritisation of R&D investments.
• Experience leading innovation, new‑product development and technology implementation at scale.
• Demonstrated ability to manage complexity across multiple business units.

Required skills