R&D and Product Development Manager

For one of our corporate clients operating in the food industry, we are looking for an experienced R&D and Product Development Manager to lead new product development and innovation initiatives from concept to commercialization. This role will be responsible for driving end-to-end R&D and product development processes, translating consumer and market insights into innovative product concepts, and developing nutritious, appealing, and commercially viable food products. The position will also play a key role in shaping the company’s innovation strategy and strengthening its product development capabilities. Key Responsibilities • Lead end-to-end R&D and New Product Development (NPD) processes, from consumer and market insights, concept development, and formulation through industrialization and commercialization. • Monitor consumer needs, market trends, emerging technologies, and competitor activities to identify innovation opportunities and translate insights into new product and process concepts. • Lead product development projects focused on pulses, plant-based products, healthy snacks, grains, and related food categories, improving nutritional value, functionality, taste, shelf life, and processability. • Develop and manage the company’s innovation strategy and product development pipeline, ensuring alignment with business and market priorities. • Oversee product formulation, recipe development, and costing, balancing product performance, quality, regulatory requirements, manufacturability, and commercial objectives. • Build collaborations with universities, research institutions, suppliers, and technology partners to introduce new knowledge, ingredients, technologies, and capabilities into the organization. • Manage R&D project budgets, investments, resources, and priorities to ensure effective execution of innovation and product development initiatives. • Ensure newly developed products meet relevant quality, food safety, regulatory, cost, and production feasibility requirements. • Coordinate cross-functional teams during scale-up, industrialization, mass production, and product launch processes. • Lead and develop the R&D and Product Development team, strengthening technical capabilities and managing resource planning effectively. Requirements • Minimum 10 years of experience across both R&D and Product Development within the food industry. • Bachelor’s degree in Food Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Nutrition and Dietetics, Biochemistry, or a related field. • Hands-on experience in recipe formulation and product costing, with strong technical knowledge of food ingredients and their functional properties. • Strong understanding of healthy nutrition and clean-label product development principles. • Proven knowledge of shelf-life and product stability, sensory evaluation, and product-packaging compatibility. • Strong command of Stage-Gate and/or NPD methodologies, with proven experience managing product development from initial concept through launch. • Ability to translate consumer insights and market trends into technically feasible and commercially relevant product concepts. • Strong knowledge of food safety management systems, food regulations, and relevant national and international standards, including HACCP, ISO 22000, FSSC 22000, BRCGS, IFS, and GMP. • Strong awareness of allergen management, pesticide and mycotoxin risks, and microbiological and chemical analysis requirements. • Strong leadership, team management, decision-making, and results-oriented execution skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively across functions. • Advanced proficiency in English, with the ability to communicate effectively with international customers, suppliers, and business partners. Location & Working Model 📍 Istanbul or Mersin | On-site Candidates should currently reside in, or be willing to relocate to, Istanbul or Mersin. The role requires regular travel between Istanbul and Mersin during the initial months to support onboarding, facility familiarization, and process adaptation. Following this period, travel will continue based on project and operational requirements.