Job Description:

Dole Packaged Foods, LLC


Temporary Innovation Project Leader

US-CA-Westlake Village

Job ID: 2024-2897
Type: Temporary Full-Time
# of Openings: 1
Category: Research & Development
Dole Packaged Foods

Overview

Purpose:

Dole Packaged Foods is a purpose led nutrition and wellness organization that “champions a more equitable world.” A world where everyone has the right to nutrition from the goodness of the earth and we reduce these gaps, one action at a time.

The temporary Innovation Project Leader is responsible for delivering innovation that will contribute to volume growth in all potential channels and that will help us realize our mission of providing access to nutrition for more than one billion people.

All our innovations are based on two principles:

• Increasing access to nutrition and reducing waste of nutrition.
• We promise to use zero processed sugars, have zero fruit loss, and zero plastics by 2025.

The innovation funnel will include a combination of projects designed to sustain growth of our “core” products (ingredients, beverages, frozen etc.) but may also include expanding into new categories identified as “white space” opportunities by the business.

This is a temporary position, with an anticipated duration of 3 – 6 months, providing flexibility to work in a hybrid environment of home and our Westlake Village, CA office.
(Hybrid is defined as working 3 - 4 days per week in the office.)

Responsibilities

Primary Accountabilities:

• Deliver the innovation pipeline in partnership with a cross-functional team.
• Responsible for managing all innovation projects (L1-L3) through the project management/stage-gate process.
• Provide guidance to the project team if a product can be developed and manufactured internally (make) or externally (buy); scout for and manage 3rd party product development partners (where necessary) to develop, evaluate, and test products.
• Work with procurement to determine the appropriate 3rd party manufacturing partner.
• Design and test structural packaging components that will maintain integrity throughout the Supply Chain while meeting consumer needs.
• Ensure that Product & Packaging Development briefs are provided for all projects, including clear (and agreed) cost of goods (COGs) targets.
• Ensure that consumer-usability of packaging has been fully tested according to the appropriate criteria set by the briefs.
• Provide guidance on formulation, structural packaging, and/or process changes.
• Support the Marketing team in consumer research activities.
• Identify and suggest cost savings projects aligned to the global cost savings agenda.
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Experience, Knowledge, & Skills You Bring:

• 4+ years’ experience in R&D/Innovation/technical project management and/or similar roles.
• Proficient in the following areas:
  • Product development (formulating, ingredient selection, stability testing, etc.)
  • Process development (manufacturing capabilities/technologies, equipment selection, contract manufacturing, etc.)
  • Packaging development (design, testing, consumer-usability/acceptability, etc.)
• Proven track record in delivery and implementation of innovation into the marketplace.
• Basic knowledge of finance and COGs development.
• Able to analyze and leverage consumer insight data to drive development of innovation for new consumers, customers, or channels.
• Knowledge of innovation management tools (e.g., Design Thinking is a bonus).
• Able to work within a global footprint and cross-functionally among factories and co-packers, marketing managers, sales team, supply chain and customer services teams to deliver the innovation funnel.
• Leading edge project management and organizational skills, able to manage multiple projects, prioritize and manage complexity effectively.
• Robust time management skills, ability to prioritize and meet deadlines.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills; able to manage stakeholders effectively.

What You’ll Need to Succeed:

• Passionate about a purpose driven career in nutrition and wellness.
• Ability to build and maintain strong working relationships.
• Ability to identify realistic solutions, solve issues efficiently and in a timely manner.
• Technically curious and driven by finding creative solutions to deliver
• Able to work effectively in a networked, fluid, and agile environment, with multiple stakeholders.
• Strong innovation and entrepreneurial mindset, demonstrated through being a self-starter.
• Adaptable to changing environments and overcoming challenges; feel comfortable working with a certain degree of ambiguity.
• Creatively able to identify consumer and customer needs and deliver creative solutions to meet those needs.
• Analytical Thinking: Able to synthesize large volumes of data to solve problems efficiently and swiftly.
• Organization: Able to balance your time, energy, resilience, and mental capacity to deliver innovation goals effectively and efficiently.

Education & Certification:

• Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Food Technology, Engineering, or science-based equivalent is required.

Physical Requirements:

• Ability to sit and use the computer for extended periods of time; ability to answer phones and use a variety of office equipment; ability to lift 15 pounds and reach overhead.

Travel Requirements:

• No external travel is expected.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, sex, color, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, or on the basis of disability.

FOR JOBS BASED IN CALIFORNIA:
Hiring Pay Scale: $42.00 to $45.00/hour
Dole Packaged Foods is committed to paying our Associates fairly and equitably. The pay rate offered will consider a wide range of factors, including but not limited to experience, education, accomplishments, and location. Pay scales are subject to review on a regular basis and will be updated as appropriate.

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