Director of Innovation, Protein Fortification

About Ingredion:

Join Ingredion, where innovation impacts lives worldwide! Without even realizing it, you’ve experienced our work in your favorite chocolate, your pet’s food, the paper you write on, and your everyday snacks. As a global powerhouse across more than 60 industries, we harness the potential of natural ingredients to transform lives. Whether you’re just starting your career or bringing years of experience, there's a place for you here to make a real difference. Be part of our team that values a wide range of perspectives and is committed to shaping a better world with every product we create.

Location: Bridgewater, NJ

Workplace type: On- Site/ Hybrid

Ingredion is seeking a Director of Innovation for our Protein Fortification business segment. The Director of Innovation will be part of the Growth Portfolio Team and the Protein Fortification Team. In this role, you will lead cross-functional teams to deliver technology, ingredients, and knowledge solutions that fulfill our strategic goals in Protein Fortification. You will work closely with the General Manager (GM) of the Protein Fortification business to ensure alignment and effective execution of key initiatives.

What you will do:

Shape the Winning Aspiration

• 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.

Own an Innovation Portfolio for Where to Play and How to Win

• 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.

Identify Critical Innovation Capabilities Required for Success

• 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 Platform Innovation

• 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.

What you will bring :

• PhD/MS degree in food science, chemistry, engineering, or a related field with 10+ years o