R&D Technical Performance Manager - Mainstream Chocolates

Job Location: ​Chicago​

Company description

Ferrero is a family-owned company with a truly progressive and global outlook and iconic brands such as Nutella®, Tic Tac®, Ferrero Rocher®, Raffaello®, Kinder Bueno® and Kinder Surprise®. As the love for our brands continues to grow, so too does our global reach. Represented in more than 50 countries, with products sold in more than 170, the Ferrero Group is loved by generations around the world. The secret to our global success? 40,000  dedicated employees who celebrate care and quality to craft a business, careers and brands we are proud of. Join us, and you could be one of them.

Diversity Statement

Ferrero is committed to building a diverse and inclusive culture in which all employees feel welcomed and appreciated and have the same opportunities. We believe all of our people are equally talented in their own way. In nurturing the curiosity and natural abilities of our employees, we provide them, generation after generation, the means to succeed personally and professionally, enabling them to craft their journey at Ferrero. The diversity of our talents is what makes our work environment multicultural, innovative and highly rewarding.

 

Ferrero N.A. provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or genetics.

About the Role:

The PTPM (Product Technical Performance Manager) - Chocolate R&D  will lead under the guidance and coaching of their manager, the successful development and execution of new and innovative chocolates, as well as Global Ferrero Chocolate categories with products and production lines to be launched in North America.

Main Responsibilities:

DEVELOPMENT AND INDUSTRIALIZATION OF NEW PRODUCTS AND CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT OF EXISTING PRODUCTS

• Ensures the Chocolates and Ferrero Global Chocolate Categories innovation through the development and the industrialization of new products including brands such as Butterfinger, Crunch, Baby Ruth, 100 Grand, Raisinets, and the Fannie May portfolio. Additionally, the role may support key projects for other local jewels such as Ferrero Cookies, Cones and Crusts.
• Ensures the consistent quality improvement (performance) of existing products, of production systems and raw materials.
• Provides technical product-process support to plant technologists.

PLANTS AND MANUFACTURING EQUIPMENT

• Ensures the coordination and supervises the execution in the plant (internal plants and co-manufacturers) of new process technologies tests and new manufacturing capabilities potentially impacting the quality of products. 
• Collaborates with the technical bodies in the design of new manufacturing equipment or modifications of the existing ones.

PRODUCTS DEVELOPMENT PLAN

• Strong partnership with the laboratory, raw materials, and global R&D teams in the successful development of new innovative formulations and the adaptation of European formulations to the North American market.
• Co-leads the products development plan structuring the technological and product evolution plan for projects (new products, improvements to existing ones, etc.).
• Conducts robust data analysis using statistical models to drive technical conclusions and define product and process specifications.

NORTH AMERICA ACQUISITIONS & INTEGRATION

• Facilitates the integration of new acquisitions (e.g., Fannie May and others) into Ferrero’s tools, such as DevEx and PDP.

 

Who we are looking for:

• Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Chemical Engineering, Nutrition, or related field.
• Minimum of 3 - 5 years of proven experience in R&D, innovation, product and raw materials, process or technology development roles