Your scope:

As Director Product Development (CD&D) – Beverages (Strategic Customers), you will lead a team of experienced beverage product developers focused on delivering innovative solutions for our important global customers across EMEA. You will report to the Senior Director CD&D Beverage EMEA.

In this role, you will combine technical leadership, customer insight, and innovation management to drive the development of differentiated beverage concepts and formulations. You will work with strategic customers to understand their needs, anticipate market trends, and translate these insights into commercially successful product solutions.

You will foster a high-performing, collaborative team environment, encouraging creativity, agility, and a strong customer mindset. By challenging the status quo and promoting modern ways of working, you will ensure the team delivers fast, efficient, and impactful product development.

Responsibilities:

• Lead, develop and mentor a product development team with a strong customer focus
• Active promotion of talent and sustainable capability building within the team
• Establishing a coaching culture and fostering a culture of continuous improvement and innovation
• Designing and implementing change processes in a dynamic market environment
• Developing and embedding agile ways of working and modern leadership models
• Ensure high level of team engagement and performance in product development
• Driving innovative, future-oriented product and solution approaches
• Develop strategies and measures to expand customer relations on regional and global levels

Profile:

• Degree in food or beverage technology or equivalent
• Professional experience ideally in product development, preferably in the food/beverage industry
• Experience in leading and motivating employees
• Focus on coaching and taking people to the next level
• High adaptability in a rapidly changing environment
• Ability to think and act globally
• Open to new challenges and agile working
• Passion for continuous improvement and customer satisfaction
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• High social skills, service orientation and strong communication skills
• Very good knowledge of German and good English