Vice President, Creation & Application

COMPANY OVERVIEW:

At Florida Food Products (FFP) our purpose is improving food and beverages consumed by providing real ingredients from nature that work. We offer our customers a better way to formulate, so their customers can eat and drink with delight and with full confidence that comes from choosing better-for-you products.

We are the world's largest private equity-held natural ingredients supplier in the world and trailblazer in clean-label solutions. Our extensive portfolio of ingredients derived from nature includes vegetables, fruit, tea, coffee, and botanicals serve some of the most respected consumer brands, manufacturers, and foodservice providers in the industry.

We collaborate with our customers, vendors, and employees in ways that respect people and the environment. Together we make food and beverage production real again—in harmony with nature and today’s consumer needs.

* This position can be located at any of our sites in: NJ, IN, CA, or FL.

JOB SUMMARY:

We are looking for a dynamic individual to fill a key role within the organization that is a strong technical visionary, innovator, and people leader. This role is responsible for leading and driving the Company’s flavor creation and application strategy and teams. This individual will be well-versed across the company’s portfolio of ingredients, flavors, coffee, and tea extracts.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Responsible for the overall governance of commercial effectiveness and strategic performance management (Win Rate, Gross Margin, sales /development opportunities ratio, etc.)
• Manage incoming customer briefs and manage project assignments to appropriate teams.
• Develop and execute the internal and external RD&A strategy across the portfolio.
• Maintain a full understanding of the market dynamics and ensure organization and technology advancements are keeping pace.
• Develop innovative products, leveraging the full portfolio for use across all channels and categories.
• Support the generation of new business through project, product, and technology launches and work with Sales to engage in Insight-led strategy for concepts.
• Collaborate with Marketing to focus product delivery from trends and consumer preferences.
• Develop an intimate knowledge of customers and work directly with customers to feed customer interests and information back into the RD&A
• Establish department expense budgets and headcount.
• Attend and present at board meetings, trade shows, and other presentations.
• Strong collaboration across all businesses and at all levels within the organization.
• Accountable for the ownership of positioning our technologies and evolve our capabilities.
• Responsible for Product Collections setup and maintenance aligned to business & market needs.
• Drive our growth strategy through senior-level technical customer engagement.
• Mentor, coach, and guide talent and establish a synergistic and collaborative culture.
• Responsible for setting goals, targets, performance management and pay planning for team.

Requirements

REQUIREMENTS:

• MS degree from an accredited institution in Food Science, Biology, Food Chemistry, Organic Chemistry or other applicable technical field.
• Minimum 10+ years of food ingredients/beverage/nutrition industries experience.
• Experience leading large technical teams and managing virtual teams.
• Must be creative, innovative, and dynamic, with leadership qualities necessary to develop talent.
• A proven track-record of performance excellence meeting targets and objectives.
• Outgoing, friendly, dynamic, enthusiastic, and always up for the next challenge
• Builds strong relationships across the organization and work on projects collaboratively.
• High customer focus and insight orientation.
• Strong analytical, planning, and budgeting/financial skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication.
• Agile in adjusting to and managing through change.
• Effectively manages multiple projects simultaneously.
• Fun, energetic, and dynamic presence.
• Ability to travel (up to 30%).

Benefits

• Medical, Dental, Vision, and Prescription Drug Insurance effective on the first of the month following start date
• Health and Wellness Incentives
• 10 Days of PTO
• 9 Paid Company Holidays
• 5 Personal Days
• 401(k)
• Health Savings Account (H.S.A.)
• Long-Term and Short-Term Disability
• Life Insurance
• Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D)
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)