Job Description

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THIS POSITION:

• Strategic Leadership & Innovation:
• Partner with the commercial team to define strategic innovation territories, conduct research to understand unique consumer needs, and identify the technical platforms required for superior product delivery.
• Develop and champion a comprehensive Gum strategy with a potential of $300MM+ global opportunity, defining a clear technical Gum strategy roadmap aligned with key technology vectors.
• Spearhead the discovery, development, and deployment of technical solutions for gum base, driving gum category superiority, growth, and margin improvements.
• Define and drive the global gum base strategy and technology pipeline for the next 5+ years, ensuring a robust and innovative approach to gum base development.
• Team Management & Capability Building:
• Assess G&C team technical capabilities and define solutions to fill identified gaps. Implement succession planning strategies to nurture and develop talent to further drive the Gum strategy.
• Innovation Excellence & Digital Transformation:
• Champion the adoption of MDLZ Innovation Excellence methodology, strategic foresight capabilities, Digital/AI tools, and open innovation partnerships to drive rigor, focus, relevance, and efficiency in our innovation efforts.
• Stakeholder Management & Collaboration:
• Serve as a staff sponsor of the Removing Barriers Culture Pillar, fostering a collaborative and inclusive environment.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with regional teams to leverage synergies and ensure seamless integration of global strategies into regional I2M funnels.
• Act as the R&D representative in key forums such as the Gum GAT, cross-functional strategy building sessions, learning plan creation, and execution discussions.
• Manage relationships with commercial, supply chain, and other key stakeholders to drive the global gum agenda forward.
• Represent MDLZ on the ICGA (International Chewing Gum Association) steerco, shaping the industry agenda and ensuring the MDLZ perspective is well-represented.

What You Need to Deliver:

• Portfolio Performance: Achieve portfolio metrics, long-term category growth targets, and strategic innovation/renovation pipeline objectives in alignment with the aggressive V2030+ agenda.
• Operational Excellence: Meet capacity and delivery metrics, ensuring efficient and effective execution of R&D initiatives.
• Quality Assurance: Maintain a critical focus on quality, driving spec excellence, global PQB performance, and a holistic superiority journey.
• Innovation & Insights: Embed IP protection, consumer immersion/TRI tools, outside-in thinking, foresight tools, and a digital culture into the team’s approach.
• Mindful Snacking & Sustainability: Remain considerate of the rapidly changing regulatory environment and consumer sentiment, promoting mindful snacking, sustainability, and safety in all aspects of product development.

EDUCATION / CERTIFICATIONS:

BS/MS Food Science, Science Related or Engineering, 10+ years experience and strong manager/ leadership experience

JOB SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS:

• 10 or more years of work experience required
• Experience in the food industry is required
• Commercialization experience is required
• Knowledge of confections formulation / processes is a plus
• Strong technical skills, consumer centric foundation and technical curiosity
• Collaborative leadership experienced in stakeholder management and communication
• Strong thought leadership in shaping the future
• Creative problem solving to overcome challenges and deliver innovative solutions
• Excellent written and oral communication skills; able to effectively communicate to all levels within the organization
• Ability to travel up to 10-15% of the time

TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS:

10-15%

This is a pivotal leadership role responsible for shaping and driving the Global Gum and Gum Base Technical Strategy and Platform Team. The Gum category represents a significant ~$1.5B Net Revenue business, particularly within developing markets, and holds ambitious growth aspirations. As the Global Leader, you will manage a team of 12 product subject matter experts located across the US and Mexico, serving as the face of R&D for this critical global category. You will define the technical strategy, ensure robust execution, and foster capability and talent development within the organization.