DO YOU HAVE THE APPITITE TO GROW YOUR MAGIC?

Consumers everywhere are increasingly conscious of the quality of the food they eat. Puratos develops, produces, and distributes a unique range of ingredients for bakers, pastry-chefs and chocolatiers who demand the very highest quality.

Founded in Belgium in 1919, From humble beginnings to worldwide success, join us on our journey and discover our history and heritage.

We’ve evolved from a father-and-son start-up in Belgium, to a global group with more than 10000 employees, 93 innovation centers, and more than 65 manufacturing operations across 81 countries to date. It’s with great pride that we look back on this century of hard work, courage, and innovation. Thank you for making it all possible and let’s continue building the next 100 years of shared success!

Our passion for innovation, pioneering spirit, and core value our communities, is what makes working at Puratos so magical.

Mission

Reporting to the Managing Director at Chipkins Puratos, the R&D Executive will lead and develop the R&D team and related activities. He/ she will represent R&D in the country management team and will translate the business strategy into a local R&D and Business Development strategy. With a great customer understanding and relationships, he/ she will create unique, purpose-driven solutions for the local market. Leverage internal and external network allow to prepare solutions for the future and ensure flawless implementation.

Key Accountabilities

1. R&D Management

• Define the right R&D and Customer technical Support (= CTS) organization, adapted to the business needs; create agility by optimizing resources when needed. Assure a synergistic collaboration between the R&D and CTS teams resulting in a better output and a shorter time to market.
• Management of the R&D team: recruit talented people, assure good onboarding and continuous training and development, foresee a pipeline of talents that assures future evolution opportunities and succession.
• Manage the BP R&D department through vision and objectives in line with the strategy of the Group and BP.

2. Innovation, customer projects and Technical Support

• Manage the innovation pipeline, in line with the Group strategy and guidelines (H&WB, sustainability, focus channels, key customers) and with current and future customer needs. Always ensure compliance with local regulations.
• Boost, promote and enable the development and implementation of strategic and international innovation products and services; make use of the project process tools; assure a good translation to local market needs; assure training for R&D, CTS, MKT, sales….
• Be customer centric by driving customer projects: assure R&D and Application Specialists (= AS) to spend resp 30% and 50% of their time with customers, make use of the Go-no Go process; ensure product development in line with the customer request and Puratos capabilities; organize and support training sessions for customers.
• Organize internal product trainings for the business development and operation teams
• Organize competence building projects internally or with external partners and translate this into new business development and innovation opportunities.
• Ensure confidentiality and respect Group rules on IP protection in all activities.
• Assure adoption of digital tools and automation processes
• Give guidance to the CTS Manager in developing an innovative and creative CTS team which is customer oriented.

3. Support improvement of Profitability and Support Operations

• Provide support for operations (production, QC, QA) for the implementation of new ingredients and products on our lines, during the startup of new lines, for process improvement projects, for non-conformities and customer complaints, for approval of 2nd suppliers.
• Take a proactive approach to reduce the cost of our products and services, in collaboration with purchase and operations; participate in portfolio optimization projects on raw materials and finished goods.
• Provide R&D support during external quality audits; ensure perfect and traceable documentation of all relevant R&D activities.

4. Internal and external stakeholder management

• Be an active member of the BP management team and ensure good implementation of the projects in the local organization.
• Create a strong network with the leaders of the BP countries, contribute to a trustful collaboration, inspire the teams with new products, services, concepts and ideas, and assure a close collaboration that results in a smooth implementation and a shorter time to market.
• Create a strong internal network with stakeholders from HQ, the region and other countries, in the effort to share best practices, learn, improve and create new solutions to meet customer´s challenges.
• Create a strong external network with key customers, suppliers, research institutes, local authorities and sectorial associations, to accelerate the detection of future challenges and opportunities, and accelerate the development of according to solutions.

5. Position Requirements

 Competences, Knowledge & Personal Qualities

• Strong R&D expertise, scientific curiosity, and digital savviness.
• Inspiring team leader,  attracting and developing a diverse team of talents.
• Capable of translating a business strategy into an R&D strategy.
• Strong Customer orientation and commercial drive (driving projects into sales).
• Impactful networker within/out of the organization.
• Able to turn needs into unique, purpose-driven solutions for customers.
• Strong planning with structured approach and project management skills.
• Self-driven and dynamic with an international mindset.
• Ambitious and determined to achieve results and be part of a winning team.

 Professional Experience & Qualifications

• Academic background: Master’s degree in food science or equivalent
• Minimum 10 years’ experience in applied R&D from international food industry.
• Minimum 5 years’ experience in leading the R&D activity and team from international food industry.
• R&D experience from bakery, patisserie or chocolate industry is a plus

Knowledge of food regulations.

• Languages: Fluent in English.
• Travel: expected to travel frequently in the region and occasionally to HQ in Belgium. Spend 30% of the time with customers.

Offer

Puratos provides a dynamic, entrepreneurial environment that encourages our people to take initiatives and bring ideas that will contribute to the success of the company. Of course, Puratos offers a competitive package (salary, and market related benefits) but additionally, offers you a position that you can further develop and shape.

Interested persons who meet the requirements may apply at: www.chipkinspuratos.co.za

Interested internal employees may use SuccessFactors to apply. Closing Date: 30 April 2026