Head of - London, United Kingdom - Win-Win

Description

Job Description

Role: Head of R&D / Director of R&D

Reports to: Ahrum Pak, CEO & Founder

Location: London, UK

Company:

Win-Win, headquartered in London, UK, is a pioneer, disrupting the chocolate industry with an ethical and environmentally conscious alternative to traditional chocolate. The current cocoa supply chain involves child labor, slave labor, and deforestation, contributing to significant greenhouse gas emissions.

Our innovative approach merges low-carbon, abundant ingredients (cereals + legumes) with our proprietary fermentation tech and leverages existing, conventional chocolate machinery. The end result is an alternative chocolate that tastes, melts, grates, and snaps the same as conventional chocolate but avoids these problems.

Win-Win's first products are a range of award-winning alt-chocs: vegan m.lk, milk, and dark choc easy melt buttons available for B2B industry partners.

Win-win has raised 5 million GBP in funding from European impact, climate, and biotech funds. The company has a cash runway well into 2025 and intends to raise additional funding in the near future.

Position Overview:

WIn-Win is growing quickly and holds high ambitions for the future. The Head of / Director of R&D is expected to be a key contributor and enabler of the delivery of the vision. The successful Head of / Director of R&D will act as a thought partner to the CEO and founder. They will be a strong team player, motivated by the group's success, and always seeking to make a positive difference.

Roles & Responsibilities:

The Head of/ Director of R&D has a pivotal strategic leadership role, crafting, implementing, and driving our strategy and research and development efforts forward. The position will oversee 6-8 reports. This profile will lead our fermentation initiatives, exploring innovative techniques to enhance flavor profiles and improve the quality of our products. Additionally, this role will spearhead new product development projects, leveraging their expertise to create unique and market-leading alt-choc products.

Strategy & Leadership

• Craft the company's vision and lead the successful development, launch, and implementation of products
• Define project plans with clear objectives, manage variances, develop timelines, and guide the team to meet deliverables and objectives
• Provide strategic oversight for decision-making, planning, and prioritisation of the product development pipeline
• Lead and manage a team of 6-8 reports, guiding them in developing innovative products while ensuring competency and structure align with the long-term strategy
• Foster a culture of creativity and scientific rigor within the R&D team
• Provide mentorship and guidance to food scientists and technologists to enhance their understanding of innovative food chemistry and product development
• Drive accountability for talent selection and development within the organization
• Build and maintain a high-performing team, fostering collaboration and delivering excellence

Functional Responsibilities

• Lead the R&D team in developing and implementing cutting-edge biomass fermentation processes to optimize our alt-choc's flavor, function, and quality
• Structure the team to fulfill the business strategy and goals, as well as the growth and development of partners/collaborators
• Oversee all aspects of new product development, from ideation to commercialisation, ensuring on-time delivery and within budget, alignment with company goals and market trends
• Oversee operational scale-up of fermentation process and new products
• Collaborate closely with cross-functional teams, including operations, sales and marketing, to drive innovation and bring new products to market successfully
• Stay abreast of industry trends, emerging technologies, and scientific advancements to inform R&D strategies and maintain a competitive edge
• Conduct continuous market research to identify emerging trends in formulation innovations, new ingredients and processing methodologies
• Manage collaborations with external partners (e.g., academic institutions, laboratories, consultants, etc.) and suppliers to develop and source sustainable, high-quality and differentiating ingredients
• Lead IP management for all R&D initiatives and all application formats
• Anticipate the impact of the changing regulatory environment on existing market segments and products and propose strategies, tactics, and new or modified products accordingly

Qualifications:

• PhD in Food Science, Chemistry, Biochemistry, or related field from a leading academic institution. A focus on fermentation and/or chocolate is strongly preferred. Technical discipline required.
• Minimum of 7 years of experience in R&D leadership roles within the food industry, with a proven track record of successful product development and innovation.
• Expertise in fermentation techniques, flavor chemistry, and sensory evaluation.
• In-depth knowledge about raw materials, ingredients and their interaction
• Knowledge of DoE, analytical and experimental testing methodologies within the food industry
• Hands-on experience in: ideation, rigorous experimental testing of new formulations, ingredient functionality evaluation, and/or analytical characterisation and prototyping
• Demonstrated track record of successful technology transfer, development, new product launch, and leveraging of external innovations
• Ability to lead teams, make decisions in an uncertain environment and guide teams through ambiguity while driving for results
• Strong project management skills, with the ability to prioritise tasks, meet deadlines, and manage resources effectively.
• Excellent communication and leadership abilities, with the capacity to inspire and motivate a team towards common goals.
• Passion for sustainability, ethical sourcing, and creating positive social impact through food innovation.
• Based in the UK or willing to relocate to London. This role will be based at the R&D lab in Hackney Wick.

Benefits:

• Competitive salary and performance-based incentives.
• Comprehensive health benefits package, including medical and gym membership.
• Opportunities for professional development and career advancement within a rapidly growing company.
• A collaborative and inclusive work environment that values diversity and creativity.
• Access to a vibrant office in the center of East London (Hackney Wick), with a barista-level coffee machine and delicious snacks (we are a food company after all)
• The opportunity to be part of a movement towards a more sustainable and ethical food industry.

How to Apply:

If you are a visionary leader with a passion for chocolate innovation and a drive to make a positive impact, we want to hear from you Please submit your CV and a cover letter outlining your relevant experience and why you are the ideal candidate for the Head of / Director of R&D position at Win-Win at

Candidates only please, no recruiters.