At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead and inspire R&D for innovative sweets, driving creativity and delivery.
- Company: Dynamic confectionery company expanding across Central & Eastern Europe.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, leadership opportunities, and a vibrant work culture.
- Other info: Join a high-performing team and grow your career in a creative space.
- Why this job: Shape the future of sweets and make a real impact in a fast-paced environment.
- Qualifications: Proven leadership in R&D and a passion for innovation.
The predicted salary is between 80000 - 100000 £ per year.
As we grow across Central & Eastern Europe and through new acquisitions, we’re looking for a Head of R&D – Sweets to lead, inspire and elevate our innovation and delivery across the portfolio. This is a high-impact, highly visible leadership role that blends strategy, delivery and people leadership. If you thrive in a fast-paced environment and love turning ideas into products that consumers love, you’ll feel right at home here. This is a broad, high-impact leadership role across all confectionery R&D, covering both Valeo brands and retailer brands, in the UK and CEE. At its heart, your role is simple: set the standard, drive delivery, lead innovation, and build a brilliant team.
Responsibilities
- Set the tone for R&D – bringing the right balance of creativity, rigour and discipline
- Keep the pipeline moving – ensuring innovation, renovation and productivity projects land on time and with pace
- Own the innovation agenda – shaping the sweets strategy and weaving ESG into everything we do
- Lead and grow the team – building capability, coaching talent, and creating a high-performing environment
Alongside that, you’ll:
- Work closely with Brand, Marketing and Commercial teams to bring great ideas to life
- Partner with customers and stakeholders to stay ahead of changing needs
- Strengthen how we deliver projects through clear, structured governance
- Make sure new launches work not just on paper, but in our factories
- Stay plugged into the outside world, spotting trends, technologies and new ideas worth exploring
Head of R&D employer: Doist
Brink's is an exceptional employer that fosters a collaborative and innovative work culture, empowering employees to drive global commercial strategies in the ATM lifecycle solutions sector. With a strong focus on professional development and growth opportunities, employees are encouraged to expand their skills while contributing to sustainable growth and operational excellence. Located in a dynamic environment, Brink's offers unique advantages such as a diverse team and the chance to build long-term partnerships with global customers, making it a rewarding place to advance your career.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Head of R&D
✨Leverage Innovation Hubs
Tap into local innovation hubs and research centres. These places often host events and workshops where you can meet like-minded people and industry leaders. Plus, they might have job openings that aren't widely advertised, so keep your ears open!
✨Showcase Your Projects
Turn your past innovation projects into compelling stories. Create a portfolio showcasing your creativity and problem-solving skills. This can give hiring managers a real flavour of what you can bring to the table at companies like Doist.
✨Connect at Industry Conferences
Make it a point to attend industry conferences and seminars focused on R&D and innovation management. These events are fantastic for networking and often have job boards or career fairs where you can connect directly with firms looking for talent.
✨Use Your University’s Resources
If you're fresh out of university, don't forget to tap into your institution's career services. They often have exclusive partnerships with companies seeking new talent in R&D, especially for full-time roles. It's a good shortcut to landing a gig at places like Doist.
We think you need these skills to ace Head of R&D
Some tips for your application 🫡
Showcase Your Creative Thinking:In innovation and R&D management, it's all about thinking outside the box. Make sure your CV highlights any projects or experiences that showcase your creative problem-solving skills. Use specific examples to illustrate how you've developed and implemented innovative ideas in previous roles.
Tailor Your Experience to R&D:When you're crafting your CV, focus on your experience in research and development. Highlight any relevant projects you've worked on, including methodologies used and results achieved. This will show us at Doist that you understand the R&D process and can contribute meaningfully to our projects.
Let Your Passion Shine in the Cover Letter:For a full-time role like this, your cover letter should reflect your genuine passion for innovation and development. Share your excitement about the opportunity to work at Doist and touch on how your goals align with our mission. This helps us see your motivation for wanting to join our team!
Quantify Your Achievements:Numbers speak volumes in R&D! Whenever possible, quantify your achievements in your CV. Whether it’s a percentage improvement in project outcomes, the budget size you’ve managed, or the number of successful products you've launched, these figures will help paint a clearer picture of your impact and capabilities.
How to prepare for a job interview at Doist
✨Show Off Your Innovative Thinking
In an Innovation R&D Management role at Doist, they're going to want to see how you approach problem-solving. Be ready to discuss previous projects where you introduced a new idea or process. Highlight your ability to think outside the box and provide examples where your innovations drove significant results.
✨Familiarity with Tools and Technologies
Make sure you're clued up on the latest tools and technologies related to innovation management, such as project management software and data analysis platforms. Being able to discuss specific tools you’ve used or have experience with will show Doist that you’re ready to hit the ground running.
✨Demonstrate Collaboration Skills
Since this is a full-time gig, emphasising your teamwork skills will be essential. In innovation, collaboration often sparks the best ideas, so be ready to talk about how you've worked effectively within cross-functional teams in your past roles. Have concrete examples at the ready!
✨Prepare for Scenario-Based Questions
Expect some scenario-based questions in your interview that reflect real challenges you might face in the role. £At Doist, they might want to see how you handle tight deadlines or manage conflicting ideas within a team. Prepare some responses that demonstrate your critical thinking and decisiveness in high-pressure situations.
