R&D Team Leader in Crediton

Are You Ready to Make It Happen at Mondelēz International? Join our Mission to Lead the Future of Snacking. Make It With Pride. Ernest Jackson & Co Ltd exists to deliver the best tasting healthcare products to consumers. Unique to Mondelez international, Ernest Jackson has a locally managed Research and Development function whose goal is to develop the right healthcare products to meet the needs of the consumer and enable a competitive edge for the business.

In this role you will lead and guide a dedicated team of R&D scientists, technicians and admin staff in the execution of specific research and development projects. This role focuses on the tactical implementation of project plans, ensuring timely delivery of technical milestones, upholding quality standards, and fostering the growth and development of individual team members, all while contributing to the successful innovation pipeline of the organisation.

How you will contribute:

• Team Leadership – line management of technical staff including development scientists, packaging technologists, and admin staff. Handles performance management and resource gating to align with business priorities.
• Technical Leadership – builds strong cross‑functional relationships, provides technical expertise, leads root cause analysis and issue resolution, and models proactive change.
• Training, Coaching & Mentorship – develops R&D capability through training, coaching, and mentoring; identifies progression opportunities and supports technical expertise, compliance, HSE and regulatory standards.
• Delivery – ensures timely project execution. Deliver results – balance team workload to meet business outputs. Provide decision making on key technical and resource choices. Delegate for group leader when required.
• Risk Management – models best practice in strategic risk taking, analyses and communicates risk, and recommends actions that consider risk while enabling decisive progress.
• Communication – excels in communicating with a wide variety of stakeholders within and outside R&D. Verbal and written communication is clear and appropriately detailed for the audience. Uses skills to ensure key messages are received and understood. Coaches others on delivering concise, detailed communication.
• Continuous Development & Knowledge – stays current with key nutritional and licensed medicine landscape themes and discusses development needs and opportunities with line manager.
• Ethical & Compliance – ensures all activities follow company Health, Safety and Quality Policies, and upholds ethical and legal compliance responsibilities.

What you will bring:

• Degree & relevant experience – Bachelors in a relevant scientific discipline with proven people management track record within a technical team.
• Product Development experience and expertise – delivering product developments from concept to marketplace to meet supply chain requirements.
• People leadership skills.
• Technical skills and continuous learning mindset, including application of statistical analysis to datasets.
• Effective influencing of senior‑level and cross‑functional stakeholders in writing and speaking, including technical report conclusions.
• Coaching and mentoring of others.
• Good working knowledge of food and pharmaceutical regulatory environments (preferred).
• Project Management Process knowledge (preferred).
• Process development experience – introducing new or improved processes, equipment trials and scale‑up challenges (preferred).

More about this role:

In return for your commitment, drive and enthusiasm, we offer an attractive benefits package within a highly successful international business that offers financial rewards and resources, including:

• Opportunities to learn and develop.
• Performance‑Related Bonus scheme.
• Contributory pension (8% to 11% employer contribution).
• Life assurance.
• 27 days holiday allowance (possibility to buy 5 extra days) plus bank holidays.
• Employee Assistance Programme (EAP).
• Flexible benefits programme (Gym discounts, private health insurance, restaurant discounts, etc).

Mondelēz International is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation or preference, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.