Design Manager, South Africa

IFF is a global leader in flavors fragrances food ingredients and health & biosciences. We deliver sustainable innovations that elevate everyday products and create meaningful experiences for consumers around the world.

Taste: We create impactful innovative flavor solutions that help food and beverage brands grow differentiate and meet evolving consumer expectations.

The role is based in Johannesburg South Africa (on-site). Be part of a collaborative customer-focused and innovative team where together we can achieve excellence and make a real impact. Your potential is our inspiration.

Where Youll Make a Difference

• Lead and coordinate complex flavour design projects ensuring effective execution across larger cross-functional teams
• Ensure all technical sensory and operational resources are aligned to maximize project success and timely delivery
• Act as a recognized specialist in flavours design providing technical leadership and guidance
• Drive high-value and high-complexity projects proactively identifying risks removing roadblocks and avoiding execution pitfalls
• Collaborate closely with sensory commercial and other technical teams to support customer projects and innovation activities
• Translate customer needs into optimal product design solutions and internal project direction
• Support category-aligned initiatives and contribute to local execution strategies and customer positioning
• Promote the use of IFF data management and project systems (including SAP IFFman Catalyst GIAS and )

What Makes You the Right Fit

• BSc in Chemistry Biochemistry Food Science Food Engineering or related disciplines
• Minimum 10 years experience in food pharmaceutical ingredient or flavor industry; 2 or 3 years exposure to interdepartmental cross-functional team roles (leader participant manager etc.) and minimum 5 years in the specific field of expertise
• Advanced technical knowledge of recipes ingredients raw materials and their functional application
• Solid understanding of regional flavour legislation
• Proven experience in managing complex technical projects and cross-functional teams
• Strong problem-solving skills with the ability to develop effective pragmatic solutions
• Experience identifying and mobilizing technical and sensory resources to support customer solutions
• High proficiency in relevant data management and project systems
• Ability to link customer needs with IFF capabilities technologies and portfolio strengths
• Experience leading teams or managing roles with complexity beyond a team leader scope

How Would You Stand Out

• Experience fostering innovation through new materials and emerging technologies
• Strong customer engagement skills including leading workshops working sessions and product presentations
• Ability to provide strategic feedback that shapes portfolio development and innovation pipelines

Why Choose Us

• The opportunity to lead and develop talented technical teams in a global organization
• Exposure to cutting-edge technologies innovation programs and world-class customers
• Strong focus on learning coaching and leadership development
• A collaborative inclusive and purpose-driven work environment

We are a global leader in taste scent and nutrition offering our customers a broader range of natural solutions and accelerating our growth strategy. At IFF we believe that your uniqueness unleashes our potential. We value the diverse mosaic of the ethnicity national origin race age sex or veteran status. We strive for an inclusive workplace that allows each of our colleagues to bring their authentic self to work regardless of their religion gender identity & expression sexual orientation or disability.

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