R&D Manager Cote d'Or Chocolate

Are You Ready to Make It Happen at Mondelēz International

Join our Mission to Lead the Future of Snacking. Make It With Pride.

This is a newly created strategic role leading R&D for the iconic Cote dOr brand across the MEU chocolate portfolio tablets pralines countlines and seasonals. You wont just manage projects; youll shape the future of one of the worlds most loved chocolate brands.

Reporting to the Director MEU Chocolate R&D youll operate at the intersection of science strategy and storytelling. Youll build and execute a cohesive R&D vision across the total Cote DOr chocolate business partnering closely with Commercial Supply Chain and R&D leaders to turn consumer insights into exceptional products and huge brand growth. This role puts you in constant dialogue with Directors and VPs so the ability to communicate with clarity and confidence is non-negotiable.

This is also a genuine career springboard. Beyond leading Cote dOr youll work alongside the MEU R&D Leadership Team on shaping new ways of working R&D strategy and organisational effectiveness building the experience and visibility that leads to future senior leadership roles.

Who You Are

Youre a strategic thinker who loves all aspects of product development. You see the bigger picture connect the dots between consumer desires brand ambition and operational reality and you bring people along with you.

You communicate brilliantly whether youre translating complex technical concepts for a marketing team aligning priorities with Supply Chain partners or presenting a bold portfolio strategy to senior leaders. People seek you out not just for your expertise but because you make collaboration feel effortless.

Youre a recognised expert in product development (chocolate experience is strongly preferred but not a dealbreaker) and you stay curious scanning inside and outside the company for ideas that drive growth. Youre the person who walks into a crowded room and makes the thinking sharper the ambition bigger and the plan more actionable.

What Youll Do

• Lead R&D strategy for Cote dOr across Growth Quality Improvement Brand Maintenance and Productivity with potential to expand to other MEU platforms and brands in future
• Develop co-ordinate and drive cross-platform strategic plans translating business needs into clear project objectives and creative solutions
• Champion consumer-centric product design ensuring every innovation delivers an outstanding experience
• Design robust processes that consistently bring your vision from bench to shelf
• Identify value through smarter design improving quality where it matters reducing cost where it doesnt
• Strengthen leverage and protect our brand equity assets with the care they deserve
• Navigate a matrix organisation with confidence mobilising R&D resources leveraging the CDO TCE cocoa specialists and other experts to deliver one aligned plan for growth

The Secret Ingredient (Thats You)

A self-starter with infectious energy a collaborative instinct and the kind of curiosity that makes you connect dots others didnt even know existed. You dont wait for permission to make things better you just do it and you bring people with you.

Your Network

Youll collaborate across a broad ecosystem primarily:

• MEU R&D Chocolate Leadership Team and all platform leads including process pack and productivity as well as R&D peers
• Cote dOr global SME/TCE and global mass team
• Cote dOr Equity and Marketing Teams centrally and across all MEU BUs
• MEU Supply Chain PCM Procurement Manufacturing Operations Engineering CS & CI
• Design Sustainability Regulatory and Global Nutrition teams

The Essentials

This role is primarily strategic and pilot plant work will primarily be achieved through others. Some travel for meetings trials and stakeholder engagement will be required.

What you will bring:

• Exceptional communicator you influence diverse audiences and translate technical detail for non-technical partners with ease
• Collaborative influencer you navigate perspectives negotiate effectively and bring stakeholders along across countries and functions
• Creative problem solver high analytical acumen paired with genuinely original thinking
• Network builder you create connections well beyond R&D and leverage external resources proactively
• Innovation champion you bring external thinking in and drive Innovation Excellence forward
• Mentor and role model you actively develop junior talent and elevate the R&D community

Education: Higher education in Food Technology Science or related disciplines. A scientific degree is an advantage paired with significant business experience.

Experience: 810 years in product/packaging development predominantly in the food industry.

Work mix: 60% office-based with up to 20% business travel as needed.

Languages: Fluent English is essential. Additional European languages are a welcome bonus.

Location: Bournville UK or Global Tech Centre - Wrocław Poland

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.

We value our talented employees and whenever possible strive to help one of our associates grow professionally before recruiting new talent to our open positions. If you think the open position you see is right for you we encourage you to apply!