Associate Manager, Culinary

Job Purpose

As a Culinary Assoc. Manager you will help transform the future of R&D innovation and accelerate Kraft Heinzs growth ambitions. Our Culinary team shapes and influences food-facing innovations by combining a creative approach with deep technical expertise to drive consumer and product opportunities. We pride ourselves on being the expert culinary connection to food and cooking within the marketplace and we are looking for a consumer-obsessed culinary professional someone who is creative strategic independent collaborative and who executes with high attention to detail and effective communication. This is a hands-on R&D Culinary role supporting our Meals Dessert & Hydration Platform focusing on Frozen Meals & Hydration brands and working closely with R&D marketing consumer experience and CIS. Under the guidance of the Managerthis individual will be responsible forculinary product development innovation pipeline development andconnecting sensorial insights into the consumer experience food trends and culture.

Essential Functions & Responsibilities

• Demonstrates mastery of culinary basics: the principles of cooking techniques product characteristics safe food handling techniques food & nutrition and ideation.

• Documentsand appliesculinary insights approachesto translate food trendsinto actionable strategic presentations andinnovationconcepts that are focused on a consumer target.

• Demonstrates clear understanding of functional ingredients and their application within developed formulations or as needed for Culinary Concept Development.

• Leads theplanning developmentand executionof culinaryprojectssuch as recipe development package directions performance testingimmersionsand culinary eventswith the guidance of a manager.

• Leads consumer-driven recipe strategy development and collaborates with Marketing on media content photography and other communication needs.

• Demonstrates strategic thinking clear communication attention to detail and proactive ownership across assigned work.

• Contributes to cross-functional decision-making related to innovation strategy concept prioritization and product direction.

• Works well in a team environment able to balance multiple and/or shifting priorities and flexes to provide support to colleagues as needed.

• Supports consumer research workstreams including CLTs HUTs and focus groups and applies insights from testing to product learning. Participates in upstream innovation work through trend scouting dig site methodology and white space identification.

• Translates culinary concepts into scalable product opportunities incorporating consumer insights technical feasibility and business considerations.

Expected Experience & Required Skills

• Bachelors degree in culinary arts food science nutrition or a closely related field with a minimum of 4 years of progressive culinary experience with demonstrable expertise in product development cooking techniques and flavor application.

• Minimum 3 years of experience in a corporate CPG or food manufacturing R&D environment.

• Working knowledge of food safety principles (ServSafe)

• Experience with recipe management systems PLM platforms or SAP in a product development workflow.

• RCA Certified Research Chef (CRC) or equivalent culinary R&D / product development certification preferred.

• Excellent communication influencing prioritization and project management skills

• Strong critical thinking skills and ability to make connections to the big picture

• Ability to travel up to 15% of the time

Work Environment & Schedule

This position operates primarily in a hybrid work environment and is based at the Kraft Heinz R&D Innovation Center in Glenview IL. Our hybrid model provides flexibility based on business needs allowing employees to work virtually up to two days per week with an expectation to work on-site at least three days per week at the Glenview R&D Innovation Center.

Physical Requirements

Physical demands include but not limited to

• Constant standing and walking in a kitchen/lab/plant environment for extended periods.

• Frequent use of hands and arms for food preparation weighing/measuring knife work stirring mixing and operating small equipment; repetitive motions are common.

• Occasional lifting/carrying ingredients and equipment (e.g. up to 2550 lbs with or without reasonable accommodation).