Back to search

R&D Operational Europe

Madrid, Spain Permanent View Job Description
Reporting to the R&D Director, the mission for this position is to lead and coordinate the execution of R&D operational tasks and strategic initiatives across all Business Units within the Group in Europe.
  • Leader FMCG multinational company
  • Standardization of processes and procedures

About Our Client

Multinational food company with a strong focus on operational excellence, quality standards, and continuous improvement in a complex international environment.

Job Description

  • Lead the deployment of the R&D operational strategy across all BUs in Europe, ensuring proper alignment between BU priorities and regional/global R&D goals.
  • Oversee the execution of R&D project pipelines across all plants in Europe, providing guidance on resource allocation, risk mitigation, and milestone tracking, and promoting a result-driven culture.
  • Act as a key connector between local R&D Operational teams and regional/global R&D.
  • Development, R&D Packaging, Portfolio Management, center of excellence and industrial functions to ensure coordination, feedback loops and consistent implementation.
  • Standardize R&D operational processes across Europe, ensuring visibility, control, and synergies between business units and fostering a culture of continuous improvement.
  • Identify and develop strategic project opportunities together with cross-functional partners.
  • Lead the benchmarking process across the business units, promoting best practice sharing, technology transfer, and innovation scaling throughout the region.
  • Ensure strong collaboration with Quality, Regulatory, and Engineering to guarantee full compliance with food safety, quality, and legislative requirements during project execution.
  • Participate in Europe investment plans by supporting the R&D assessment of CAPEX projects, business case reviews, and the handover of new equipment or technologies to operations.
  • Monitor and report consolidated project progress and key KPIs at Europe level, providing strategic insights to the R&D Director in Europe and highlighting potential risks or opportunities.
  • Develop contingency strategies across Europe by coordinating with Supply Chain, Sourcing, R&D Development and R&D Packaging to respond to raw material, packaging, or process constraints.
  • Identify and implement cost optimization and performance improvement projects related to product formulation, raw materials, and processes to support EBITDA and growth targets.
  • Represent R&D Operational in key strategic forums at Europe and cross-regional level.

The Successful Applicant

Experience

  • More than 15 years of progressive experience in R&D, with minimum 5 years in regional or multi-country leadership roles.
  • Strong background in the food industry is a MUST.
  • Have operations / manufacturing related background and a cross-knowledge and understanding of the business, including the ability to deal with the several cultures and countries.
  • Solid understanding of food legislation, hygiene, and safety standards in a European regulatory context.
  • Skilled in business case development and financial prioritization of R&D investments.
  • Experience leading innovation, new product development, and technology implementation at scale.
  • Proven ability to manage complexity across multiple business units, geographies, and cultures.
  • Be able to set a vision for long-term organizational success and implement action plans.
  • Excellent English level. Additional European languages are a plus.



Soft Skills

  • Strong leadership capabilities with experience managing diverse, remote, and cross-functional teams.
  • High-level stakeholder management and influencing skills, capable of aligning multiple agendas and securing buy-in.
  • Strategic mindset with the ability to translate vision into executable plans.
  • Curious, open to innovation, and close to market trends and competitive landscape.
  • Promotes collaboration, knowledge sharing, and integration across regions and functions.
  • Open to travel regularly across Europe.

What's on Offer

An excellent opportunity in a leading company in its sector.

Contact
Alexia Duró
Quote job ref
JN-052026-7014659

Job summary

Function
Engineering & Manufacturing
Subsector
Engineering & Manufacturing Subsector
Industry
Consumer & Retail
Location
Madrid
Contract type
Permanent
Consultant name
Alexia Duró
Job reference
JN-052026-7014659
A person smiling, wearing a black blazer and white shirt, blurred background.
Page Executive
Alexia Duró LinkedIn
Senior Partner

Based in Madrid, Alexia specialises in executive search for FMCG/Food/consumer, IT, and Digital industries, focusing on C-level, General Management and Board-level roles across Spain and Europe. 

Read more about Alexia Duró

About Page Executive

Page Executive are inclusive Recruiters and Hirers, as reflected in our Clear Assured Platinum Standard Accreditation from the Clear Company. We are passionate about attracting diverse talent and are committed to ensuring our processes are inclusive and supportive.