Job Description

About the Role

The Associate Director, R&D EurAsia will lead the innovation and product development agenda across a diverse portfolio of high-growth emerging markets, including Turkey, Russia, Southern & South Asia, and Indonesia. Reporting to the Growth Officer, EurAsia, this role is responsible for translating business strategy into consumer-focused innovation, product renovation, and R&D excellence that drive sustainable growth across the region.

Working at the intersection of consumer insights, commercial strategy, operations, and technology, the successful candidate will partner closely with cross-functional leaders to accelerate innovation, strengthen product competitiveness, and unlock new growth opportunities. This is a unique opportunity to shape the future of iconic brands across one of Kraft Heinz's most dynamic and complex regions.

The role can be based in the Netherlands, Turkey, Russia, or Indonesia, offering the opportunity to work within a highly international environment while influencing the growth agenda across multiple markets and cultures.

Job Summary

The Head of R&D EurAsia defines and executes the regional R&D strategy across innovation, renovation, productivity & Value Engineering, nutrition, packaging and technical excellence. The role owns the regional R&D Master Plan, portfolio governance, capability roadmap and talent agenda, ensuring a balanced pipeline from near-term execution to future growth.

Working through Country R&D Heads and cross-functional leaders, the role improves speed-to-market without compromising food safety, quality, technical rigor, consumer appeal or regulatory compliance. It represents EurAsia in Emerging Markets and Global R&D forums and secures the expertise, technologies and investments required by the Business Unit.

Key Responsibilities

·    Strategic Business Partnership: Serve as the principal R&D partner to the EurAsia Growth Officer and a core voice on the EurAsia Leadership Team, translating growth, category and channel strategies into clear product, packaging and technology roadmaps.

·    Regional R&D Strategy & Master Plan: Define the multi-year R&D strategy and Master Plan, balancing innovation, renovation, productivity, maintenance, nutrition and regulatory priorities across markets.

·    Portfolio Governance & Prioritization: Create one integrated view of the regional pipeline; establish decision criteria, stage-and-gate governance, resource trade-offs and escalation routines; challenge low-impact or under-resourced projects and protect continuity on strategic priorities.

·    Innovation from Idea to Execution: Enable Country R&D teams to convert consumer and customer opportunities into scalable solutions, from concept and feasibility through validation, commercialization and post-launch learning.

·    Cross-Market Leverage: Identify and scale Lift & Launch opportunities, reusable recipes, packaging formats, technologies and best practices across Retail and Away From Home, reducing duplication and improving speed and returns.

·    Nutrition & Portfolio Transformation: Set the regional direction for Better-for-You, clean label and nutritional improvement, ensuring market roadmaps balance consumer desirability, technical feasibility, cost and regulatory requirements.

·    Packaging, Sustainability & Supply Resilience: Lead the regional packaging capability agenda, including sustainability and regulatory readiness, affordable formats, recyclable solutions, packaging productivity and supply continuity, in partnership with Supply Chain, Procurement and FSQ.

·    Own & execute the product and pack quality program in collaboration with CCX team.

·    Technical Excellence & Risk Governance: Establish common expectations for product and packaging standards, testing, specifications, validation and technical risk assessment. Ensure country decisions are supported by robust evidence while local teams maintain accountability for compliance and execution.

·    Speed-to-Market & Ways of Working: Simplify end-to-end R&D processes and remove bottlenecks across project management, specifications, systems, approvals and commercialization while maintaining quality and technical rigor.

·    R&D Capabilities & Infrastructure: Build and strengthen regional R&D capabilities across innovation, packaging, nutrition, sensory and consumer science, microbiology, process development, technical mastery and digital knowledge management. Guide country capability and infrastructure plans based on business need and return.

·    Operating Model & Functional Leadership: Lead the EurAsia R&D network through clear decision rights, governance, routines and shared priorities. Coach and challenge Country R&D Heads through the dotted-line relationship while respecting their accountability to local Managing Directors.

·    Financial & Resource Stewardship: Shape the regional R&D investment and resource plan; use financial and business insight to prioritize headcount, capabilities, capital and external partnerships against the highest-value growth and risk needs.

·    External & Global Ecosystem: Build effective partnerships with suppliers, research centers, universities and innovation networks, and connect EurAsia with Emerging Markets and Global R&D to access technologies, expertise and scalable platforms.

·    Talent & Culture: Build a diverse, high-performing R&D community; strengthen technical and leadership pipelines, succession and mobility; foster curiosity, collaboration, accountability, learning and resilience.

Qualifications

·    15+ years of progressive R&D leadership experience in food, beverage or FMCG, including leadership of a regional or multi-country agenda. 

·    Deep expertise in food product and packaging development, portfolio and program management, consumer and sensory insight, testing, scale-up and commercialization. 

·    Proven experience translating business strategy and consumer needs into successful innovation and renovation pipelines. 

·    Strong business and financial acumen, including investment prioritization, cost and value engineering, budget and resource management. 

·    Direct or close operational exposure across Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Procurement, FSQ and Quality, with sound judgment on feasibility and technical risk. 

·    Experience leading through a matrix and influencing senior country, regional and global stakeholders; emerging-market experience is a strong advantage. 

·    Demonstrated success by building teams, technical capabilities, infrastructure and external innovation partnerships. 

·    Degree in Food Science, Food Technology, Chemistry, Engineering or a related field; advanced degree preferred. 

·    Fluent English required

 

Core Competencies

·    Strategic & Business Acumen: Connects business strategy, consumer needs and financial considerations to shape clear R&D priorities and investment choices.

·    Innovation & Food Acumen: Combines strong food and technical understanding with curiosity to create consumer-relevant, scalable innovation.

·    Decision Quality & Complexity: Makes sound and timely decisions, balancing technical evidence, risk, cost, speed and competing market priorities.

·       Impact & Influence: Builds credibility, communicates a compelling point of view and adapts the approach to secure the buy-in and commitment of key country, regional, global and cross-functional stakeholders.

·    Global & Matrix Perspective: Connects local market needs with regional and global opportunities and influences effectively across functions and geographies.

·    Team Leadership & Communication: Builds effective teams, develops talent and communicates clearly with technical, commercial and senior leadership audiences.

·    Resilience & Growth Mindset: Performs effectively through ambiguity and setbacks, actively seeks feedback and continues to learn and adapt

 

Critical Interfaces

·    EurAsia Growth Officer and EurAsia Leadership Team

·    Country Managing Directors and Country R&D Heads

·    VP R&D Emerging Markets and Global R&D teams

·    Growth, Marketing, Away From Home, Supply Chain, Procurement, FSQ, Finance and Regulatory teams

·    Suppliers, research institutions, universities and external innovation partners

Location(s)

Amsterdam

 

Kraft Heinz is an Equal Opportunity Employer – Underrepresented Ethnic Minority Groups/Women/Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity and other protected classes.