Vice President, Research & Development – Coffee

Role Overview

• Own the end-to-end Research & Development (R&D) strategy for an iconic portfolio including Folgers®, Dunkin’® (At Home), Café Bustelo®, Medaglia D’Oro®, and Café Pilon®
• Provide scientific and technical guidance across green coffee sourcing, roast and blend development, sensory and flavor science, packaging, process engineering, and format innovation
• Lead and manage large, cross-disciplinary technical teams through all aspects of the product life-cycle from green coffee evaluation and cupping through commercialization and in-market support
• Partner closely with Procurement organization to align on commodity sourcing, supplier qualification, and roasting facility excellence
• Maintain alignment and collaboration with Senior VP of Science and Technical Excellence by leveraging shared platforms to ensure Coffee R&D priorities are integrated into enterprise capability roadmaps
• Build and develop high performing teams with strong technical and leadership capabilities to drive engagement and growth
• Translate technical, sensory, and consumer data into insights that influence business decisions, brand strategy, and pricing/revenue management
• Champion consumer-driven innovation across generations and multicultural segments, supporting category-leading growth and relevance with next generation consumer segments
• Support business continuity, productivity, and continuous improvement in partnership with enterprise Transformation Office, contributing to margin recovery and supply chain resilience.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Chemical Engineering, or a related technical field
• 7+ years of progressive R&D experience within the food and beverage industry, with significant leadership accountability
• Deep expertise in beverage and/or coffee science including product development, roast/blend formulation, flavor development, and processing technologies
• Proven experience leading large, cross-functional teams and complex product portfolios from concept through commercialization
• Demonstrated experience navigating commodity-intensive categories and partnering with Procurement on sourcing, hedging-aware development, and supplier innovation
• Cross-functional collaboration skills with experience partnering across Procurement, Supply Chain, Marketing, and Operations
• Ability to translate technical insights into business impact, prioritize innovation pipelines, and ensure disciplined R&D investment aligned to commercial objectives
• Commitment to continuous improvement, operational excellence, and driving transformation initiatives.

Benefits

• Health insurance
• Retirement plans
• Paid time off
• Flexible work arrangements
• Professional development opportunities