Manager R&D - Nutrition (Nutritional Beverages) and Dairy

Job Description

About Zydus Wellness Zydus Wellness, an FMCG leader, develops, manufactures, and markets health and wellness products, integrating healthcare, skincare, and nutrition. Founded in 1988 with Sugar Free, India’s first zero-calorie sugar replacement, it now manages seven global brands, including Complan, Glucon-D, Everyuth, and Nutralite. The company serves over 50 million families and supports more than 90,000 dairy farmers and 2,000 MSMEs. With a focus on research, quality, and innovation, Zydus Wellness operates on core pillars of manufacturing integrity and supply chain efficiency. Headquartered in Ahmedabad and Mumbai, it runs four manufacturing facilities across India and eight co-packing facilities in India, Oman, and New Zealand. Listed on the Bombay and National Stock Exchanges, Zydus Wellness is led by Chairman Dr. Sharvil Patel and CEO Tarun Arora, serving customers in over 25 countries across three continents. Get to know our organization – Click on the below links 1. Company Website 2. Zydus Corporate Park Manager R&D – Dairy and Nutritional Drinks Functional Reporting : Head R&D – HFD, Dairy and Spreads. Administrative Reporting : Head R&D – HFD, Dairy and Spreads. Location: Ahmedabad Role Purpose The role serves the purpose of managing health food drinks and dairy R&D that supports iconic brands like Complan. Responsibilities include formulating products (dairy and food), managing a team, partnering with cross functional stakeholders to deliver innovative products, solutions and assets to grow the business. The role requires R&D activities such as working in lab bench, improve products, scaling up products in partnership with manufacturing, working with regulatory, quality, packaging, Analytical and Scientific-Medical Affairs teams to ensure strong compliance, creative claims, demos, and product innovation. In addition to innovation, the expectation is to work towards cost optimizations, co-ordination with different interfaces like plant teams, brand teams, external vendors, other cross functional teams, conducting plant trials, managing documentation, artwork approvals and work as a strong team player with Consumer Centric, One Team and Zydus First mindset. Key Accountabilities/ Responsibilities New product development Managing the team for agile, on-time delivery of NPD projects and launches through individual as well as teamwork Brings products of best taste, quality, right cost, Stability/ shelf-life, nutritional value and support diverse go to market activities by providing all technical support required. Handling of complex health food products containing several vitamins, minerals, bio-actives in formulations, and bring new actives and potential consumer benefits Partnering with different interfaces like marketing, operations, purchase etc. Innovation Bring fresh ideas for products, formats synergistic with our growth strategy Creation of intellectual property Trouble shooting Solving of issues at plants as and when they arise (product/process related). Cost optimizations Work with external and internal interfaces for cost optimization of formulations. Product improvements Continuous improvement of products in partnership with regulatory, consumer research, marketing etc. and contribute to business growth Lab & pilot plant upkeep Ensure all cGLP standards and processes are always maintained in our labs Key deliverables Deliver products of best taste, quality, right cost, Stability/ shelf-life, nutritional value and support diverse go to market activities by providing all technical support required. Manage the team and resources to deliver on time formulation developments for NPD, non-NPD and troubleshooting as needed and other projects Lab upkeep and maintenance of equipment of pilot plant. Good Documentation and Knowledge Institutionalization. Key interactions Internal stakeholders R&D teams Marketing teams. Operations teams. Purchase teams. Regulatory and quality teams. External stakeholders Vendors. Third party manufacturing units. Key dimensions Business dimensions Net Turnover. Profitability. Team Direct Reports: 1-2. Others NA Role Requirements: Educational Qualifications Ph.D / M. Tech / M.Sc (preferably Dairy Technology) from a premium institute in India or abroad. Experience (Type & Nature) 10-13 years of experience in a typical R&D or product development environment focusing on dairy products, health food drinks powder processing and spreads, managing a team of technologists and proven ability to work with cross functional teams troubleshooting various wide range of issues. Essential Skills & Technical Competencies Expertise and hands on experience in FORMULATING products related to dairy, powder-based drinks and ready to drink formats is a MUST HAVE. Knowledge of Dairy and non-spreads is a plus. Hands-on approach whenever required. Expertise in food fortification through incorporation of vitamins, minerals and bio-actives. Well aware of the technologies used in formulating products and costing calculations is a MUST HAVE. Knowledge & understanding of dairy powder drinks processing technologies (dry blending, spray drying etc.), handling of equipment at all stages of product development activities from lab to plant. Experience and able to troubleshoot product and process related issues Well versed with formula, nutritional calculations and working in lab for benchwork activities. Ability and aptitude to work on a variety of products. Consumer research understanding. Good understanding of FSSAI regulations pertaining to products given here. Other behavioural skills & competencies which are essential for success in role Get it right first-time and can-do mind-set. Must enjoy Teamwork and be good at managing teams. Hands-on approach and quick disposition of work is critical. Strong communication and problem-solving skills. Ownership of projects and commitment to teams Discipline and initiative and ability to perform under various constraints. Good ability to work collaboratively with different interfaces/cross-functional teams is a must. Good co-ordination and time management skills. Traveling as needed to plants and other business activities