R&I Senior Manager - Operations

Utrecht/Hybrid

For the Specialized Nutrition R&I (SN R&I) division we are looking for an R&I Senior Manager - Operations located at Utrecht.

As R&I Senior Manager - Operations, you will lead the development and implementation of products across our global manufacturing network. You will work closely with Operations, Quality, Procurement, and R&I teams to deliver innovation, drive continuous improvement, and build strong technical capabilities.

In this position you will be reporting into the Category Director and you will have the following accountabilities and responsibilities:

Leading a large team of (Senior) Product Development Managers located over different supply points within the Global SN Network in a demanding and high paced cross-functional setting.

Ensuring the team acts as linking pin between global R&I and the factory, regarding product & continuous improvement related topics.

Key member in project management including feasibility study, risk assessment, and building and delivering qualification plan till product launch.

Ensuring that all development guaranty Product compliance with regulatory, food safety, nutritional, sensory, physical and chemical requirements, keeping the consumer’s voice at the heart of our activities; Ensure Design principles are fully deployed across the team.

Ensuring new and reformulated products can be implemented in production scale and that targeted product performance as well as operational efficiencies are achieved.

Working closely with the Center of Excellence team on Product Design and Specification principles.

Coaching and mentoring team members, in various challenging product development projects in multidisciplinary teams with colleagues from R&I, operations, procurement and quality.

Inspiring the team to co-create a team atmosphere with a continuous drive for growth, excellence and effectiveness with a business mindset.

Defining strategic resources planning for optimal efficiency, between Inno, Fuel For Growth (F4G) and capability projects.

Acting as the F4G SPOC for all Categories.

Engaging and growing team members by focusing their expertise to deliver tangible outcomes & milestones, with a high focus on quality in execution, safe guarding SN R&I fundamental role.

The R&I Senior Manager - Operations is a member of the Early Life Nutrition Category, reporting into the Category Director.

The salary range for this role is €105.000 – €125.000 gross annually (including 8% holiday allowance). Your final offer will reflect your skills and experience while also ensuring alignment with our internal equity and salary framework. All Danoners receive a complete package of benefits. This includes a competitive salary and yearly bonus, a premium free pension, 30 days of annual leave (with the opportunity to purchase more) and you will receive a monthly health care allowance. In addition, you can get discount on your gym membership, and we offer initiatives focused on nutrition, physical, and mental health. We provide continuous learning opportunities through workshops, online courses and training sessions.

We put people at the center of everything we do. Bring your unique perspective, ambitions and ideas to the table – the impact you could make might surprise you. We are committed to embrace diversity, nurturing an inclusive workplace where every individual is valued; Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) is deeply embedded in Danone's DNA.

At Danone we are committed to our mission “bringing health, through food to as many people as possible”. We are working together to make sure that our brands, like Nutricia and Nutrilon, create real benefits for people, communities and the planet. You will be part of one of the largest Certified B Corps™ in the world. Being B Corp means to be part of a select movement of companies verified to be meeting the highest standards of social and environmental criteria and using business as a force for good. One Planet. One Health.

Our state-of-the-art research and innovation center builds bridges between food and science and is global in reach, founded on over 125 years of experience in life & food science, technology and user experience and is at the forefront of pioneering advances in specialized nutrition.