HEAD OF R&D - Clyde's Donuts

Welcome to Clyde’s Donuts!

Over a century ago, the Bickford family took ownership of Clyde’s Delicious Donuts. Since 1920, our company has grown to become a beloved name, known for our innovative and high-quality donuts that delight taste buds of all ages.

Our company has never lost its “start-up” mentality. We continue to set big goals; and we consistently exceed them with our hard-wired entrepreneurial culture and our talented, committed team. We are action-oriented; we respect process, but we don’t get mired down in bureaucracy. Today, we continue to enjoy a sustained, multi-year double-digit growth trajectory. Due to our exceptional growth, we opened our second, state of the art, production plant in 2023 and are currently creating numerous new job opportunities in all disciplines.

As we scale up our operations and extend our market reach, we are looking for talented individuals with the “X” factor to join our team and contribute to our success. What do we mean by “X” factor? “X factor individuals” bring a passion to win, a mindset of continuous improvement, a strong work ethic, and humility (we leave our egos at the door). These individuals thrive on responsibility, challenges and collaboration. Are you that person with the “X” factor?

At Clyde’s Donuts, you will be part of a supportive and dynamic work environment where creativity and collaboration are highly valued. We offer opportunities for growth, continuous learning, and the chance to be a part of a company that is as dedicated to its employees as it is to its customers. Whether you are a seasoned professional or just starting your career, Clyde’s Donuts provides a platform for you to grow and excel. We invite you to consider joining our special company and be a part of our mission to bring joy and sweetness to the world, one donut at a time. By joining Clyde's, you'll have the opportunity to stand out and make a difference. And you will be rewarded for doing so. You will also discover our unique culture of collaboration. We know from over 100 years of experience that every team member plays a crucial role in our success, and we provide a supportive and collaborative work environment where everyone can thrive.

Your Opportunity to Shine

In 2024, Clyde’s is re-envisioning its R&D strategy and structure. We are expanding our team and adding greater technical depth. To that end, we are seeking a dynamic and visionary Head of Research & Development (R&D) to lead this critical initiative. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in food science, a passion for innovation, and demonstrated experience conceptualizing and driving projects from concept to commercialization.

The Head of R&D will oversee new product development and improvement of existing products to ensure that our offerings meet/ exceed customer expectations and requirements. The Head of R&D will also play a crucial role in vertical integration and collaboration with other departments to achieve our business goals.

This is a unique role that is highly entrepreneurial and fast-paced, offering the rare opportunity to build and lead an R&D team from the ground up. As the Head of R&D, you will have the autonomy to shape the future of our product innovation strategy, drive cutting-edge research, and directly influence the growth and success of our company. This position is ideal for a visionary leader who thrives in a dynamic environment and is passionate about creating industry-leading donut products that delight our customers and set new market standards. If you are ready to take on a challenging and rewarding role where your contributions will make a significant impact, we invite you to join our team and be a key player in our exciting journey.

Essential Job Functions/ Key Responsibilities

1. Develop and lead a high-performing R&D team of food scientists and technicians fostering a culture of collaboration, responsiveness and innovation.
2. Manage the new product development lifecycle, including ideation, prototyping, sensory evaluation, and scale-up executing projects on time and on budget. Create and commercialize new donut products innovating recipes, flavors, and formulations to expand our product portfolio.
3. Manage product renovation incorporating voice of the customer and market trend to continuously improve and optimize existing products. Conduct regular product reviews and implement changes to formulations, processes, and packaging to improve product quality, shelf life, and cost efficiency.
4. Collaborate with supply chain, production, and marketing teams to optimize production processes ensuring ensure scalability, cost optimization, quality and product integrity.
5. Support marketing and sales efforts through customer engagement and technical support to execute customer-centric R&D strategies.
6. Collaborate with quality assurance and regulatory teams to stay current on food safety regulations implementing updates to processes and documentation as required.
7. Collaborate with project management team to drive state gate process execution. Prepare detailed project plans, drive project progress to hit deliverables and update key stakeholders on project status, challenges, and successes.
8. Complies with all Food Safety Requirements including GMPs when in production areas and reports all food safety or quality issues to supervisor or Food Safety department.

Qualifications

Required:

1. Bachelor’s degree in food science, food technology, chemistry, or a related field.
2. Minimum of 6-10 years of R&D leadership experience in food product development, preferably in the bakery or confectionery industry.
3. Proven track record of successful product development and commercialization.
4. In-depth knowledge of food safety regulations and quality assurance practices.
5. Strong leadership and team management skills.
6. Excellent project management and organizational abilities.
7. Exceptional problem-solving and analytical skills.
8. Ability to work collaboratively with cross-functional teams.
9. Strong communication and presentation skills.

Preferred:

1. Master’s degree or Ph.D. in Food Science, Food Technology, Chemistry, or a related field.
2. Experience in bakery and/or donut product development.
3. Hands-on experience with scaling up recipes from bench-top to commercial production.
4. Proficiency in sensory evaluation techniques and consumer testing methodologies.
5. Strong network within the bakery or confectionery industry.

What We Offer

1. Market competitive salary commensurate with level of responsibilities and candidate qualifications.
2. Generous annual target bonus based on sales, EDBITA and personal performance objectives. History of consistent payout with opportunity to scale to 150% of target.
3. (3) medical plan options including HMO, PPO and HDHP with H.S.A.
4. (2) dental plan options including high and low plans.
5. Vision plan.
6. Health care and dependent care flexible spending accounts.
7. Short-term disability plan (Company paid).
8. Long-term disability plan (Company paid).
9. Group term life and AD&D insurance (Company Paid).
10. Voluntary insurance plans including life, AD&D, accident, and critical illness.
11. Initial PTO bank of 22 days.
12. 7 paid holidays.
13. 401(k) plan including 4% matching contribution on 5% contribution and immediate vesting of match. Record keeper - Vanguard.
14. Tuition reimbursement program.
15. Various leaves of absence programs for life’s emergencies.
16. Clean, modern, and safe facilities.

Clyde’s Donuts is proud to be an equal opportunity / reasonable accommodation employer.