Group R & D Manager - Beverages

SUMMARY:
The Group Manager, Beverages leads the end-to-end R&D agenda for Our Client’s beverages portfolio (Including tea, instant and powdered beverage formats, fortified drinks and adjacent beverage innovations) across their Africa operating markets. Reporting to the Group Senior Manager, R&D, the role owns the category innovation pipeline — from consumer-led briefs through formulation, scale-up and commercial launch — and is the technical authority for the Beverages category across the Group.

POSITION INFO:
Category Strategy & Pipeline

• Define and own the multi-year R&D plan for the beverages category, aligned with brand, commercial and Group innovation priorities.
• Build and prioritise a fully costed pipeline of new product development, renovation and value-engineering projects.
• Generate proprietary technology, ingredients and process ideas that drive distinctive competitive advantage.

• Lead end-to-end NPD from concept through formulation, lab and pilot trials, factory scale-up, sensory and consumer validation, and commercial launch.
• Develop new and renovated tea, instant beverage, malt and fortified-drink formats.
• Drive cost optimisation through tea-blend engineering, sugar reduction and alternative sweetener systems.
• Lead micronutrient fortification programmes (iron, zinc, vitamins) aligned with public-health priorities.
• Ensure robust documentation: specifications, BOMs, shelf-life dossiers, technical files and launch hand-overs.

• Ensure all category products meet regulatory and food-safety standards across various operating markets (incl. NAFDAC, SON, GSA, KEBS, FDB and others) and relevant international standards.
• Partner Quality and Regulatory teams on labelling, claims, fortification and shelf-life validation.

• Partner Marketing and Insights to translate consumer briefs into winning technical concepts.
• Partner Procurement and Supply Chain on ingredient qualification, alternative sourcing and multi-source specifications.
• Partner Operations and Engineering on factory readiness, line trials and process robustness.

• Maintain expert command of instantisation, agglomeration, spray drying, blending, brewing extracts, flavour and colour systems, micronutrient fortification and shelf-life management for hot and cold beverages.
• Identify and evaluate emerging technologies, ingredients and process improvements for the category.
• Build strong working relationships with key suppliers, co-manufacturers and external technical partners.

• Lead, coach and play a role developing the category R&D team across markets.
• Set clear objectives, deliver structured feedback and build succession in the category.

• NPD vitality — share of beverages category revenue from products launched in the last 36 months.
• Gross-margin uplift delivered through reformulation and value-engineering programmes.
• Beverages R&D budget delivered vs. plan.

• Number and value of projects launched on time and on quality.
• Stage-gate cycle time from concept to first shipment.
• First-time-right launch rate (target distribution, sell-through and consumer score within 12 months).

• Zero major regulatory or food-safety incidents on beverages launches.
• Consumer complaint rate (PPM) for the beverages category — year-on-year reduction.
• On-time submission of regulatory dossiers in each operating market.

• Team engagement and retention vs. Group benchmark.
• Successful onboarding of new joiners and capability progression of the team.

• Degree/BTech in Food Science & Technology, Chemistry, Nutrition or related discipline; Master's preferred.
• 7–10 years' progressive R&D experience in FMCG, with strong specialisation in beverages or closely related categories.
• Hands-on experience with tea blending, instant / agglomerated beverages, powdered drinks or fortified liquid systems.
• Working knowledge of sweetener systems, flavour and colour stability, and beverage shelf-life.
• Working knowledge of FSSC 22000 / ISO 22000, HACCP and Codex Alimentarius, and familiarity with African food regulatory regimes.
• Experience leading small technical teams and managing cross-functional projects.
• Strong project and stage-gate discipline; consumer and commercial mindset.
• Will require extensive travel in Africa