Apply as Business & Innovation Officer (R&D) at Longbridge Technologies Limited Full Time

Job Title: Business & Innovation Officer (R&D)

Location: Lagos
Employment Type: Full Time

Role Information

• The Manager, Business & Innovation will play a leadership role in guiding the new product development on our core businesses as well as driving new category innovation
• This role will ensure R&D activities drive to achieve strategic objectives, improve market position, and optimize profitability
• Through close partnership with the marketing, sales and supply chain teams he/she will lead the development and commercialization new core products, optimization of current offerings and identification and execution of cost savings initiatives.

Job Description

• Collaborate with Marketing, Sales and Engineering to develop innovation plans.
• Leverage consumer insights and emerging technologies to guide product innovation and renovation plans
• Leverage internal and external resources to identify emerging technologies and translate these into new product ideas that are aligned with the business strategy.
• Lead product development, process development and ingredient technology efforts to develop and commercialize new and improved products, cost optimization and quality improvement
• Manage a complex and dynamic project portfolio to ensure attainment of business goals, including prioritization and execution strategy.
• Ensure robust experimentation/design principles and commercialization processes to achieve project objectives and commercial requirements (development efficiency, stability, shelf life).
• Manage R&D personnel, including priority setting, coaching and skill development
• Develop and lead annual cost optimization plans
• Develop and manage R&D Department budget, ensuring efficient utilization of resources and achievement of annual business plan.
• Collaborate with key customers as required to drive customer-specific innovation
• Ensure ongoing evaluation of the competitive landscape and competitive innovation.
• Meeting with business management, marketing, and the R&D team to discuss product ideas.
• Conducting market research and evaluating similar products and their functions.
• Collaborating with the engineering and marketing department on product feasibility.
• Redesigning existing products to enhance functionality or reduce costs.
• Creating design projects and specification sheets.
• Presenting product designs to management and stakeholders.
• Overseeing the engineering of product prototypes.
• Testing prototype products for functionality, ease-of-use, and longevity
• Overseeing the production process.

Education / Experience

• B.Sc in Business or Science and Engineering. Advanced Business Degree or Ph.D
• 10+ years technology and business experience
• Excellent understanding of the product development process and innovation stage gate principle
• Demonstrated ability to develop and execute technology strategy that delivers on business need
• Strong project management skills and excellent communication, both oral and written
• People leadership skills and the ability to manage, mentor and develop others

Competencies Required:

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills with strong customer focus.
• Excellent organizational and follow up skills with strong attention to detail.
• Ability to adapt to a changing environment.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Highly motivated with the ability to work independently.
• Strong business acumen and ability to translate technology to potential business impacts.
• Exhibits a curious mind.
• Demonstrated ability to get to the essence of a new concept quickly.
• Knowledge of front end of innovation tools and processes
• Demonstrated success with creating a technology platform or new business development
• Demonstrated success in more than one industry
• Coaching and developing others
• Ability to meet time-sensitive deadlines.
• Strong innovation and/or networking skills.
• Demonstrated success in more than one industry
• Negotiation and persuasion skills.
• Demonstrated success with creating a technology platform or new business development
• Knowledge of front end of innovation tools and processes.
• Strong business and technical acumen.
• Would prefer candidate to be multilingual – not a must.
• Demonstrated ability to make things happen – this is an important characteristic.

Application Closing Date
22nd January, 2021.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should send their CV to: [email protected] using the Job Title as the subject of the email.