Head of Culinary- Away From Home

Description

We are looking for a seasoned expert to lead and elevate the culinary practice to a world-renowned, world-class level within the Away From Home (AFH) channel.

This senior, executive level leader will lead our culinary team of 10+ in crafting culinary-inspired innovation, identifying new intellectual properties and service offerings, monitoring and reporting on the latest trends, and driving new business through close interaction with our versatile marketing, sales and customer marketing teams.

Essential Functions & Responsibilities

Provide vision and leadership for culinary practice, including mentoring and developing the culinary practice team members and creating a culinary culture within KHC, ensuring Kraft Heinz culinary efforts deliver on food company vision and designing for consumers

Actively and thoughtfully lead a team of dedicated culinarians, providing meaningful learning & development guidance and mentorship.

Work with the KHC Culinary, R&D teams and outside sources, oversee valuable thought leadership, culinary-inspired new product ideas, and prototyping on food and beverage projects as initiated through stage gate.

Increase sell-in success through active involvement in customer meetings and sales opportunities.

Guide and direct the activities of the Culinary Development Team. This includes collaborating and co-leading projects with Innovation and internal teams on a range of projects including culinary prototyping, menu design and development, and near- and long-term product development.

Present to and interact with internal teams, representing KHC Culinary’s unique suite of services, ranging from early-stage ideation through commercialization, refinement and / or execution.

Lead product / concept testing process at KHC by using the culinary team’s strengths in formulation, rapid distillation, and presentation during market and consumer research processes.

Participate in business development activities such as the creation of capabilities presentations for internal clients and scoping exercises designed to optimize KHC’s contribution to the development of its customers’ businesses.

Partner to KHCs industry outreach at shows, conventions, symposia, and in the media, exemplifying KHC’s position as an industry leader in culinary landscape.

Provide experience-based guidance during the development and continued elevation of KHC’s Culinary practice offerings.

Engage appropriately with customers to help establish and reinforce KHC’s culinary authority while maintaining departmental profitability within KHC’s overall practice.

Serve as a member of the AFH Leadership Team, demonstrated executive leadership presence.

Interact with executive leadership team in reporting culinary development activities, balancing strategic and tactical elements of the practice, and tracking departmental KPIs.

Responsible for building a high-impact and effective team, developing, and maintaining strong client relationships, creating product and innovation offerings, and driving superlative execution across the company.

Expected Experience & Required Skills

15+ years of experience, including a culinary leadership role at a CPG and / or foodservice organization, or a role at a CPG food development or innovation firm

Holds a professional culinary degree, and / or food science degree

Bachelor’s degree preferred

Possesses national-level foodservice expertise and credibility

Displays an insatiable passion for food and CPG industries

Dynamic and persuasive presentation skills; demonstrated writing, public speaking, and PR experience

Inspiring and transformational leader who others want to follow

Can execute on their vision and organize work for self and others

Exhibits strong interpersonal and relationship-building skills that are supported by finely tuned written and verbal communications

Can operate equally independently and collaboratively to accomplish work plan

Leads with a client service orientation, driving engagements with a problem-solving mentality.

Understanding of culinary financials, budgets & company P&L’s

Can serve as a culinary and cross-departmental skill player :

Proven ability to contribute to project deliverables (including briefs, concepts, marketing plans, trend presentations).

Ability to contribute to kitchen engagements, including participating on teams of chefs for FOH (demonstrations, cuttings) and BOH (ideation, protocepting) experiences.

Accomplishes project goals outside of experience area.

Work Environment & Schedule

This is a Hybrid role with 3 days a week in the local office, with limited travel or visits to external locations; offices are open workspaces.

Additionally, this role requires working a salaried, exempt schedule to best execute against customer and internal expectations

Physical demands include but not limited to

Willingness to drive and / or travel as needed

Operate a computer and view screens for 100% of work schedule

Here at Kraft Heinz, we grow our people to grow our business, because we believe that great people make great companies.

When you join our table, you can expect :

Access to an array of holistic wellness benefits* and perks, including medical, dental and vision coverage

7% 401(k) matching

Business Resource Groups (BRGs) to help foster diversity, inclusion, and belonging for all employees

An industry-leading total rewards package that emphasizes a high discretionary bonus.

Get a peek into life here at Kraft Heinz through our and channels!

LI-Hybrid

Location(s)

Glenview R&D Center