Job Description:
Associate Director, Product Development, R&D, Private BrandsYour OpportunityAs the
Associate Director of Product Development, R&D, you will define and lead the innovation and product development vision for the Private Brands Consumables portfolio, ensuring teams deliver differentiated, science-backed products that strengthen customer trust, brand equity, and long-term business growth. You will lead multidisciplinary teams responsible for Innovation & Product Strategy and Scientific Product Development, connecting future-focused innovation, nutrition science, ingredient technologies, formulation expertise, and commercialization into a cohesive product development strategy.
Working across a diverse portfolio of consumables products, you will guide teams from early opportunity identification and product concept development through commercialization and launch. Through strong scientific leadership, strategic thinking, and cross-functional influence, you will help shape how Private Brands evolves through innovation, product performance, scientific credibility, and customer relevance.
About The TeamThe Research & Development organization is responsible for translating customer needs, scientific advancements, nutrition expertise, and business priorities into differentiated consumable products that strengthen customer trust and create lasting value for pets and pet parents. The team brings together expertise across Innovation & Product Strategy, Product Development, formulation science, ingredient technologies, and commercialization to develop products that balance nutritional integrity, product performance, manufacturability, regulatory compliance, and customer value.
Working closely with Brand Strategy, Category Management, Marketing, Healthcare, Quality Assurance, Regulatory, Sourcing, Manufacturing partners, and executive leadership, the team plays a critical role in shaping innovation roadmaps, product pipelines, and long-term portfolio growth. Success in this role requires balancing long-term innovation with operational excellence while building the scientific capabilities, partnerships, and talent needed to support continued business growth.
What You'll DoLeadership & Talent Development- Lead, develop, and inspire teams across Innovation & Product Strategy and Scientific Product Development while fostering a culture of scientific excellence, innovation, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
- Build a sustainable leadership pipeline through succession planning, talent reviews, and targeted development of future leaders.
- Establish clear priorities, development plans, and growth opportunities that strengthen individual capabilities and overall team performance.
- Scale scientific rigor, innovation methodologies, and product development best practices through repeatable processes and capability development.
- Attract, develop, and retain exceptional scientific and technical talent while fostering an inclusive, high-performing team environment.
- Build strategic partnerships with manufacturers, ingredient suppliers, academic institutions, and external scientific experts to strengthen innovation, technical capabilities, and product execution.
- Promote mentorship, knowledge sharing, and cross-functional collaboration to elevate organizational effectiveness.
Product Development & Innovation- Establish and communicate a clear innovation and product development vision that aligns customer needs, nutrition science, portfolio priorities, and business objectives.
- Guide teams in developing differentiated consumable products that deliver meaningful pet and customer benefits while strengthening brand equity.
- Lead end-to-end product development from opportunity identification and concept creation through commercialization and launch.
- Ensure innovation strategy, formulation science, ingredient selection, manufacturing capabilities, and commercialization work together to deliver differentiated customer solutions.
- Drive alignment between customer insights, scientific research, regulatory requirements, technical feasibility, manufacturing capabilities, and business goals.
- Champion customer-centered innovation by ensuring customer needs, pet health insights, and scientific evidence remain primary inputs into product development and portfolio planning.
- Support future innovation planning and product opportunities that strengthen portfolio growth and competitive differentiation.
Strategic Influence & Stakeholder Partnership- Shape multi-year innovation strategies that balance customer needs, nutritional science, ingredient innovation, market opportunities, margin objectives, and business priorities.
- Influence strategic business decisions by connecting scientific innovation, product performance, customer insights, regulatory considerations, and market opportunities.
- Lead alignment across Research & Development, Quality Assurance, Regulatory, Compliance, Sourcing, Manufacturing, Category Management, Marketing, Healthcare, and executive leadership teams.
- Partner closely with Sourcing, Quality Assurance, Regulatory, and Manufacturing leaders to strengthen ingredient quality, supplier capabilities, commercialization readiness, and long-term product integrity.
- Serve as the primary advocate for science-based innovation and Research & Development capabilities across Private Brands.
- Build strong partnerships with Category Management, Brand Strategy, Marketing, Healthcare, and enterprise leaders to align long-term innovation priorities.
- Translate complex scientific concepts, research findings, and innovation opportunities into clear business recommendations that support customer value and sustainable growth.
Scientific & Technical Excellence- Establish high standards for scientific rigor, product performance, nutritional integrity, ingredient quality, safety, and customer outcomes across the consumables portfolio.
- Champion differentiated, science-backed products that strengthen customer trust, brand equity, and competitive advantage.
- Provide strategic leadership on nutrition science, ingredient innovation, formulation, and product performance to guide development decisions.
- Foster strong collaboration with manufacturing partners, ingredient suppliers, and external scientific experts to accelerate innovation and strengthen technical capabilities.
- Drive continuous improvement in scientific practices, product development processes, commercialization approaches, and innovation methodologies across the organization.
- Ensure products consistently balance nutritional integrity, regulatory compliance, manufacturability, quality, and customer value.
What You'll Need- 10+ years of experience in Research & Development, Product Development, Food Science, Animal Nutrition, Consumer Packaged Goods, Product Innovation, or a related scientific field.
- Bachelor's or Master's degree in Food Science, Meat Science, Animal Science, Biology, Chemistry, or a related scientific discipline, or equivalent professional experience.
- Experience leading and developing multidisciplinary scientific teams across innovation strategy, formulation, and product development.
- Strong knowledge of USDA, FDA regulations, AAFCO regulations, and regulatory requirements related to pet or human food products.
- Experience developing pet food or human food products from concept through commercialization.
- Strong understanding of formulation science, ingredient technologies, manufacturing processes, quality systems, and commercialization.
- Experience influencing senior stakeholders and driving alignment across complex cross-functional organizations.
- Demonstrated ability to connect scientific innovation, customer needs, and business objectives into actionable product strategies.
- Strong leadership, communication, presentation, and stakeholder management skills.
- Ability to balance long-term innovation strategy with operational execution and organizational capability development.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, including PowerPoint and Excel.
Bonus- Advanced scientific degree (M.S. or Ph.D.) in Food Science, Animal Science, Nutrition, Biology, Chemistry, or a related discipline.
- Experience within the pet food industry, animal nutrition, human food, or consumer packaged goods.
- Experience leading innovation pipelines, long-range product roadmaps, or portfolio strategy initiatives.
- Experience partnering with regulatory agencies, ingredient suppliers, contract manufacturers, or external research organizations.
- Experience leading organizational transformation, capability development, or continuous improvement initiatives within an R&D environment.
What You'll GetOur salary range for this position is competitive and based on experience and qualifications. In addition to a competitive compensation package, Team Members may be eligible for a variety of benefits, including medical, dental, vision, life and disability insurance, a 401(k) with company matching, paid parental leave, employee assistance programs, paid time off, and Team Member discounts.
