Job Location: Hershey, PA
Responsible for leading 3 to 5 team members of the Process Technology Team within Hershey R&D, with a strong focus on technical rigor, commercialization excellence, and global capability development. This position reports to the Sr. Manager of Process Technology and partners closely with cross-functional teams, including Product Development, Engineering, Manufacturing, and Quality, to deliver scalable, high-performing solutions that enable business growth. The Process Technology Manager oversees a team of 3 to 5 professional staff, along with temporary contractors or consultants as needed.
This position drives product and manufacturing validation across Core Confectionery, Strategic Growth Platforms, including Salty and Better for You, and Integrating Brands. A key focus is accelerating the success of Integrating Brands while supporting the expansion of Hershey's global confectionery and snacking portfolio.
The position provides deep technical leadership in development, validation methodologies, commercialization strategies, equipment selection, and manufacturing integration. It ensures that new technologies and systems are robust, efficient, digitally enabled, and designed for seamless global deployment.
Key Responsibilities• Portfolio & Resource ManagementSet priorities for the Process Technology portfolio and allocate resources to ensure timely, high-quality execution. Address project timing, staffing, and technical challenges to keep programs on track and aligned with business objectives. Provide concise, data-driven progress updates to senior leadership.
• Build & Develop High-Performing Technical TeamsLead a team of 3-5 professional staff, along with temporary contractors or consultants as needed. Support team growth through coaching, technical skill development, and capability building to strengthen Hershey's Global Science and Technology expertise. Foster a culture of curiosity, disciplined execution, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Lead Technical Validation & Scale-Up ExecutionDevelop and own the technical strategy for validation, scale-up, and commercialization of new products, processes, and technologies. Partner closely with Product Development, Engineering, Manufacturing, Quality, and Marketing to ensure solutions meet performance, quality, regulatory, and business requirements. Champion data-driven decision-making, advanced analytics, and digital tools, such as process modeling, inline sensing, and automation, to improve technical outcomes.
• Capital Project & Engineering AlignmentPartner with Engineering and cross-functional teams on capital project scoping, technology selection, factory acceptance testing, commissioning, and startup. Ensure process requirements and validation criteria are incorporated early into project design, and that scale-up learnings inform long-term capability development and asset strategies. Also partners with R&D capital team to assign PM support for identified technical R&D capital projects.
Minimum knowledge, skills and abilities required to successfully perform major duties/responsibilities:- Demonstrated leadership, management, and influencing skills, with the ability to set direction, coach technical teams, and balance strategic priorities with tactical execution.
- Strong expertise in food processing, process engineering, scale-up validation, commercialization, and manufacturing integration for confectionery and snacking applications.
- Proven ability to develop and execute technical strategies that support product innovation, process validation, equipment selection, global scale-up, and seamless manufacturing implementation.
- Strong portfolio, resource, and project management skills, including prioritization, conflict resolution, financial understanding, and alignment of technical programs with business objectives.
- Advanced problem-solving and data-driven decision-making skills, with the ability to apply analytics, digital tools, process insights, and technical judgment to improve outcomes.
- Effective change agent with the ability to challenge conventional thinking, lead through ambiguity, drive continuous improvement, and strengthen organizational capability.
- Strong collaboration and communication skills, with the ability to influence Product Development, Engineering, Manufacturing, Quality, Regulatory, Marketing, Operations, and Senior Leadership, including executive-level presentations.
- Willingness and ability to support multiple platforms and critical project execution across CMG, S&R, Cocoa Science, Better for You, Salty, Strategic Growth Platforms, and Integrating Brands, including approximately 25% travel primarily within the U.S. and occasional international travel as needed.
Minimum Education & Experience- Bachelor's degree in Chemical, Food, or Biochemical Engineering or equivalent Scientific Discipline plus 8+ years of applicable work experience, or master's degree plus 5+ years of applicable work experience, or a Ph.D. plus 4+ years of applicable work experience.
- Has successfully led higher complexity Process Validations and Process Development projects within a company known for best-in-class innovation and product manufacturing.
- Minimum 5 years of experience in the Confectionery / Food Industry is preferred.
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