How You'll Have an Impact at Kinder'sThe Senior Manager, Product Development (Dry Applications) leads the team providing technical support for all product development activities for dry applications projects from exploratory/concept through commercialization. Emphasis on bench-top formulation and scale up for innovation, migration, and renovation projects, including product cuttings, plant trials, and appropriate documentation.
Key Responsibilities- Lead, coach, and develop a team of Food Scientists by setting clear expectations, providing regular feedback, and supporting each team member in contributing to shared goals and strong team performance.
- Partner with team members to establish goals and development plans, conduct regular one-on-one meetings and performance reviews, and support growth in technical and leadership capability. Encourage a culture of collaboration, curiosity, ownership, knowledge sharing, and continuous improvement.
- Guide end-to-end dry applications development from concept through commercialization, thoughtfully setting priorities and allocating resources across innovation, renovation, cross qualification (migration), cost optimization, and quality initiatives based on business needs, complexity, and capacity.
- Keep work aligned with brand priorities, timelines, cost objectives, and cross-functional feedback. Draw on vendor and co-packer capabilities, emerging ingredients, technologies, and process improvements to broaden formulation possibilities and support efficient progress to market.
- Provide technical guidance for formulation, testing, pilot and plant trials, scale-up, and initial production. Collaborate with the team on project plans and documentation, confirm specifications, help troubleshoot issues, and support robust manufacturing transfer, quality, and consistency.
- Partner with Quality Assurance and Regulatory to support compliance with ingredient, labeling, and nutritional requirements. Guide the design and execution of shelf-life stability testing for new products.
- Partner with Operations, Marketing, Culinary, Supply Chain, and others to translate insights into scalable, commercially viable products. Bring the team's perspective to prioritization discussions, help address barriers, and elevate resource, timeline, or technical risks when appropriate.
- Coordinate concurrent individual and team projects with clear milestones, ownership, and communication. Keep leadership informed through timely updates and documentation, and work with team members to address performance or execution challenges constructively and support follow-through.
What You Bring to the TableSkills and Experience- Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Chemical Engineering, or related field (Master's preferred).
- 10+ years of experience in food product development, with at least 3+ years in a people or project leadership role.
- Proven success in CPG innovation; sauces, seasonings, or condiments experience preferred.
- Strong technical knowledge of formulation, ingredient functionality, sensory evaluation, and scale-up.
- Excellent project management and organizational skills with the ability to manage competing priorities.
- Effective communicator and collaborator across multiple functions and levels.
- Results-oriented, hands-on leader; curious, resourceful, and solution-oriented with strong attention to detail; passionate about great food and consumer-driven innovation.
Personal Characteristics- Growth mindset with an excitement to learn (and teach).
- Passionate people-lover excited by the opportunity to build strong relationships with teammates, consumers, and production partners.
- Low ego with a strong sense of humility.
- Thrive in a dynamic, lean, and agile environment.
- Collaborative mindset with an ability to find creative solutions.
- Self-starter who takes initiative and is willing to speak their mind.
- Excited to be part of a fast-moving team with the ability to be a leader and a follower where required.
- Enjoy making decisions and finding ways to say 'yes' as often as possible to impactful and important priorities.
Location and Pay Transparency:The position will be based onsite in Walnut Creek, CA. The expected starting salary range for this role is $160,000-$180,000 per year. We may ultimately pay more or less than the posted range based on the location of the role. The amount a particular employee will earn within the salary range will be based on factors such as relevant education, qualifications, performance and business needs.
SEASONED FOR SUCCESS:- No two days here are the same.
- We try to be good team members and good communicators, but we don't live by hierarchy and structure - everyone is a difference maker here.
- We make a lot of decisions in the face of incomplete information - our team embraces ambiguity and tries to make good decisions fast rather than great decisions slow.
- We believe our job is to take smart risk, not to eliminate risk.
- We believe in growing our skills and becoming a better company with more managerial expertise, but we are an entrepreneurial company at heart.
- We aren't trying to be average - we want to do exceptional things, and we are willing to work hard to achieve them.
BENEFITS THAT BRING MORE TO THE TABLE:We offer a range of total rewards that may include paid time off, 401k, bonus / incentive eligibility, equity grants, competitive health benefits, and other family-friendly benefits, including parental leave. Kinder's benefits vary based on eligibility and can be reviewed in more detail during the interview process.
OUR RECIPE FOR BALANCE:We believe great culture starts with people. We're a people-first company built on connection, collaboration, and balance. Most of our work happens in the office to spark creativity and community, but we also offer flexibility so team members have the autonomy to work outside the office when needed to support their work-life balance and personal commitments.
