Global Product Development Specialist

AB InBev is seeking a Global Product Development Specialist for their Global Innovation & Technology Center (=GITEC), in Belgium. GITEC is the Global R&D Center of AB InBev.

GITEC is AB InBev’s Global Research & Development Center, located in its own secure facility at AB InBev’s Global Headquarters in Leuven, Belgium, where a diverse team of more than 120 scientists and specialists, pulling from more than 20 nationalities, work diligently to achieve GITEC’s Dream: bringing people together to create and deliver winning innovation and technologies. Of course, the intense R&D work in Belgium is only part of the story. GITEC’s employees collaborate with multiple partners across the globe to tap relevant expertise and help AB InBev deliver and develop new raw and packaging materials, brew new and innovative products, and deliver them to the consumer in sharply designed packaging. We dream big. We look to the future, not the past. We hire people that can be better than ourselves.

The opportunity is here. Make it yours!

The Position

Develop and implement products, solutions, and lead technology development projects in the area of beer (primarily) and flavor alcoholic beverages in order to meet or exceed current and future business demands.

• Product development and technical lead of medium to high complexity projects (technological, multicultural, multi-site) and / or risk, with global scope (multi-functional / co-ordination of activities / development / implementation with different Zones / countries, many times simultaneously), in order to meet or exceed current and future business demands, according to agreed timelines and budget.
• Work in strong collaboration with the Zone counterparts and also Knowledge Centers and COEs to ensure that products are developed according to global guidelines and that learnings, best practices and opportunities are shared and leveraged across ABI.
• Deliver projects and prototypes with the right quality, within the right time and within budget.
• Work in collaboration with Operations and Technical Support colleagues to ensure proper scale up and implementation of products developed in our plants

Role Responsibilities

• Develop new products (beer (primarily), flavored alcoholic beverages) based on validated concepts and product briefings from recipe design to recipe scale up and implementation in a plant
• Responsible for project management of assigned projects to ensure adequate implementation and post-launch appraisal on projects under his/her leadership and to ensure the projects are delivered on time, with the right quality and right time.
• Keep building up technical expertise on beverage products and technologies while disseminating the acquired knowledge within the organization, providing technological support and identifying technical solutions with potential to meet internal and external business demands
• Being able to exchange, prioritize, develop and implement new ideas with the objectives of innovation, product and quality improvement
• Identify best practices (internal and external), share and propose ideas, test, implement and standardize them in order to maximize company benefit
• Leverage an established network within the organization and throughout the supplier and related industry communities

Your Experiences

• University technical degree or equivalent (Food Science, Food & Beverage Engineering, Food & Beverage Technology, Flavor Science & Technology, Bioengineering, Biochemistry, Nutrition Sciences or equivalent). Advanced University degrees and / or MBA are assets
• Strong expertise on Beer science and Beer production technologies
• Solid expertise on the application of project management tools
• At least 2 years of operational experience in breweries
• Specific know-how for flavors, modulators, sweeteners, wine, spirits, and others is an asset
• Demonstrated successful experience in leading projects of high complexity and or risk profile (product, material and process feasibility / development / implementation)
• Strong team player and target-oriented with respect for quality and timing.
• Very good communicator, very good convincing skills, demonstrated ability to translate technical items into commercial concepts and vice-versa. Demonstrated strong ability to communicate and negotiate with (internal / external) stakeholders in different areas and levels
• Fluent in English. Additional languages are an asset
• General commercial and financial understanding