Product Applications Specialist Food

PB Leiner is one of the world’s leading producers of high quality gelatins and collagen peptides. It has a global presence in terms of both its plants and sales representatives. PB Leiner’s objective is to spot and exploit opportunities for its customers and to anticipate future trends. In this regard, PB Leiner was the world’s first gelatin producer to market multifunctional gelatin products. PB Leiner supplies a continuously growing market in food, pharma, health nutrition and technical applications. PB Leiner has approximately 1,200 collaborators throughout the world and is part of Tessenderlo Group.

The philosophy that ‘Every Molecule Counts’ defines the unique attitude to sustainability and continuous practical innovation within each Tessenderlo Group department. As an international company with Belgian roots, Tessenderlo Group also stimulates personal and local entrepreneurship, creating opportunities for all employees to take on challenging roles and real responsibilities. On top of this, people can further develop their competencies through training and are rewarded with competitive compensation and benefits packages.

Do you like to combine day-to-day product application support and strategic reflection towards innovation?

To support PB Leiner’s mission to be a worldwide gelatin & hydrolysate solution provider, the global Marketing & Product Management department, based in Vilvoorde (Belgium), is looking for a Product Applications Specialist. In this role, you:

• Act as the go-to person for expert advice on the complete range of gelatins, including specialties, in all food related applications.
• Acts as the central link between customers, prospects, distributors in the food market and PB Leiner’s teams, e.g. Sales, Operations, Innovation & Technology, Marketing & Product Development.
• Give regular product application training to colleagues, customers, prospects and distributors in order to make sure that PB Leiner’s product value propositions are demonstrated and understood.
• Develop all technical documentation related to the different applications of the products.
• Gather market information, through customer contacts, to identify possible product improvements as well as ideas for new generations or innovative products.
• Inspire customers in their product development by actively identifying and supporting application innovation projects at Key Customers and joining sales and product managers on Key Account visits.
• Support internal Product Applications Development projects and actively give input to help build compelling Product Value Propositions.
• Frequently connect, consult and share knowledge with the global Product Applications Specialists Team.

You report to the Global Product Applications Development & Support Manager and join forces with the Regional Sales Managers

• Masters’ degree in Food Technology, Bio-Engineering or equivalent through experience.
• Minimum of 5 years’ food technology experience in an international environment, either in B2B food ingredient applications or B2C product development.
• Passionate about food and food processing.
• As an analytical thinker, you define problems, collect data, establish facts and draw conclusions.
• You like working independently, taking ownership and collaborating with cross-functional teams.
• With your strong organizational skills, you manage projects towards successful results.
• As a trusted advisor, you share your expertise and have impact on stakeholders in different cultural environments.
• Good communication skills in English, verbally as well as written. Knowledge of Dutch, French, Spanish and/or German is a plus.
• Willing to travel frequently, up to 30%, mostly in Europe, occasionally to US, Latin-America or Asia.

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.