Vice President, Research & Development – Coffee

The J.M. Smucker Co.

Vice President of Coffee R&D overseeing end-to-end strategies for iconic coffee brands. Leading cross-disciplinary teams and driving product innovation in the beverage industry.

Posted 6/23/2026full-timeOrrville • Ohio • 🇺🇸 United StatesLeadWebsite

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Own the end-to-end Research & Development (R&D) strategy for an iconic portfolio including Folgers®, Dunkin’® (At Home), Café Bustelo®, Medaglia D’Oro®, and Café Pilon®
Provide scientific and technical guidance across green coffee sourcing, roast and blend development, sensory and flavor science, packaging, process engineering, and format innovation
Lead and manage large, cross-disciplinary technical teams through all aspects of the product life-cycle from green coffee evaluation and cupping through commercialization and in-market support
Partner closely with Procurement organization to align on commodity sourcing, supplier qualification, and roasting facility excellence
Maintain alignment and collaboration with Senior VP of Science and Technical Excellence by leveraging shared platforms to ensure Coffee R&D priorities are integrated into enterprise capability roadmaps
Build and develop high performing teams with strong technical and leadership capabilities to drive engagement and growth
Translate technical, sensory, and consumer data into insights that influence business decisions, brand strategy, and pricing/revenue management
Champion consumer-driven innovation across generations and multicultural segments, supporting category-leading growth and relevance with next generation consumer segments
Support business continuity, productivity, and continuous improvement in partnership with enterprise Transformation Office, contributing to margin recovery and supply chain resilience.

Requirements

What you’ll need

Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Chemical Engineering, or a related technical field
7+ years of progressive R&D experience within the food and beverage industry, with significant leadership accountability
Deep expertise in beverage and/or coffee science including product development, roast/blend formulation, flavor development, and processing technologies
Proven experience leading large, cross-functional teams and complex product portfolios from concept through commercialization
Demonstrated experience navigating commodity-intensive categories and partnering with Procurement on sourcing, hedging-aware development, and supplier innovation
Cross-functional collaboration skills with experience partnering across Procurement, Supply Chain, Marketing, and Operations
Ability to translate technical insights into business impact, prioritize innovation pipelines, and ensure disciplined R&D investment aligned to commercial objectives
Commitment to continuous improvement, operational excellence, and driving transformation initiatives.

Benefits

Comp & perks

Health insurance
Retirement plans
Paid time off
Flexible work arrangements
Professional development opportunities

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills & Tools

R&D strategygreen coffee sourcingroast and blend developmentsensory scienceflavor scienceprocess engineeringproduct developmentflavor developmentprocessing technologiescommodity sourcing

Soft Skills

leadershipcross-functional collaborationteam buildingcommunicationstrategic thinkingproblem-solvinginnovationengagementcontinuous improvementoperational excellence

Certifications

Bachelor’s degree in Food ScienceBachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering