Direttore Qualità & R&D Italia

Director Quality & R&D Italy

Position: Director Quality & Research & Development – Italy

Reporting to: CEO and Group President

Location: Italy (availability for frequent travel)

Team: ~150 people across 15 multi‑category production sites, organized in Business Units, with constant interface with European and extra‑European quality and R&D managers.

Mission

Lead and ensure excellence in Quality, Food Safety, and Innovation across the entire Italian organization, ensuring full compliance with national/international regulations, alignment with group standards and development of an innovative and competitive product portfolio.

The Director will also be the key reference point for integration with other group countries, facilitating sharing of best practices and harmonization of global quality standards.

Key Responsibilities

1. Leadership and Strategy
   1. Define Quality & R&D strategy at the national level in alignment with global guidelines.
   2. Lead and develop a team of ~150 people, promoting a culture of excellence, continuous improvement, and accountability.
   3. Manage Business Unit coordinators, ensuring homogeneous governance of quality processes across all sites.
2. Quality, Food Safety & Compliance
   1. Ensure compliance with Italian, EU, and extra‑UE regulations (e.g., CE, FDA, GFSI, ISO, BRC, IFS).
   2. Supervise internal audits and third‑party certifications for all plants.
   3. Manage relationships with competent authorities, certification bodies and key stakeholders.
3. Research & Development / Innovation
   1. Define the innovation pipeline at the national level, in synergy with marketing and production of the BU.
   2. Coordinate product development and industrial optimization projects.
   3. Support sustainability initiatives (packaging, waste reduction, new technologies).
4. International Interface
   1. Collaborate with counterparts in other countries to harmonize processes, standards, and metrics.
   2. Participate in global task forces and inter‑country projects.
   3. Promote circulation of best practice and integration of competence centers.
5. Performance & Reporting
   1. Manage KPIs related to quality, food safety, non‑quality costs, development cycle times.
   2. Report to Italian and global leadership on performance and projects status.

Candidate Requirements

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in Food Sciences and Technologies, Chemistry, Biology, Food Engineering or related fields.
• Master’s degree or managerial training is a plus.

Experience

• 10–15 years in the food sector, with increasing responsibility in Quality, Food Safety and/or R&D departments.
• Proven experience in multinational companies and complex industrial settings.
• Experience managing multi‑site, complex structures.
• Ability to lead international projects and work in global ecosystems.

Technical Skills

• In‑depth knowledge of EU and international food regulations.
• Knowledge of certification standards (BRC, IFS, ISO 9001, ISO 22000, FSSC 22000, HACCP).
• Solid foundational knowledge of food technology, manufacturing processes, product development.
• Strong focus on KPI and continuous improvement (Lean, Six Sigma appreciated).

Management Skills

• Inclusive leadership focused on people development.
• Cross‑country communication competence and collaborative approach.
• Strategic orientation combined with strong pragmatism.