Director of R&D – Pet Food IngredientsLocation: Italy (Onsite)Role OverviewMy client is seeking an experienced Director of R&D to lead innovation and product development across its pet food ingredient portfolio. This is a senior leadership role combining hands-on technical expertise, people leadership, and strategic input at European level.The successful candidate will play a key role in shaping future product pipelines, supporting customer-specific formulation work, and contributing to M&A technical evaluations, while building and leading a high-performing R&D team in a newly established laboratory environment.Key ResponsibilitiesLead and develop an R&D team, fostering a culture of innovation, collaboration, and scientific excellenceDrive the development of new products across pet food applicationsOversee the continuous improvement and optimisation of existing products, focusing on performance, palatability, stability, and cost efficiencyTranslate customer requirements into tailored formulations, working closely with commercial and technical stakeholders to deliver differentiated solutionsProvide technical and formulation expertise to support customer projects and strategic partnershipsConduct technical due diligence and product analysis for potential M&A targets, assessing formulation robustness, scalability, and innovation potentialOperate within and help shape workflows in a newly built laboratory, supporting method development, testing, and validationAct as a member of the European leadership team, contributing to R&D strategy, innovation roadmaps, and long-term growth plans across EuropeCandidate Profile10–15 years' experience in R&D within ingredients, nutrition, or pet food/feed-related industriesMaster's degree or PhD in Animal Nutrition, Food Science, or a closely related disciplineProven experience working with palatants and/or antioxidants (pet food experience preferred but not mandatory)Demonstrated people leadership experience, including managing and developing technical teamsStrong formulation mindset with the ability to link customer needs to commercially viable solutionsComfortable operating in a senior, cross-functional and international environmentBusiness-professional English required (Italian advantageous but not essential)Compensation & BenefitsCompetitive base salaryAnnual bonusComprehensive insurance policies