Senior Cocoa & Chocolate Scientist

Want to deliver the Ultimate Chocolate Experience? Role Title: Senior Cocoa and Chocolate Scientist Site introduction: Our Hectar Laing Development Centre site is the beating heart of innovation at pladis, a dynamic hub where creativity, science, and consumer insight come together to shape the future of snacking. Home to our Innovation, R&D, Regulatory, and Technical Insights teams, this site supports both pladis Global and UK&I, driving progress across our sweet and savoury portfolios. With a state-of-the-art pilot plant and a culture of collaboration, High Wycombe is our centre of excellence for research and development. From the first spark of an idea to the final product on shelf, our teams work side by side to deliver exciting, high-quality snacks that delight consumers everywhere. It's a place where every voice matters, and every innovation is powered by the passion and expertise of our people.

What will this role achieve?

This is a critical role responsible for building the know-how on Cocoa and translate that into innovative and sustainable chocolate confectionery and baked products. This role will work closely with other functions, e.g. procurement, sensory, marketing, regulatory, etc., to ensure an agile and smooth translation of science to products. This role seats in the Global Innovation and Technology Team under the Breakthrough Product Director to ensure direct translation of opportunities against an ambitious and transformational breakthrough innovation strategy that is aligned to the growth ambition and sustainability aspirations of the company. The role requires an individual who is competent and skilled at working across cultures and functions and collaborating to deliver with others. They need to be able to work effectively with external partners to identify appropriate opportunities and drive development of innovative solutions, best practice approaches and systems.

Key areas of focus for the role will be on:

• Know-how on Cocoa Materials and Chocolate Technologies
• Translation of above to confectionary and baked applications
• Developing solutions to technical hurdles
• Providing a technical response to product challenges
• Owning and delivering test trials from small-bench to medium-pilot scale and support upscaling to factory scale.
• Managing project plans

What will be your key deliverables?

Global R&D works hand in hand on many initiatives with partners in the other functions (both globally and within regions) to create strong competitive advantages for pladis including: Ingredients Technologies and Innovation Product Innovation Portfolio transformation for Health and Happiness Sustainability (i.e. environment-friendly initiatives) Specifically on Breakthrough Cocoa programme, we need to:

Specifically on Breakthrough Cocoa programme, we need to:

• Define and deliver a medium to long term roadmap and align an agenda to drive innovation sustainability and productivity - build the internal cross-functional expertise and relationships to deliver that agenda.
• Support the Global Procurement team as we build strong and mid-term Sourcing Strategies.
• Build strong collaborative relationships with Suppliers to capture the best practices on the market and monitor project implementation.

The role will report to the Head of Global R&D Head of Cocoa Innovation .

Principle Accountabilities

• Lead the creation and optimization of cocoa blends and chocolate products that engine Innovation pipeline.
• Build, curate and share deep knowledge of emerging cocoa processing methods, materials science and industry trends.
• Drive the development of proprietary and sustainable cocoa solutions, including cross-category product designs.
• Lead research and development of novel cocoa extenders, substitutes and flavour-modulating solutions.
• Own the end-to-end understanding of scalability, from bean processing through chocolate, confectionery and baked finished goods
• Lead prototyping cycles, pilot plant and factory trials, ensuring robust technical validation and readiness for launch.
• Provide expert technical support to operations, delivering solutions that balance quality, cost, performance and sustainability.
• Identify, develop and progress patentable opportunities within cocoa materials, chocolate technologies and related processes

Bring your experience.

Essential

Excellent core technical skills and be able to understand the needs of the business, our consumers and customers to drive an exciting cocoa and chocolate technology agenda. The individual will be a self-starter and possess a drive for results.

What does pladis offer you?

• Annual Incentive Plan (AIP) - this is the business's annual bonus scheme.
• Opportunity to self-enrol into Health Cash Plan
• Private medical Insurance (if eligible)
• Enhanced parental leave and a supportive phased return-to-work program to help colleagues balance family and career.
• Stakeholder Pension Scheme Life Assurance Cover upon enrolment to Stakeholder Pension Scheme
• 25 days + bank holidays
• Holiday Enhancement Scheme 1 Volunteering Day per year
• Cycle to work scheme
• Discount and Cashback Scheme - make your everyday spending work hard for you on major high street brands, supermarkets and services
• Access to Employee Assistance Programme
• Financial Wellbeing Support
• Access to great training and development opportunities

Our Values

• Purpose led - We're energised and guided by our purpose to bring happiness with every bite
• Agile - We're ever evolving, we never stand still, always improving for our customers and our consumers.
• Positive - We're highly motivated optimistic, courageous, and we inspire each other to be better
• Resilient - We're persistent in the face of setbacks, quick to adapt, learn and move forward
• Collaborative - We gain strength from operating as one pladis, winning and succeeding together
• Best mix of ingredients pladis is an equal opportunities employer, like every great recipe we're a thoughtful mix. A happy and inclusive place to work that's as diverse as our consumers and the communities we support, live and work in, all around the world. Where every voice is heard, and difference is celebrated. Where fresh perspectives and new ideas help us grow and thrive.

Accessibility at High Wycombe:

Our High Wycombe site has accessible entrances and lifts between floors to support individuals with mobility needs, but currently does not have step free access. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to receive other benefits and privileges of employment, and where possible to perform key job functions.

Godiva and affiliates, is an Equal Opportunity Employer, committed to hiring a diverse workforce. All openings will be filled based on qualifications without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, marital status, veteran status, disability, age, religion or any other classification protected by law.

Search Firm Representatives please read carefully:

Godiva is not seeking assistance or accepting unsolicited resumes from search firms for this employment opportunity. Regardless of past practice, all resumes submitted by search firms to any employee at Godiva via-email, the Internet or directly to hiring managers at Godiva in any form without a valid written search agreement in place for that position will be deemed the sole property of Godiva, and no fee will be paid in the event the candidate is hired by Godiva as a result of the referral or through other means.

Godiva is broadly recognized as the worldwide leader in super premium chocolates, through over 600 retail stores, 40,000 points of sale and over 800 Travel retail points of sale in more than 80 countries. Godiva's commitment to excellence is also apparent in its Gold Ballotin Collection and seasonal packaging which have earned Godiva a global reputation for design excellence. Godiva manufactures and markets a broad portfolio of indulgent products, including boxed premium chocolates, small chocolate treats, dipped fruit, biscuits/cookies, coffee/cocoa, blended chilled beverages and other premium chocolate products all bearing the Godiva name. Godiva has recently taken meaningful and successful steps to broaden its portfolio beyond chocolate gifting into the high growth, self-consumption and home entertainment/sharing segments of the marketplace across the Globe. Godiva products are manufactured in Brussels, Belgium and Reading, PA and select co-manufacturing locations globally. The company has approximately 5,000 employees around the world.

Why us? If you love our brand, are a chocolate lover and are passionate about making a difference for a global company please consider a career with us. We are looking for people who love taking initiative and becoming part of a fast moving company.