The Bel Group is a major player in the food industry through portions of dairy, fruit and plant-based products, and one of the world leaders in branded cheeses. Its portfolio of differentiated and internationally recognized brands includes The Laughing Cow®, Kiri®, Babybel®, Boursin®, Pom'Potes® and GoGo squeeZ®, as well as some 30 local brands. Together, these brands helped the Group generate sales of €3.74 billion in 2024.

Do you want to join a company with strong brands that puts consumers and responsibility at the heart of the decision-making process? Then Bel is made for you!

Are you bold, pragmatic, and determined? Do you want to contribute to the transformation of an international agri-food company? Them come join us and measure the impact of your talent and energy in realizing an ambitious and sustainable company project!

#IWorkForAllForGood

LOCATION AND DATE

Permanent contract to be filled from September 2026

Position based at Groupe Bel’s Research, Innovation and Development (RID) center.

Position based in Vendôme, in Loir-et-Cher (41), on the TGV line connecting Paris (40 minutes) and Tours (20 minutes).

MAIN MISSIONS / RESPONSIBILITIES

As part of the growing activity within the Babybel Research, Innovation and Development (RID) team, we are recruiting a Process and Product Development Portfolio Manager.

Reporting to the Babybel Europe Development Manager, the Process and Product Development Portfolio Manager will be responsible for:

• managing and developing the full portfolio of Innovation, Renovation and Productivity projects for Babybel products, on a global scope, across the European plants under his/her responsibility, with the support of plant Innovation Technologists;
• directly leading or coordinating selected projects depending on business stakes (priority, resources, scope), in order to deliver them in line with quality, cost and timing objectives.

Key responsibilities

1. Process and Product Project Portfolio Management

• Lead, prioritize and arbitrate the project portfolio and the allocation of available resources across the plants under his/her responsibility, according to business and/or strategic priorities.
• Manage trial budgets: monitoring, reporting, recommendation of OPEX reallocations during the fiscal year, and preparation of budgets for Year+1.
• Act as a driving force to feed the Babybel Innovation – Renovation – Saving pipeline through a user-centric approach, taking into account consumer needs in terms of functionality, naturality and CSR challenges, while considering business, regulatory, operational and quality constraints.

1. Project management

• Lead Innovation – Renovation – Saving projects autonomously and cross-functionally, in line with Bel Group methodology (processes, project management tools, risk analysis, etc.), in order to ensure On Time / In Full delivery in terms of quality, cost and timing.
• Ensure project deliverables from the exploration phase through to industrial implementation and product launch, with a strong presence on the field whenever needed.
• Develop products by leveraging technical expertise and analytical skills in order to guide, prioritize and select the most relevant solutions based on the project brief and local constraints (processes, raw materials, etc.), with the appropriate level of challenge.
• Ensure proper onboarding of project team members and associated technical contributors (engineering, plant teams, etc.).
• Mobilize the required expertise (packaging, engineering, quality, regulatory, CSR, purchasing, logistics, etc.) and resources (new equipment, RID pilot trials, RID laboratory characterizations) needed to achieve project objectives.
• Co-develop solutions with internal and external partners, challenge technical choices and propose relevant directions.
• Organize and lead field trials in pilot plants, Bel factories or at subcontractors’ sites.
• Contribute to the continuous improvement of Time to Market and monitor key post-launch performance indicators (experience feedback loop).

1. Functional Management, Communication and Activity Steering

• Functionally manage 3 plant technologists under his/her responsibility (prioritization, workload planning, capability building…) regarding RID project deliverables.
• Organize and co-facilitate Plant Development Committees with key internal and external stakeholders.
• Act as the key RID business partner between the plants, the Global Babybel Marketing team and local business teams, notably by coordinating technical feasibility requests.
• Represent his/her portfolio and/or projects in Country, Zone or Brand SteerCo.

PROFILE

Master’s degree in Food Engineering or equivalent (Bac +5 / Master’s level), with at least 10 years of experience, and solid expertise in recipe and/or process development, from technical exploration through to industrial implementation.

Required skills and experience

• Strong knowledge of traditional cheesemaking: milk treatment, standardization and transformation processes into cheese (ideally semi-hard / hard cheese).
• Fluency in English, enabling effective work in an international environment.
• Strong technical expertise from exploration to industrial implementation, on both product and process dimensions.
• Proven project management experience from ideation to first production, both in terms of methodologies (planning, risk analysis, agility, reporting, etc.) and ability to work in cross-functional and multicultural teams.
• Ability to foster a positive, supportive and trust-based environment to lead technical teams in industrial implementation projects.
• Ability to drive change, challenge the status quo, and enable collaboration.
• Strong ability to connect with a wide range of internal and external ecosystems.

LOCATION AND DATE

Permanent contract to be filled from September 2026

Position based at Groupe Bel’s Research, Innovation and Development (RID) center.

Position based in Vendôme, in Loir-et-Cher (41), on the TGV line connecting Paris (40 minutes) and Tours (20 minutes).

MAIN MISSIONS / RESPONSIBILITIES

In the context of increasing activity within the RID KIRI team, we are looking for a Development Portfolio Manager Process/Product.

Reporting to the KIRI Brand Development Director, the Development Portfolio Manager will be responsible, for the factories under their scope, for:

• Managing and developing the full portfolio of innovation, renovation and cost-reduction projects for KIRI-branded or local-brand products
• Potentially leading these same projects directly, depending on the stakes, in order to deliver the projects within the defined quality, cost and timeline objectives.

1. Project portfolio management

• Managing project portfolio priorities at the level of the factories under their scope: prioritizing projects according to business or strategic stakes, and allocating resources
• Managing trial budgets: defining budgets for year N+1, monitoring and recommending adjustments during the year, and reporting
• Contributing to feeding the innovation pipeline for the KIRI brand, with a strong user-centric approach: taking user needs into account, particularly in terms of functionality, naturalness, regulations and CSR challenges

1. Project management

• Independently and collaboratively manage innovation, renovation or productivity projects according to the BEL group methodology, in order to deliver development projects at the right level of quality, cost and timing.
• Ensure the appropriate onboarding of project team members and associated technical resources on projects, including engineering and factory teams.
• Ensure project deliverables from the exploration phase to product launch phase, with a strong field presence when required.
• Be able to develop products and apply technical expertise and analytical skills to guide, prioritize and decide on the most relevant technical solutions for the project, based on the project brief and local contexts such as processes and raw materials, with the appropriate level of challenge.
• Mobilize the expertise needed to achieve objectives, including packaging, engineering, quality, regulatory, CSR and purchasing, as well as resources such as new equipment, RID pilot trials and characterization in RID laboratories.
• Co-build with internal and external partners, challenge the technical solutions adopted, and propose relevant choices and directions.
• Organize and lead field trials, whether in Bel factories or at subcontractors’ sites.

1. Hierarchical management, functional management, communication and activity steering

• Manage hierarchically an RID Product Engineer and support their skills development and autonomy in managing their projects.
• Functionally manage the technologists at the factories under their scope for RID project deliverables.
• Act as the key point of contact between factories and marketing and business teams, notably by coordinating the management of technical feasibility requests.
• Organize and co-lead Factory Development Committees with key participants.
• Represent their portfolio and/or projects during zone or brand Development Committees.

1. Key performance indicators and impact on results, qualitative and quantitative

• Product launches at the expected levels of quality, cost and timing
• Continuous improvement of Time to Market
• Compliance with Group standards in terms of project management, including methodology and data reliability in the project management tool
• Development of the impact of the RID engineer under their responsibility

PROFILE

You are an engineer specialized in the food industry or equivalent, with a Master’s degree or equivalent and at least 10 years’ experience. You have expertise and know-how in recipe and/or process development, from the technical exploration phase through to production start-up.

Skills required for the position:

• Knowledge of cheese manufacturing processes, ideally in fresh and processed fresh cheeses.
• Technical know-how from exploration through to first production, covering product, process and packaging.
• Experience in end-to-end project management, from ideation to first production, including methodologies such as planning, risk analysis and agility, as well as the ability to work within multidisciplinary teams.
• Ability to create a positive mindset and lead technical teams as part of industrial implementation projects.
• Ability to drive transformation, challenge the status quo and foster collaboration.
• Business-oriented, with strong ability to challenge
• Strong appetite for intercultural contexts and exchanges
• Genuine passion for field work

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