Business & Innovation Officer (R&D) at Longbridge Technologies Limited

Longbridge Technologies Limited - At LONGBRIDGE, by offering competent management and a distinctive approach, we strive to position businesses for sustainable growth. This is driven by our core objective which is focused on creating and sustaining growth for individuals and enterprises through innovation.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Business & Innovation Officer (R&D)

Location: Lagos
Employment Type: Full Time

Role Information

• The Manager, Business & Innovation will play a leadership role in guiding the new product development on our core businesses as well as driving new category innovation
• This role will ensure R&D activities drive to achieve strategic objectives, improve market position, and optimize profitability
• Through close partnership with the marketing, sales and supply chain teams he/she will lead the development and commercialization new core products, optimization of current offerings and identification and execution of cost savings initiatives.

Job Description

• Collaborate with Marketing, Sales and Engineering to develop innovation plans.
• Leverage consumer insights and emerging technologies to guide product innovation and renovation plans
• Leverage internal and external resources to identify emerging technologies and translate these into new product ideas that are aligned with the business strategy.
• Lead product development, process development and ingredient technology efforts to develop and commercialize new and improved products, cost optimization and quality improvement
• Manage a complex and dynamic project portfolio to ensure attainment of business goals, including prioritization and execution strategy.
• Ensure robust experimentation/design principles and commercialization processes to achieve project objectives and commercial requirements (development efficiency, stability, shelf life).
• Manage R&D personnel, including priority setting, coaching and skill development
• Develop and lead annual cost optimization plans
• Develop and manage R&D Department budget, ensuring efficient utilization of resources and achievement of annual business plan.
• Collaborate with key customers as required to drive customer-specific innovation
• Ensure ongoing evaluation of the competitive landscape and competitive innovation.
• Meeting with business management, marketing, and the R&D team to discuss product ideas.
• Conducting market research and evaluating similar products and their functions.
• Collaborating with the engineering and marketing department on product feasibility.
• Redesigning existing products to enhance functionality or reduce costs.
• Creating design projects and specification sheets.
• Presenting product designs to management and stakeholders.
• Overseeing the engineering of product prototypes.
• Testing prototype products for functionality, ease-of-use, and longevity
• Overseeing the production process.

Education / Experience

• B.Sc in Business or Science and Engineering. Advanced Business Degree or Ph.D
• 10+ years technology and business experience
• Excellent understanding of the product development process and innovation stage gate principle
• Demonstrated ability to develop and execute technology strategy that delivers on business need
• Strong project management skills and excellent communication, both oral and written
• People leadership skills and the ability to manage, mentor and develop others

Competencies Required:

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills with strong customer focus.
• Excellent organizational and follow up skills with strong attention to detail.
• Ability to adapt to a changing environment.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Highly motivated with the ability to work independently.
• Strong business acumen and ability to translate technology to potential business impacts.
• Exhibits a curious mind.
• Demonstrated ability to get to the essence of a new concept quickly.
• Knowledge of front end of innovation tools and processes
• Demonstrated success with creating a technology platform or new business development
• Demonstrated success in more than one industry
• Coaching and developing others
• Ability to meet time-sensitive deadlines.
• Strong innovation and/or networking skills.
• Demonstrated success in more than one industry
• Negotiation and persuasion skills.
• Demonstrated success with creating a technology platform or new business development
• Knowledge of front end of innovation tools and processes.
• Strong business and technical acumen.
• Would prefer candidate to be multilingual - not a must.
• Demonstrated ability to make things happen - this is an important characteristic.

Application Closing Date
22nd January, 2021.