GBfoods Africa - Our history begins with our brand, Gallina Blanca, founded in Barcelona in 1937. But this is only the beginning of a long and exciting journey.
Today, with turnover of around €1,3 Billion and a staff of around 3,600 employees, GBfoods is present in more than 50 countries in Europe and Africa. They include Spain, Italy, Germany, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Sweden, Finland, Nigeria, Ghana, Algeria and Senegal, among others.
We are recruiting to fill the position below:
Job Title: Technical Lead - Mayonnaise & Table Sauces
Location: Lagos
Employment Type: Full Time
Reporting to: the Technical Director
Role
- The Technical Lead- Mayonnaise & Table Sauces, will lead the formulation, optimization, and industrialization of mayonnaise and wet condiments.
- The role requires deep technical expertise in emulsions, ingredient functionality, food chemistry, and large-scale manufacturing processes, and is responsible for driving innovation, improving quality, optimizing costs, and ensuring regulatory compliance across the condiment portfolio.
Key Responsibilities
Product Development & Innovation:
- Lead the end-to-end R&D lifecycle for new product development (NPD), from bench to scale-up for mayonnaise, mustard, dressings, and related sauces.
- Adapt and localize existing formulations to meet sensory, cost, and regulatory requirements
Technical Expertise & Process Optimization:
- Provide subject-matter expertise in emulsifiers, stabilizers, hydrocolloids, and texture modifiers.
- Optimize mixing, homogenization, pasteurization, and filling processes.
- Troubleshoot emulsion instability (phase separation, syneresis, viscosity drift).
Ingredient & Supplier Collaboration:
- Evaluate and approve raw materials (oils, eggs, plant proteins, acids, preservatives).
- Collaborate with suppliers to source innovative ingredients.
- Conduct comparative ingredient performance studies.
Cross-functional Project Leadership:
- Act as technical lead for multi-market project launches, coordinating with commercial, QA, supply chain, and regulatory affairs.
- Lead factory trials and production validations across local and co-manufacturing sites (if any).
- Deliver assigned technical projects within timelines, budget, and performance KPIs.
Requirements
- At least a Degree in Food Technology, Chemical Engineering, or Food Science.
- Minimum of 10 years’ experience in R&D and technical production, ideally in sauces, condiments, or broader food processing.
- Demonstrated experience with product scale-up and production optimization.
- Familiarity with FSSC 22000, ISO 9001, HACCP, and African food regulatory frameworks.
- Strong technical knowledge of emulsified food systems and thermal processing.
- Hands-on experience in food manufacturing, production scaling, and factory process management.
- Proficiency with technical tools (e.g., lab equipment, formulation software, ERP systems).
- Strong analytical, planning, problem-solving, and decision-making abilities.
- Ability to travel and operate across diverse markets and production environments
- Strong project management and cross-functional leadership capabilities
- Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.