Head of Product Launch

The Head of Product Launch will be responsible to guide the new product development and implementation of the business plan for launch of new proteins from Clara Foods.  This individual will develop value propositions for the new proteins in order to establish performance standards for new products as well as identify the most attractive target categories/customers for the products.

Reports to: Chief Operating Officer  

FLSA Status: Exempt, Full Time

Role and Responsibilities:

• Lead as the Product Champion and voice-of-customer for internal Ingredient New Product Development and working closely with Technical Product team and R&D, establish targets for specifications and performance for Clara proteins in target applications while developing robust value propositions to guide development projects.
• In partnership with the management team, implement the three-year business plan for the new protein products developed by Clara Foods
• In conjunction with our Sales Team and partner distributor(s), support and participate in technology-based discussions with customers, primarily with the R&D, technology and marketing groups to establish projects leading to sales.
• Develop and maintain a strong working knowledge of the market and the competitive environment to facilitate business development efforts.  Pro-actively provide market and competitive intelligence to appropriate sales, marketing, product management and technical personnel.
• Provide technical understanding of products and the product value proposition to the Sales team and support initial sales activity with the goal of meeting short and long-term targets for revenue, profitability and market share.
• Lead and manage Clara participation at trade shows and other technical venues to build knowledge and identify new prospects.
• Analyze the leading accounts in selected categories to determine which should be most receptive to incorporate into new protein product offerings, and communicate these needs to the product development and commercial teams.
• Monitor and track NPD performance and benchmark best practices to drive continuous improvement. 
• Monitor and track competitive products in the microflora-derived ingredient space.

Qualifications and Education Requirements:

• Bachelors’ Degree in Food Science or other relevant scientific, engineering, or business discipline. Additionally, an MBA is a plus.
• 7 to 10 years of experience in a food industry company, preferred company would be food ingredient supplier. 
• Must be authorized to work in the United States for Clara Foods

Preferred Skills and Abilities:

• Experience at a high-growth startup in the ingredient, flavor,  agricultural, and food a plus!
• Significant direct and practical Business development, New Ingredient product development, Marketing and Technical experience in food or specialty ingredients.
• Excellent presentation and communication skills, both in creation and execution
• Demonstrated analytical and problem-solving skills required.
• Experience in problem solving and creative thinking.
• Strong Interpersonal and leadership skills
• Ability to interact effectively with all levels of the organization and in a variety of cultures – both internal and external.
• Available to travel domestically approximately 10-20%.
• Ability to take risks to achieve desired results
• Ability to adapt and support others through change, ambiguity and complexity
• Ability to anticipate customer needs and proactively create new solutions and operate with a sense of urgency

What Clara can offer:

• Generous benefits package; 100% medical, dental, and vision employee coverage, 401k matching, and stock options
• Optional benefits; FSA, HSA, Commuter, Pet Care, and additional life insurance
• Flexible PTO
• Free parking, unlimited gym access, lounge, mini-golf patio, yoga and fitness classes onsite
• Unlimited supply of sparkling water, granola bars, snacks, local coffee and tea
• Weekly themed happy hours and quarterly company outings
• Monthly all-hands meetings and 1:1 with CEO and leadership
• Close to South San Francisco BART and Cal Train stations, including free shuttle service

How to apply