Research And Development Manager

Pyou Hong Kong, an International Recruitment Agency is looking on behalf of our client, a leading European multinational agro-food group, for an R&D Manager, who will report to the Chief Operating Officer (Malaysia) with a dotted line to the Corporate R&D Director.

Location: Pasir Gudang, Johor Bahru, MalaysiaHe/She will act as the main technical authority for the manufacturing plant, overseeing product development, formulation, and industrialization for the APAC region.Responsibilities In detail, he/she has to:Manage the full R&D and Regulatory function of the Malaysia plant across chocolate, margarine, and UHT/VHT product portfolios;Coordinate, mentor, and develop a cross-functional technical team of approximately 12 professionals;Oversee end-to-end product development, formulation renewals, and industrialization from concept stage to commercial launch;Ensure full compliance with domestic and international food regulations across export markets, embedding Halal and Kosher certification standards into development processes;Act as the primary technical interface between cross-functional departments (Production, Quality, Sales, Supply Chain) and global headquarters;Spearhead value engineering, raw material rationalization, and recipe cost-optimization initiatives;Support the long-term innovation roadmap and present structured updates to the Global R&D leadership.QualificationsBachelor’s or Master’s Degree in Food Science, Food Technology, Chemistry, or a related discipline;Minimum 10 years of Food R&D experience within industrial manufacturing environments;Proven technical expertise in at least one of the following product categories in the APAC region: UHT/VHT, margarine, or chocolate;At least 2–3 years of people management experience, including coordinating a team of 5 to 12 employees;Sound understanding of international export food regulations, food safety standards, and certified production environments (Halal / Kosher);Professional fluency in written and spoken English;Strong technical acumen, result orientation, leadership, team-working, and proactivity;Willingness to relocate and establish in Johor Bahru (an indicative budget is available for relocation and accommodation).