Sr. Manager - R&D and Innovation (Private Label + Emerging Brands)

Join Riverside Natural Foods Ltd., a Canadian-based, family-owned, and globally operating business, committed to leaving the world better than we found it. As a B-Corp certified, Triple-Bottom Line company, we proudly manufacture nutritious, 'better-for-you' snacks such as MadeGood and GOOD TO GO. We value teamwork, humility, respect, ownership, adaptability, grit, and fun.

We’re on an ambitious mission to double our business by 2030, and we need talented individuals like you to help us reach new heights. At Riverside, you’ll have the opportunity to chart your own path to success while contributing to ours. We believe anything worth doing is worth doing right, and our values will guide us through the rugged terrain – and yes, it will get rough. But that’s what makes the journey worthwhile.

So, lace up your boots and let’s tackle the climb together.

You can learn more about us at www.riversidenaturalfoods.com .

Overview:

The Senior Manager - Innovation & R&D, Private Label & Emerging Brands (PL & EB) is a strategic, hands-on leader who drives growth through innovation and technical excellence across Riverside's PL & EB businesses. They combine creative thinking with disciplined technical rigour to identify opportunities, build winning products, and deliver them from concept through commercialization. Leveraging expertise in food science, ingredient functionality, and manufacturing processes, they provide technical leadership to ensure products are scalable, high quality, and commercially successful. Working closely with Marketing, Sales, Operations, and other cross-functional partners, they shape the innovation pipeline while developing a high-performing team of food scientists through coaching, accountability, and technical leadership. This role is a permanent full-time position.

Leads the technical NPD process for Private Brands & Emerging Brands, from internal or external brief and bid response to first production. Accountable for ensuring products and projects adhere to Riverside & PL strategy, food safety programs, planned timelines and COGS, target attributes and parameters, and sustainability goals.

Partners closely with senior colleagues in Marketing, Sales, Finance, and Operations as a vocal thought leader for innovation and portfolio strategy, ensuring the 3-year product pipeline is sufficient to meet GSV targets.

Provides technical leadership in ingredient functionality, manufacturing processes, technical troubleshooting, and scientific rigour across innovation and R&D activities.

Fosters a culture of innovation within the PL & EB team, encouraging experimentation and risk-taking. Drives the ideation process.

Leads strategic risk assessment, mitigation planning, and risk communication for innovation and R&D initiatives.

Actively seeks partnerships with ingredient and equipment suppliers to explore innovative ingredients, processes, relationships, or technologies that could provide a competitive edge for current or prospective clients.

Builds a robust network of co-manufacturing partners to expand Riverside capabilities. Accountable for vetting partners for technical suitability, NPD collaboration, and ensuring final products meet Riverside product specifications.

Champions continuous improvement across the business. Regularly seeks opportunities for product and process improvement, efficiencies, and better ways of working, and evaluates the impact of initiatives using performance indicators.

Leads and develops a team of food science professionals, supporting them with technical and leadership decisions and helping them achieve their growth potential through meaningful and dedicated personal development support.

Develops and coaches the team through project strategies, resource plans, and execution roadmaps for complex innovation initiatives.

Serves as a technical advisor to both internal and external partners, offering insights and solutions based on the latest food technology and trends.

Stays abreast of emerging trends and technologies in the food industry, especially within the snack category. Monitors the competitive landscape regularly and uses research and learnings to improve existing products or develop novel concepts.

Collaborates meaningfully with other Technical Design functions across the organization (R&D, Packaging R&D, FSQA, Regulatory) to share technical knowledge, process improvements, and collectively drive scientific and technical expertise at Riverside.

Education & Qualifications:

10-15 years of CPG experience in Research & Development and/or Technical Innovation

Post-secondary degree in Food Science, Food Technology, Engineering, Chemistry, Biology, Microbiology, or a related field

Master's degree in Science, Business, Leadership, Entrepreneurship, or a related field is an asset

Demonstrated leadership and/or management capabilities

Demonstrated experience in new product development (ideation through launch)

Demonstrated experience working in food manufacturing facilities

Skills & Abilities:

PASSIONATE for innovation! Driven to find and create better products and processes. Motivated by a high level of curiosity and creativity.

TEAM player with a positive attitude and the ability to keep things light and FUN .

Effective management skills, capable of working on and leading a diverse team. Willing to "fly high and low," leading strategic decisions but unafraid to jump in and get hands dirty when necessary.

Self-starter with a high level of initiative and ADAPTABILITY . Possesses the GRIT and resourcefulness to make progress when faced with setbacks or ambiguity. Embraces discomfort and sees opportunities where others see challenges.

Uses immediacy of action to respond to opportunities, strengthen technical rigour, and pivot when needed.

Demonstrates HUMILITY and RESPECT for our people and our planet on a day-to-day basis.

Strong communication and critical thinking skills

Strong technical foundation in formulation, industrial manufacturing, sensory science, technical documentation, food safety, and innovation

Ability to travel regularly to Riverside manufacturing sites (Toronto/Vaughan area), co-manufacturing sites across North America, and occasionally nationally and internationally (5-10%)

Please note this role as a new vacancy.

Salary Range

$140,000 — $155,000 CAD

At Riverside, we are committed to transparency and fairness in our compensation and job posting practices. The range above reflects the target compensation for the position at the time of posting. Exact compensation will be determined based on experience, skill set, education, and training, as well as other organizational needs, while balancing internal equity.

What we expect:

Values-led: You’ll be a member of a thoughtful and compassionate team that prioritizes respect, teamwork and resourcefulness along with a good dash of fun. Sometimes, even making granola bars is hard, and life’s too short to take ourselves so seriously that we don’t enjoy the journey.

Unparalleled experiences and opportunities : We’re still determining who we are and what we can be. Help us shape what this organization will look like and what we’ll offer the world, into the future. This means rolling up your sleeves and sometimes building the process – fast! – while employing it. At Riverside, progress occasionally means proceeding imperfectly, and we’re okay with that, as long as we’re staying true to our values and learning and improving along the way.

Access to everyone: We’re a flat organization with few silos which means you’ll have full access to everyone from our founders to our production staff. Even when employees dress up, they wear steel-toed shoes. So don’t be shy. Speak up, share your ideas and go places you normally wouldn’t – like the plant, or the boardroom.

Personal development : We’ll support and em