Strategy & Open Innovation Lead, R&D Naturals

Are you passionate about shaping the future of natural ingredients and driving innovation through strategic partnerships?

At IFF, we are looking for a Strategy & Open Innovation Lead to join our Naturals R&D organization in Grasse, France. In this highly visible leadership role, you will help & support the VP R&D Naturals to define and execute long-term strategic priorities while building a robust external innovation ecosystem, with expert team leaders, that accelerates growth, sustainability, and competitive advantage across Scent, Taste, and Beauty.

You will work at the intersection of science, business, and innovation, identifying emerging trends, technologies, partnerships, and opportunities that will help shape the future of our Naturals business.

As Strategy & Open Innovation Lead, R&D Naturals, you will play a pivotal role in defining and executing the long-term strategy of the Naturals R&D organization. You will combine strategic thinking, business insight, and external engagement to identify opportunities that support innovation, sourcing, sustainability, and business growth. Working closely with senior leaders across R&D and business functions, you will drive the Naturals Open Innovation agenda by developing strategic alliances, scouting emerging technologies, and creating collaborations with startups, academic institutions, suppliers, customers, and external innovation partners.

Based in Grasse, France, you will work in close proximity to our world-class natural ingredients expertise and be a key member of the Naturals R&D leadership network.

Where You'll Make a Difference

• Contribute to the development and execution of the long-term strategic roadmap for the Naturals R&D organization.

• Identify and evaluate market trends, emerging technologies, and innovation opportunities that can support future business growth.

• Build, manage, and expand a network of strategic external partnerships across academia, startups, suppliers, technology providers, customers, and industry organizations.

• Lead the Naturals R&D Open Innovation pipeline, from opportunity identification through evaluation, prioritization, and implementation.

• Scout disruptive technologies and external capabilities that can accelerate innovation across Scent, Taste, and Beauty.

• Assess technical, commercial, and strategic opportunities and develop business cases for investment and collaboration.

• Translate external innovations into tangible R&D programs, innovation projects, and business outcomes.

• Collaborate closely with R&D, Innovation, Sustainability, Procurement, Commercial, and Operations teams to ensure alignment and successful execution.

• Support strategic alliance activities and contribute to strengthening IFF's external innovation ecosystem worldwide.

• Prepare and deliver compelling presentations and recommendations to senior leadership and executive stakeholders.

What Makes You the Right Fit

• Advanced degrees in Science, Engineering, Business, Innovation Management, or a related field.

• Significant experience in innovation, strategy, business development, partnerships, or R&D leadership roles.

• Strong understanding of natural ingredients, their supply chains, sourcing challenges, market dynamics, and innovation opportunities.

• Proven experience building and managing external collaborations and strategic partnerships.

• Demonstrated ability to assess technologies, identify trends, and translate innovation opportunities into business value.

• Strong business acumen with the ability to connect scientific innovation to commercial impact.

• Experience operating in complex, international, and cross-functional environments.

• Fluent in English.

How Would You Stand Out?

• You possess an entrepreneurial mindset and enjoy identifying new opportunities before others do.

• You are equally comfortable discussing scientific topics, business strategy, and commercial implications.

• You have exceptional stakeholder management and influencing skills.

• You are an excellent communicator with strong storytelling and executive presentation capabilities.

• You thrive in highly collaborative environments and know how to bring diverse teams together around a common vision.

• You combine strategic thinking with a hands-on approach and a strong bias for action.

• You are naturally curious and energized by emerging technologies, innovation ecosystems, and market trends.

Why Choose Us?

• Join a world-leading company at the forefront of innovation in taste, scent, health, and biosciences.

• Influence the future direction of the Naturals business through high-impact strategic initiatives.

• Work closely with senior leaders and key decision-makers across a global organization.

• Build relationships with some of the most innovative startups, research institutions, suppliers, and industry partners worldwide.

• Be part of a collaborative and entrepreneurial environment where innovation, sustainability, and growth are at the heart of everything we do.

• Access continuous learning and development opportunities while growing your global network and career.

We are a global leader in taste, scent, and nutrition, offering our customers a broader range of natural solutions and accelerating our growth strategy. At IFF, we believe that your uniqueness unleashes our potential. We value the diverse mosaic of the ethnicity, national origin, race, age, sex, or veteran status. We strive for an inclusive workplace that allows each of our colleagues to bring their authentic self to work regardless of their religion, gender identity & expression, sexual orientation, or disability.

Visit IFF.com/careers/workplace-diversity-and-inclusion to learn more