Location: Singapore
Role Type: People Leader/ People Manager
Please note: This role is not a fully remote position. The selected candidate will need to be based in Singapore and follow our hybrid work setup3 days onsite and 2 days working from home each week. This is a People Leader/ Manager position.
As
Director, Product Development, you'll own the technical and innovation agenda of the Coca-Cola portfolio; from concept to consumer, leading breakthrough products that set new standards in taste, quality, and impact.
This is a rare opportunity to influence the beverage landscape across Asia-Pacific, translate global strategies into locally relevant pioneers, and leverage cutting-edge digital tools, consumer insights, and agile development to accelerate speed-to-market.
What You'll Lead
Innovation Leadership
- Own the regional categories innovation portfolio with end-to-end oversight and decision authority.
- Design innovation strategies built on consumer and market analytics, embedding digital prototyping, predictive modelling, and agile iteration.
- Adapt global technical roadmaps into products, packaging, and processes with local resonance and regulatory alignment.
- Champion a culture of creativity, speed, and excellence in product development.
Strategic Partnerships
- Collaborate with OU Marketing, Commercial, Supply Chain, Scientific & Regulatory Affairs, and Manufacturing to unlock innovation pipelines.
- Engage with global networks to share technical breakthroughs and integrate best practices across markets.
Operational Excellence
- Oversee multi-category project portfolios, ensuring resources and budgets drive maximum strategic impact.
- Introduce digital efficiencies that enhance speed, reduce complexity, and elevate quality.
Technical Mastery
- Anticipate and mitigate risks from formulation stability to regulatory compliance before they affect launch.
- Transfer critical technical knowledge to plants and market teams to deliver flawless, first-time-right execution.
Talent & Capability Building
- Develop next-gen technical talent, embedding data fluency, design thinking, and collaborative innovation.
- Promote diversity, inclusion, and an entrepreneurial mindset within the innovation center.
Market & Technology Intelligence
- Spot emerging ingredient science, processing methods, and tech platforms for competitive advantage.
- Pilot and adapt cutting-edge solutions for regional consumer appeal and manufacturing viability.
Qualifications & Requirements
- Advanced degree in Food Science, Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, or related field.
- 10+ years delivering successful product innovation in FMCG/beverage/food, including senior leadership experience.
- Proven track record of turning insights into market-leading products.
- Strategic thinker with strong cross-cultural leadership, stakeholder influence, and commercial acumen.
- Fluent in English; regional languages a plus.
- Regional travel up to 20%.
Why Join Us
- Impact at Scale: Shape products enjoyed by millions across diverse APAC markets.
- Global Connectivity: Access world-class technical expertise, innovation labs, and global R&D networks.
- Digital Future: Lead with next-gen tools from AI-driven formulation insights to virtual product design.
- Creative Freedom: Drive innovation that blends science, consumer desire, and brand vision.
- Legacy: Be part of a team building the future of beverages, with agility, ambition, and excellence.
What can help you to be successful in the role
Growth Behavior
- Growth Mindset: Demonstrates Curiosity. Welcomes failure as a learning opportunity.
- Smart Risk: Makes bold decisions/recommendations.
- Commercially Focused: Understands the upstream and downstream implications of his/her work.
- Performance Driven & Accountable: Has high performance standards. Outperforms her/his peers.
- Fast/Agile: Removes barriers to move faster. Experiments and adapts. Thrives under pressure and fast pace.
- Empowered: Brings solutions instead of problems. Challenges the status quo. Has the courage to take an unpopular stance.
Leadership Behavior
- Act Like an Owner: Deliver results, creating value for our brands, our System, our customers and key stakeholders.
- Collaborate with the System, Customers and Key Stakeholders
- Develops Self and Others: Develop self and support others development to achieve their full potential.
- Drive Innovation: Generate new or unique solutions and embrace new ideas that help sustain our business.
What We Can Do For You
- Career growth and development: Leveraging our boundaryless network, we provide access to educational platforms and provide coaching, mentoring and feedback, as a part of our Leadership & Development process.
- Diverse and inclusive culture: You'll be embraced for who you are and empowered to use your voice to help others find theirs. We want to make our culture inevitable.
- International Experience: Become part of international projects and work along multicultural teams, through our global network.
Skills
Product Development; Chemistry; Continual Improvement Process; Environmental Science; Microbiological Test; Waterfall Model; Food Sciences; Food Technology; Communication; Food Safety and Sanitation; Laboratory Testing; Data Compilation; Quality Control (QC); Green Solutions; Sensory Testing; Research and Development Operations (Inactive)
Annual Incentive Reference Value Percentage:30
Annual Incentive reference value is a market-based competitive value for your role. It falls in the middle of the range for your role, indicating performance at target.
