[Skip to main content](#main-content) [OpenNash Jobs](https://jobs.opennash.com/) [Hiring report](/reports/hiring/) · [All Kraft Heinz Company jobs](https://jobs.opennash.com/companies/kraft-heinz-company/) · [Search jobs](/search/) Kraft Heinz Company · Glenview, IL # Lead, R&D - Operating Model Excellence Lead Glenview, IL, US Full-time Manager or lead Research & Science Listed on Kraft Heinz Company’s official careers site. Posted October 16, 2026. Check that it is still open and apply there. [Apply on Kraft Heinz Company’s careers site →](https://jobs.kraftheinz.com/careers/job/1970324837565323) [OpenNash Jobs](https://jobs.opennash.com/) / [Kraft Heinz Company](https://jobs.opennash.com/companies/kraft-heinz-company/) / Lead, R&D - Operating Model Excellence Lead ## Job description Manage a team of research and development professionals, overseeing research and development projects and studies in order to investigate relationships, solve technical problems, and develop new solutions for a specific application or within a specific branch of science. ​​Reporting, Insights, & Governance ​Aggregate BU and Central internal R&D capability initiatives into views for R&D leadership and key stakeholders. Examples include system and process pilots, GBS operating model assessments, people programs, and new technical standards. ​Deliver recurring status reporting that improves transparency, cadence, and decision-making across R&D workstreams. Reporting includes center commitments, technology readiness and transfers, resource utilization, etc. ​Define, build and maintain dashboards that surface R&D-specific KPI health and strategic progress in a practical, decision-oriented format with high confidence in data and insights. ​Support enterprise reporting needs tied to external and internal requirements (e.g., government reporting, tax credit documentation, audit support) by ensuring traceability, completeness, and consistency. ​Strengthen operating model rigor across R&D by supporting clear standards, processes, and governance mechanisms. ​Enable effective R&D forums (e.g., Technical Review Board, Monthly Business Reviews) with routine audit, established R&D calendar, structured inputs and outputs, decision tracking, and follow-through. ​Serve as a governance partner to leadership, ensuring updates and decisions are captured, communicated, and translated into execution. ​Drive adoption of more disciplined ways of working, improving consistency, readiness, and predictability across the R&D portfolio. ​Apply change management practices to increase adherence to shared standards while balancing practicality for teams executing day-to-day work. ​Anticipate technical pipeline risks to delivery and readiness early, creating simple mechanisms to surface issues and drive action before they escalate.​ ​​Bachelor's degree in a relevant field such as Engineering, Food Science, Chemistry, Biology, Operations/Supply Chain; Master's degree or MBA highly desired. ​10+ years of experience leading transformation, portfolio, or program work in complex, cross-functional environments (R&D, product development, manufacturing, supply chain, or similar). ​Strong capabilities in portfolio coordination, prioritization, and governance, with the ability to create clarity across multiple stakeholders and competing demands. ​Proven ability to design and implement executive-ready reporting, dashboards, and operational metrics that drive decisions, not just visibility. ​Strong change management and stakeholder leadership skills, including influence without authority and navigating senior leadership expectations. ​High proficiency translating ambiguous needs into structured processes, clear deliverables, and repeatable operating rhythms. ​Excellent written and verbal communication skills; able to synthesize complex work into crisp leadership narratives. ​Experience working with portfolio management tools and/or building operating cadences for stage gates, readiness, and governance highly desired. ​Experience partnering with data/analytics teams to improve reporting automation, data quality, and dashboard usability. ​Background supporting enterprise reporting or compliance-adjacent documentation (e.g., audit support, structured evidence, traceability). ​Familiarity with R&D portfolio contexts (e.g., commercialization workflows, readiness frameworks, cross-function dependencies).​ ## At a glance - Posted by the employer: Oct 16, 2026 - First seen by OpenNash: Oct 18, 2026 - Last checked: Oct 18, 2026 - Listed for: 2 days - Location: Glenview, IL, US - Employment type: Full-time[Apply on Kraft Heinz Company’s careers site →](https://jobs.kraftheinz.com/careers/job/1970324837565323) ## More jobs at Kraft Heinz Company ### [R&D Analytical Science Assistant](https://jobs.opennash.com/companies/kraft-heinz-company/jobs/c42f8c18aae712214df5/) Glenview, IL, US ### [R&D Sweetener & Salt Lab Assistant](https://jobs.opennash.com/companies/kraft-heinz-company/jobs/b1a6ceadf7acf3d61dad/) Glenview, IL, US ### [Analyst II, Marketing Ops R&D](https://jobs.opennash.com/companies/kraft-heinz-company/jobs/ae6eac54322cacaefe43/) Bengaluru - Brookfield GCC, Karnātaka, India ### [Associate Director R&D EurAsia](https://jobs.opennash.com/companies/kraft-heinz-company/jobs/e86f528b623e7148e54e/) Amsterdam, North Holland, Netherlands ### [Associate Manager, Culinary](https://jobs.opennash.com/companies/kraft-heinz-company/jobs/62c48a5917f3583123d2/) Glenview R&D Center, Illinois, United States of America ## Similar jobs at other companies ### [Vice President, Transaction Coordination – NA Operating Model, Global Standardization & Talent Development](https://jobs.opennash.com/companies/jpmorganchase/jobs/9eb73ae40755cdb8a112/) JPMorganChase · Jersey City, NJ, United States ### [VP, AI Operating Model and Execution](https://jobs.opennash.com/companies/chubb/jobs/0fea85161cec4223ff60/) Chubb · Philadelphia, PA, United States ### [Operating Engineer](https://jobs.opennash.com/companies/jones-lang-lasalle/jobs/955f666977759e01c6cc/) Jones Lang LaSalle · Apex, NC ### [Operating Engineer](https://jobs.opennash.com/companies/jones-lang-lasalle/jobs/de6414f43c95941f1c9a/) Jones Lang LaSalle · Ashburn, VA ### [Infrastructure Engineer - Operating Environment](https://jobs.opennash.com/companies/lockheed-martin/jobs/f47763f6cb42d9160a09/) Lockheed Martin · Mount Laurel, NJ OpenNash lists jobs from employers’ own careers sites and does not handle applications. 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