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