Our client is an established, family owned international food organization with a long-term approach to investment, innovation and value creation. The organization supplies nutrition, food, systems and services to care markets, including seniors, healthcare and long-term care. In Canada, the company serves business-to-business markets, including healthcare, long-term care and community-based meal programs, as well as consumers through a home-delivery service for seniors.

The Ottawa production facility operates from a purpose-built food manufacturing site. The facility is federally regulated by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and operates a HACCP plan. Most business support and head office functions are based at this location.

The Program

Manager, Value Engineering will lead our client's margin improvement and recipe value engineering program within Product Development. The role will convert commercial priorities into a focused portfolio of initiatives that improve product margin while protecting food safety, quality, nutrition, customer expectations and manufacturing feasibility.

The Program

Manager will lead cross-functional resources assigned to the program and will be accountable for setting direction, sequencing work, creating pace and holding contributors to agreed commitments. Success therefore depends on disciplined project leadership, commercial judgement and the ability to influence and challenge constructively without relying on formal authority. The ideal candidate brings practical food product development experience, strong knowledge of recipe value engineering and a genuine passion for food.

They will be equally comfortable in a project review, a cost discussion and a manufacturing trial, and will build trusted relationships across Product Development, Commercial, Procurement, Operations, Quality, Nutrition,



Supply Chain and Finance.

Product

Development, Commercial, Procurement, Operations, Quality, Nutrition, Supply Chain and Finance Build and maintain a prioritized pipeline of margin improvement and value engineering opportunities across the product portfolio. Lead cross-functional teams through scoping, feasibility, development, trials, validation, approval, implementation and advantages realization. Translate margin targets and business needs into clear project briefs, deliverables, timelines, decision points and resource requirements.

Apply recipe value engineering to ingredients, formulations, specifications, suppliers, pack formats, process design, yield and waste reduction. Develop fact-based business cases using cost, margin, volume, investment, risk and implementation assumptions; Balance commercial opportunity with food safety, quality, nutrition, regulatory, customer and operational requirements. Facilitate project reviews and decision forums, making trade-offs visible and driving timely resolution of risks, dependencies and barriers.

Maintain clear program reporting covering progress, resource demand, risks, decisions, forecast savings and realized results. Strengthen value engineering tools, governance, documentation and ways of working within Product Development. Degree or diploma in food science, food technology or a related discipline.

Minimum of three years of product development experience in food manufacturing,



including taking recipe or product changes through development and implementation. Demonstrated experience in recipe value engineering, cost optimization or margin improvement in a food environment. Strong project or program management capability across prioritization, planning, governance, risk management and multiple workstreams.

Commercial understanding, including the ability to interpret product costing and margin drivers and build sound business cases. Working knowledge of food safety, quality, regulatory and manufacturing considerations relevant to recipe and process changes. A genuine passion for food and for creating products that deliver value to customers and the business.

Culinary training or professional culinary experience.

Experience in prepared meals, large‑scale food production or a similarly complex environment. Formal project management training or certification.

Personal Qualities

Highly organized, able to prioritize competing demands and maintain momentum across multiple projects. Commercially curious, analytical and comfortable using data to support decisions. Practical and solutions‑focused, with the judgement to balance opportunity, risk and feasibility.

Credible with technical, operational and commercial colleagues at all levels. Eligibility for the discretionary manager bonus program. ~ 15 days of annual vacation. We are equal‑opportunity and affirmative action employers that do not discriminate on the basis of race, national origin, religion, age, colour, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by local, state, provincial, or federal laws, rules, or regulations.

Our policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment. #

📌 Program Manager, Value Engineering (Quebec)
🏢 Lock Search Group
📍 Quebec