Background

Staffing Solutions Network is a leading recruitment and HR management firm based in Kenya, committed to connecting businesses with exceptional talent across diverse industries. Established with a mission to bridge the gap between employers and skilled professionals, we bring unparalleled industry expertise, a client-centered approach, and a deep understanding of the local and regional talent landscape.

We are recruiting on behalf of our client, an international flavour and food technology company serving food and beverage manufacturers across regional and international markets.

The organisation develops custom, natural and functional flavour solutions and works closely with customers from product concept and formulation through to industrial production.

We are looking for an experienced Senior Application Manager – Food & Beverage Applications to lead the application laboratory in Nairobi.

This is a highly hands-on leadership role combining technical formulation, customer project management, team leadership and commercial support.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead beverage and sweet-food formulation and application development.
• Develop prototypes from benchmarking and recipe design through sensory testing and stability assessment.
• Lead customer product-development projects from initial concept to commercial production.
• Manage customer trials, factory trials and scale-up activities.
• Provide technical formulation and manufacturing support to customers and sales teams.
• Lead, coach and develop application technicians.
• Develop and maintain relevant local and regional application portfolios.
• Identify emerging food and beverage trends and translate them into product opportunities.
• Support key-account strategies and regional business-development initiatives.
• Collaborate with global R&D, technical, flavour and commercial teams.
• Support technical troubleshooting and customer problem-solving.
• Ensure application activities meet applicable quality, food-safety and regulatory requirements.

Requirements

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Food Science & Technology, Chemistry, Pharmacy or a related discipline.
• 7 - 10+ years' experience in the food and beverage industry.
• Strong hands-on experience in food and beverage product development and applications.
• Strong beverage formulation experience.
• Practical knowledge of pH, Brix, acidity, viscosity and sensory testing.
• Experience in food or beverage manufacturing.
• Proven project-management and technical leadership experience.
• Strong customer-facing and communication skills.
• Knowledge of food regulations across African markets.
• Experience with CRM tools; Salesforce is an advantage.
• Excellent English communication skills.
• French or another language is an advantage.
• Willingness to travel approximately 30% of the time.

• Lead beverage and sweet-food formulation and application development.
• Develop prototypes from benchmarking and recipe design through sensory testing and stability assessment.
• Lead customer product-development projects from initial concept to commercial production.
• Manage customer trials, factory trials and scale-up activities.
• Provide technical formulation and manufacturing support to customers and sales teams.
• Lead, coach and develop application technicians.
• Develop and maintain relevant local and regional application portfolios.
• Identify emerging food and beverage trends and translate them into product opportunities.
• Support key-account strategies and regional business-development initiatives.
• Collaborate with global R&D, technical, flavour and commercial teams.
• Support technical troubleshooting and customer problem-solving.
• Ensure application activities meet applicable quality, food-safety and regulatory requirements.

• Strong hands-on experience in food and beverage product development and applications.
• Strong beverage formulation experience.
• Practical knowledge of pH, Brix, acidity, viscosity and sensory testing.
• Experience in food or beverage manufacturing.
• Proven project-management and technical leadership experience.
• Strong customer-facing and communication skills.
• Knowledge of food regulations across African markets.
• Experience with CRM tools; Salesforce is an advantage.
• Excellent English communication skills.
• French or another language is an advantage.

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Food Science & Technology, Chemistry, Pharmacy or a related discipline.
• 7 - 10+ years' experience in the food and beverage industry.