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This position leads the development, evaluation, and implementation of innovative technologies in palm oil processes and operations. Acting as a technical and strategic enabler, the role supports plant trials, engineering integration, and business case development to drive operational excellence, sustainability, and value creation. The Innovation Manager collaborates closely with internal engineering teams, customers’ R&D, and cross-functional stakeholders (e.g. technology providers, operations and business leaders) to deliver impactful solutions aligned with the group’s innovation strategy.
Technical Innovation
- Identify, evaluate, and recommend new technologies to enhance palm operations.
- Lead or support feasibility studies (technical & business) for process and product innovation projects.
- Collaborate and work closely with project and process engineers to ensure successful integration of new technologies into plant design or retrofit.
- Organize and facilitate knowledge-sharing platforms, technical workshops, vendor engagements, and field trials (e.g. POC, FAT).
- Key Focus Area (Upstream)
- Process Optimization (e.g. quality improvement, process efficiency, cost reduction)
- Value Added Processes / Products (e.g. biomass, palm by-products)
- Green & Sustainable Technology (e.g. carbon reduction, renewable energy)
- Regulatory Compliances (e.g. food safety, environmental)
- New palm related technologies (enzymatic, phytonutrient, animal nutrition, etc.)
New Project & Implementation Supports
Coordinate and work together in cross-functional working groups and taskforces across new innovation projects / programmesMonitor trials / implementation project outcomes and assess ongoing performance against expected results.Identify gaps, risks, or improvement opportunities in current innovations and recommend future-proof enhancements.Develop and publish (internally) technology Market Intel reports specific to the palm oil industry and technologies.Provide internal stakeholders with regular updates on emerging technology trends, pilot successes, and vendor capabilities.Support departments with ad-hoc technical or business analyses related to innovation feasibility or benchmarkingJob Requirement
Bachelor's or Master's degree in Chemical Engineering, Process Engineering, Agricultural Engineering, Biotechnology, or related technical fields.Minimum 7 years of relevant experience in the palm oil processing industryProven experience in plant trials, process innovation, or technology implementation.Familiarity with technology evaluation, cost-benefit analysis, and engineering system integration.Strong analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills.Ability to manage cross-functional innovation projects from ideation to execution.Good stakeholder engagement skills and a collaborative mindset.Agile and adaptable to work on a diverse range of innovation areas.Willing to travel for site visits (local and overseas), vendor engagement, and plant project coordination.#J-18808-Ljbffr