Roles and missions of the R&D Manager
The R&D Manager is a leader in innovation, research and development. He or she is responsible for the design and development of new ideas, products and services, and for improving existing ones. His roles and missions are many and varied, and include :
- Setting R&D organizational and strategic objectives, in partnership with other company departments.
- Research and development of new technologies or processes to improve current products and services.
- Planning R&D projects and managing the resources required to bring them to fruition.
- Evaluate prototypes and finished products and write development reports.
- Implement and monitor production and improvement plans for products and services.
- Monitor market trends to develop new ideas and technologies.
- Establish relationships with external partners for the development of new products and services.
- Communicate R&D progress to customers and partners.
- Organize and participate in conferences and trade shows to promote products and services.
The R&D Manager is a versatile, multi-skilled professional who must be equal to his or her mission and responsibility. They must demonstrate leadership, planning and project management skills to ensure the success of R&D activities.
R&D Manager salary and career development
An R&D manager's salary is highly dependent on his or her level of experience. In France, here are the gross annual salary trends according to years of experience:
- 0 to 2 years: €36,000 to €45,000/year
- 2 to 5 years: €45,000 to €55,000/year
- 5 to 10 years: €65,000 to €85,000/year
- 10 to 15 years: €85,000 to €110,000/year
- Over 15 years: €110,000 to €160,000/year
In terms of career prospects, the R&D Manager has many outlets. To progress, he/she can move into professions such as :
- Technical Director
- R&D and Innovation Director
- Researcher
- Product manager
- Project manager.
