Crown Farms UAE is seeking an experienced, commercially minded Group Research & Innovation Manager to establish and lead the Research & Innovation function for a diversified agriculture and farming holding company based in Fujairah, UAE. This is not a laboratory role — it is a strategic leadership position responsible for building the Group’s research governance framework, managing a portfolio of high-impact research initiatives, and ensuring that innovation translates into measurable operational, commercial, and sustainability outcomes across multiple business units.
About Crown Farms — UAE’s Growing Agriculture Platform
Company: Crown Farms — diversified agriculture and farming holding company
Location: Fujairah, United Arab Emirates — crownfarms.ae
Sectors: Agriculture, Aquaculture, Food Production, Agribusiness, Biotechnology
Scope: Multi-business-unit portfolio spanning farming, food science and agritech
Vision: Advancing innovation, sustainability and operational excellence across a diversified regional portfolio
Strategic Impact & Innovation Opportunity
Unique Role: Establish a brand-new Group-wide Research & Innovation function from the ground up
Partnerships: Collaborate with universities, government entities, research institutes and technology providers
Commercial Focus: Translate applied research into real operational improvements and ROI-driven outcomes
Sustainability: Play a pivotal role in long-term value creation and sustainable agriculture across the GCC
Position Overview
This Group Research & Innovation Manager role at Crown Farms is a rare, high-impact opportunity for a senior agribusiness professional to build something that does not yet exist — a Group-wide Research & Innovation function for one of the UAE’s growing diversified farming platforms. The successful candidate will work closely with Farm Managers, business leaders, technical specialists and external research partners to coordinate and deliver research programs that generate measurable value across multiple agricultural business units.
Why This Role Matters: As Group Research & Innovation Manager at Crown Farms, you will shape the future of agricultural innovation across the UAE and the broader GCC region. You will design governance frameworks, manage a research portfolio, forge strategic university and government partnerships, establish an innovation culture and directly support the commercialization of research outcomes — all while contributing to sustainability goals and long-term value creation for a growing regional agricultural holding company.
Application Deadline: 20 August 2026 — Don’t miss your chance to shape Group-wide agricultural R&D innovation at Crown Farms UAE. Apply before the closing date.
Key Responsibilities
Research Strategy & Governance
- Develop and implement the Group’s Research & Innovation strategy, fully aligned with corporate objectives and business unit priorities.
- Design and maintain the Group’s Research Governance Framework to provide structure, accountability and consistency across all research initiatives.
- Establish standardized research policies, procedures, methodologies, templates and stage-gate processes across the Group.
- Prepare executive dashboards and periodic reports on research portfolio performance for senior leadership and board-level stakeholders.
Portfolio Management & Project Leadership
- Build and manage the Group’s research and innovation portfolio, ensuring strategic alignment and measurable commercial impact.
- Evaluate and prioritize research proposals based on strategic fit, commercial viability, feasibility and ROI potential.
- Monitor project progress, budgets, risks, milestones and outcomes across all active research programs.
- Support successful commercialization and operational implementation of completed research outcomes.
Partnerships & Cross-Functional Coordination
- Coordinate cross-functional research programs involving farms, laboratories, consultants, universities, suppliers and technology partners.
- Develop strategic partnerships with universities, research institutes, government entities and technology providers across the region.
- Work closely with Farm Managers, business leaders and technical specialists to ensure research mandates are operationally relevant and commercially grounded.
Innovation Culture & Knowledge Management
- Establish a Group-wide innovation culture with structured systems for capturing, evaluating and advancing ideas from all business units.
- Maintain a centralized research knowledge repository and lessons-learned database to drive continuous improvement across the Group.
- Drive awareness and adoption of emerging agritech, aquaculture and food science innovations across the farming portfolio.
Qualifications & Requirements
Educational Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in Agriculture, Aquaculture, Food Science, Animal Science, Agricultural Engineering, Biotechnology, or a related discipline (REQUIRED).
- Master’s degree strongly preferred for this Group-level strategic leadership role.
- PMP, PRINCE2 or equivalent project management certification is a significant advantage.
- Innovation Management or Research Management qualifications are desirable.
Experience Requirements
- Minimum 10 years of relevant professional experience in agriculture, agribusiness, food production or related industries.
- At least 5 years leading applied research, innovation, technical development or R&D programs within agriculture, aquaculture, food production or agribusiness.
- Proven experience managing cross-functional projects and external research partnerships with universities, institutes or government bodies.
- Demonstrated ability to translate applied research outcomes into practical, measurable operational improvements.
About Crown Farms UAE
Crown Farms is a diversified agriculture and farming holding company based in Fujairah, UAE, operating across multiple business units that span conventional farming, aquaculture, food production and agritech innovation. The company is committed to advancing sustainability, food security and operational excellence across its growing regional portfolio. With a clear ambition to become one of the region’s most innovation-driven agricultural platforms, Crown Farms is now investing in a dedicated Group Research & Innovation function — and looking for the right leader to build and drive it.
Who Should Apply?
- Senior Agricultural R&D Leaders: With 10+ years in agribusiness, aquaculture, food science or crop science and a track record of building research functions from the ground up.
- Innovation Managers from Agritech: Ready to lead a Group-wide R&D function and forge high-impact partnerships with universities and government research institutes in the GCC.
- Research Program Directors: With cross-functional project management experience (PMP/PRINCE2 preferred) and a commercial, ROI-driven approach to applied research.
- Food Science & Biotechnology Professionals: Seeking a strategic UAE-based leadership role in a growing and diversified agriculture holding company.
- Sustainability-Focused Agriculture Leaders: Who want to contribute to long-term value creation and sustainable food production in the UAE and wider GCC region.
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