Project Coordinator – NPD

Maltra Foods; City of Melbourne; On-site; AUD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Maltra Foods is seeking a Project Coordinator to join its Project Management team in Melbourne. You’ll work hands‑on with customers, internal teams and suppliers to move projects from concept to commercial product.

You’ll coordinate NPD, reformulations and packaging activities across R&D, Quality, Operations, Procurement, Finance and Sales, ensuring timelines and cost targets are met. This is a great growth role for someone early in their career.

Qualifications

• Experience in food & beverage/product development environments.
• Ability to coordinate multiple projects with diverse stakeholders.
• Understanding of product development processes and packaging considerations.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate a diverse range of private label projects from NPD to reformulations and line extensions.
• Work with Account Managers and customers to understand concepts and expectations.
• Coordinate new product development including R&D, samples, approvals, packaging sourcing and trials.
• Collaborate with suppliers on packaging options, pricing, lead times and samples.
• Develop and maintain product costings to meet commercial targets.
• Manage rebranding projects including packaging artwork updates across customers, designers and suppliers.
• Evolve packaging options across formats and materials with a focus on sustainability and APCO requirements.
• Track timelines, milestones and approvals; identify and resolve roadblocks.

Skills

Food & Beverage

FMCG

Manufacturing

NPD

Project coordination

Stakeholder management

Communication

Organisational skills

Problem solving

Job description

Do you enjoy taking an idea and turning it into something real?

At Maltra Foods, we work with customers to develop and manufacture food and beverage products, for Australian and international markets, from the initial product concept through to full commercialisation.

We offer private label customers an end-to-end solution, from formula development, packaging and costing, through to product trials and commercial production.

We are looking for a Project Coordinator with 2 – 3 years’ relevant experience, who is early in their career and ready to take the next step, by joining our Project Management team.

This is a hands‑on role where you'll work directly with customers, internal teams across the business and external suppliers to keep projects moving and turn ideas into commercially viable products.

What you'll be doing

You’ll coordinate a diverse range of private label projects, from NPD to rebranding to reformulations and line extensions – working closely with R&D, Quality, Operations, Procurement, Finance and Sales. You’ll be involved in:

Working with Account Managers and their customers to understand new product concepts, requirements and expectations.

Coordinating new product development, including R&D, sample submissions, approvals, packaging sourcing and trials.

Working with suppliers on packaging options, pricing, lead times and samples.

Developing and maintaining product costings and helping ensure projects meet commercial targets.

Managing rebranding projects, including packaging artwork updates, ensuring changes are coordinated across customers, designers, suppliers and internal teams.

Developing and evolving packaging options across different formats and materials. An interest in sustainable packaging, packaging innovation and knowledge of APCO requirements highly regarded.

Coordinating product reformulations, ensuring changes are effectively managed through R&D, costing, customer approval, packaging and production.

Managing timelines, actions, milestones and approvals.

Identifying roadblocks and finding practical solutions to keep projects moving.

Balancing what the customer wants with what is technically achievable, commercially viable and practical to manufacture.

Following up actions and making sure commitments and deadlines are met.

This role is all about people, projects and getting things done.

We're looking for someone who is:

Confident but diplomatic. You can build strong relationships and have difficult conversations when needed. You're helpful and approachable, but you're not afraid to push for an outcome.

A great communicator. You're comfortable speaking with customers, suppliers and internal stakeholders and can communicate clearly at all levels.

Proactive. You don't wait to be told what to do. You see what needs to happen, pick up the phone, follow things through and keep people moving.

Commercially minded. You understand that a great product needs to meet the customer's expectations while also being cost-effective, technically achievable and suitable for commercial manufacture.

Organised and detail‑focused. You can juggle multiple projects, keep track of the detail and still see the bigger picture.

A problem solver who always has a Plan B. You proactively assess project risk scenarios. If things don't go to plan you stay calm, work through viable options and find a way forward.

Curious and keen to learn. You want to understand how things work—from formulation and R&D through to packaging, costing and what actually happens on the production line.

What you'll ideally bring

Some experience in food & beverage, FMCG, manufacturing, NPD, project coordination or a related environment.

An understanding of the product development process.

Exposure to R&D, formulation, reformulation or product trials.

An understanding of food manufacturing and/or packaging.

Experience working with suppliers and obtaining pricing, specifications and samples.

An understanding of costings and commercial considerations.

Strong organisational and communication skills.

The ability to build relationships, influence stakeholders and drive successful outcomes for both the customer and Maltra Foods.

You don't need to know everything. We are looking for someone with the right attitude, capability and drive to learn.

Why Maltra Foods?

You'll get to see the whole journey from an idea on paper to a product being made on the factory floor.

You'll work across R&D, production, quality, procurement, suppliers, sales and customers, giving you broad exposure and the opportunity to build a career in food manufacturing and project management.

If you're someone who likes working with people, solving problems and making things happen, we'd love to hear from you.

Join Maltra Foods and help turn the next great food idea into reality.

Note:To be eligible to apply for this position, you must have existing, relevant Australian work rights. The company will not be able to support any sponsorship requirements.

As we receive a high volume of applications for our vacancies, we will only contact you directly should you be successful through to the next stage of our recruitment process