Product Development Manager

Manpower Canada; Wasaga Beach; On-site; CAD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading staffing firm is seeking a Product Development Manager to lead the Edible Product Development Team, ensuring compliance and innovation in cannabis edibles. The ideal candidate has a bachelor's degree in science, over 5 years of experience in product development, and 4 years in team management. This 14-month position offers competitive salary and benefits, with on-site work in Stayner, ON.

Benefits

Immediate access to full benefits

Vacation entitlement

Collaboration with top industry professionals

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years' experience in product development within CPG.
• Minimum 4 years' experience directly managing teams.
• Experience in food, beverage, cannabis, or healthcare manufacturing preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead development of edible cannabis formats like gummies and chocolates.
• Supervise Product Development technicians and scientists.
• Collaborate with marketing and finance on P&L models and formulations.

Skills

Product development

Team management

Regulatory knowledge

Communication

Leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree in science or related discipline

Tools

LIMS

ERP systems (SAP, Salesforce)

Microsoft Office Suite

Job description

Product Development Manager – Edible Cannabis Products

Location: On-site in Stayner, ON

Contract Type: 14-Month Term

Salary Range: $90,000 – $120,000/year

Benefits: Immediate access to full benefits + vacation entitlement

Travel Requirement: North America & EU (valid passport required)

Role Overview

As the Product Development Manager, you will lead the Edible Product Development Team, managing internal and external projects from concept to commercialization. This role is ideal for candidates with experience in food, beverage, cannabis, cosmetics, pharmaceutical, chemical / adhesive or health care products manufacturing, and a strong understanding of Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG).

You’ll collaborate with cross-functional teams, drive innovation, and ensure compliance across all stages of product development. Success in this role requires excellent communication, organizational, and leadership skills in a fast-paced environment.

Key Responsibilities

Product Development & Innovation

• Lead development of edible cannabis formats: gummies/soft-chews, chocolates, oils, and novel formats.

• Design, review, and approve experiments, reports, and formal documentation.

• Develop and communicate new products, cost-saving initiatives, and quality improvements.

• Conduct competitive landscape analysis and share insights with business units.

Team & Project Management

• Supervise Product Development technicians and scientists.

• Manage day-to-day wet-lab workload and priorities.

• Ensure projects are completed on-task, on-schedule, and within budget.

• Implement formal frameworks for reporting, capacity planning, and resource management.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Represent R&D in commercialization processes and facilitate two-way communication with business units.

• Work with marketing and finance on P&L models, cannabinoid ratios, formulations, and cost-of-goods sold.

• Collaborate with procurement and marketing on raw materials and packaging selection.

External Engagement

• Travel to global facilities, contract manufacturers, and remote locations for scale-up and technical consultations.

• Act as lead technical contact for contract manufacturing partners, research partners, consultants, and vendors.

Compliance & Quality Systems

• Ensure traceability and documentation of cannabis inventory for development and tech-transfer.

• Oversee R&D stability testing for durable dates, shipping conditions, and accelerated conditions.

• Work with Regulatory Affairs to ensure compliance with cannabis laws and product format regulations.

• Oversee Change Controls, CAPAs, and Deviations within the Quality Management System.

Work Environment

• Frequent lab work: standing, bending, crouching.

• Office work requiring manual dexterity and presentation skills.

• Exposure to varying temperatures and occasional overtime.

• Fast-paced, dynamic setting with frequent disruptions.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in science or related discipline (graduate degree preferred).

• Minimum 5 years’ experience in product development within CPG (cannabis experience an asset).

• Minimum 4 years’ experience directly managing teams.

• Experience in food, beverage, cosmetic, cannabis, pharma, chemical or health care manufacturing is strongly preferred.

• Valid passport and ability to travel within North America and EU.

• Strong working knowledge of regulatory requirements for CPG and derivative products.

• Experience with LIMS or ERP systems (SAP and Salesforce are assets).

• Experience with QMS: Change Controls, CAPAs, DMS (Salesforce is an asset).

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Projects).

• Highly independent and collaborative team player with excellent interpersonal skills.

What We Offer

• Competitive salary: $90,000 – $120,000/year

• Immediate access to full benefits

• Vacation entitlement

• 14-month contract

• Collaboration with top industry professionals

• On-site work at a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Stayner, ON

Apply now to be part of a team driving innovation in cannabis edibles!