Innovation Manager - Food

Yeo Valley Production Ltd; Axbridge; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

Yeo Valley Production Ltd is looking for an Innovation Manager to lead new product development. The successful candidate will manage NPD projects from concept to launch, collaborate with diverse teams, and ensure product quality meets customer expectations. This role offers a chance to influence a leading brand's portfolio sustainably and ethically.

Benefits

25 days holiday plus bank holidays

Non-contributory pension scheme

Life cover

Healthcare cash back plan

Cycle to work scheme

Subsidised company products and services

Preferential rates with partners

Annual bonus based on performance

Learning and development opportunities

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years in food NPD role, preferably dairy.
• Previous food manufacturing or catering experience.

Responsibilities

• Lead NPD projects ensuring stakeholder alignment.
• Work cross-functionally with various teams for product development.
• Manage and track product costing and profitability.

Skills

Product formulation

Sensory analysis

Teamwork

Problem solving

Communication

Business acumen

Innovation focus

Education

Food qualification

Job description

3 days ago Be among the first 25 applicants

Responsibilities

• Lead NPD projects from kitchen concept to delivery, ensuring stakeholder alignment, visibility on project status, and coordination of critical paths and deadlines.
• Work closely with Technical, Sourcing, Operations, Supply Chain, and Commercial teams to meet departmental requirements and drive seamless product development.
• Support design for manufacture, troubleshoot technical challenges, and oversee development of new products, raw materials, packaging, and factory processes.
• Manage and track product costing from concept to post-launch, ensuring commercial targets are met and profitability is maintained.
• Present concepts to customers, manage sample requests, and provide food and trend insights through safaris, trawls, and innovation workshops.
• Liaise with suppliers to source ingredients, ensure product compliance with internal policies, and monitor success of NPD launches with swift EPD response when needed.
  
  

Responsibilities

So, what will I be doing? At Yeo Valley, weve been making delicious, organic dairy products for over 50 years. As a family-run business, we believe in doing things the right way sustainably, ethically, and with people at the heart of what we do. As Innovation Manager, youll play a key role in shaping the future of our portfolio by managing the entire product development processfrom concept to launch for our non dairy categories. Youll work cross-functionally with teams across the business to deliver innovative, high-quality products that align with our values, meet customer expectations, and support our commercial goals. Key responsibilities include:

• Lead NPD projects from kitchen concept to delivery, ensuring stakeholder alignment, visibility on project status, and coordination of critical paths and deadlines.
• Work closely with Technical, Sourcing, Operations, Supply Chain, and Commercial teams to meet departmental requirements and drive seamless product development.
• Support design for manufacture, troubleshoot technical challenges, and oversee development of new products, raw materials, packaging, and factory processes.
• Manage and track product costing from concept to post-launch, ensuring commercial targets are met and profitability is maintained.
• Present concepts to customers, manage sample requests, and provide food and trend insights through safaris, trawls, and innovation workshops.
• Liaise with suppliers to source ingredients, ensure product compliance with internal policies, and monitor success of NPD launches with swift EPD response when needed.
  
  

Sounds interesting, what do I need?

Technical Skills

Expertise in product

Formulation & sensory analysis

Project Management

Experience in managing multiple product development projects simultaneously, with a focus on meeting deadlines and managing resources effectively.

Knowledge Of Ingredients

Strong understanding of the functional properties of yogurt, desserts & ice cream

Teamwork

Ability to work well with a collaborative, cross-functional team environment and lead in own area of expertise. Ability to encourage & lead within own team

Innovation Focus

Passion for staying ahead of trends & a desire to proactively explore innovative ingredients and product concepts

Problem solving

Excellent troubleshooting skills and ability to analyse complex technical challenges & implement solutions. Support & mentor team members to reach solutions

Communication -

Excellent verbal & written communication skills with the ability to present ideas and data clearly to technical & non-technical stakeholders

Industry Knowledge

Strong knowledge of Brands, values & processes as adopted by the retailers.

Business Acumen

Strong commercial awareness with the ability to identify & maximise opportunities while minimising costs.

Qualifications Required

Food qualification or previous food manufacturing or catering experience

Minimum 5 years of post-graduate experience in a food NPD role, preferably within dairy, desserts or ice cream. Ideally have some people management experience The ability to travel around all of our locations in the south west is essential due to multi-site locations Why should I join the family?

Were independent, British and proud to be making the highest quality foods under the Yeo Valley brand and for many of the UKs major retailers. Operating from four dairies and two logistics centres in Somerset and Devon, we employ over 1700 staff and produce more than 25% of the UKs packaged yogurt.

Were sure you dont need convincing, but theres a whole host of benefits that we offer including:

• 25 days holiday, plus bank holidays
• non-contributory pension scheme
• life cover
• healthcare cash back plan
• cycle to work scheme
• subsidised Yeo Valley products and services
• preferential rates with our partners
• annual bonus (as part of the Employee Benefit Trust, based on company performance for the year)
• learning and development opportunities; were committed to ensuring all of our employees have the chance to grow
  
  

Our closing dates are a guide for when the application window should close, although we may close the advert sooner if we can. So, we recommend you get your application in straight away and dont miss the opportunity to join us!

Unfortunately, were not able to provide employment sponsorship to candidates at this moment in time.

Please note that Yeo Valley do not accept speculative agency applications; we will only accept applications from preferred suppliers that have been submitted to us via our recruitment portal at the point of instruction .

Seniority level

• Seniority level

  Mid-Senior level

Employment type

• Employment type

  Full-time

Job function

• Job function

  Product Management and Marketing

• Industries

  Strategic Management Services

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