New Product Development (NPD) Specialist

Myton Food Group; Connah's Quay; On-site; GBP 35,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading food manufacturer in the United Kingdom is seeking a Product Development Specialist to oversee New Product Development (NPD) and Existing Product Development (EPD). You will lead the development journey from concept to launch, collaborating with teams and suppliers while ensuring top quality. The ideal candidate has strong project management experience and exceptional communication skills. This role offers extensive benefits, including generous holiday and discounts from day one.

Benefits

Six weeks holiday including bank holidays

15% store discount from day one

Additional 10% discount card for a friend or family

Career progression opportunities

Subsidised staff canteen

Free parking

Market leading pension and life assurance

Healthcare benefits including Aviva Digital GP

Discounts at high street shops and gyms

Long Service Awards

Optional Payroll charity donations

Enhanced family/maternity/parental leave

Qualifications

• Clear communication facilitates collaboration and project success.
• Demonstrated experience in New Product Development is crucial.
• Strong relationships with colleagues and suppliers are essential.
• Proactive attitude to drive projects forward and deliver objectives.
• Essential organisational skills for managing complex projects.

Responsibilities

• Lead the NPD process from concept to launch.
• Keep stakeholders informed on project progress.
• Manage timelines and tasks effectively.
• Ensure compliance and consistency in documentation.
• Collaborate with teams to meet customer expectations.
• Source raw materials and manage supplier relations.
• Formulate recipes and prepare samples for product briefs.
• Cooperate with factories during trials and production.
• Organize tasting sessions for product benchmarking.
• Review product performance post-launch for improvements.

Skills

Exceptional Communication Skills

Strong Project Management Experience

Relationship Building Skills

Enthusiasm and Drive

Organisational Skills

Job description

At Morrisons, we’re proud to produce and manufacture many of our own food products, helping us stay close to our customers’ needs. You’ll be part of an exciting team that creates delicious food products, whether innovating new items or perfecting existing ones – your work will have a direct impact on our customers’ tables. As a key player in our product development team, you’ll take ownership of both New Product Development (NPD) and Existing Product Development (EPD) projects. From mind‑mapping fresh ideas to launching them in stores, you’ll oversee the entire process, ensuring everything runs smoothly and on time.

Responsibilities

• Own the Process: Lead the development journey from concept to launch, ensuring every step is delivered with care.
• Communicate Like a Pro: Keep everyone in the loop, from retail teams to suppliers, ensuring all stakeholders are up to speed on the progress of each project.
• Stay on Track: Manage timelines and tasks like a seasoned project manager, keeping everything on schedule.
• Be Detail‑Oriented: Ensure all documentation is spot‑on for regulatory compliance and consistency.
• Collaborate with wider Teams: Work closely with colleagues to turn their product briefs into reality, ensuring we meet and exceed customer expectations.
• Work with Suppliers: Source new raw materials, collaborate with suppliers, and handle the paperwork to keep projects moving forward.
• Get Creative: Formulate recipes and prepare samples that bring product briefs to life, showcasing your culinary flair.
• Factory Involvement: Coordinate factory trials and oversee the first production runs to ensure top‑notch quality and consistency.
• Benchmark and Taste: Organise tasting sessions and benchmarking to assess product quality and create action plans for improvements.
• Evaluate Success: Post‑launch, review product performance and make any tweaks to keep our products at the top of their game.

Qualifications

• Exceptional Communication Skills: Inspire and engage with stakeholders at all levels across various functions within the organisation. Clear, persuasive communication facilitates collaboration and project success.
• Strong Project Management Experience: Demonstrated experience in New Product Development (NPD) is crucial. Track record of successfully managing NPD projects from concept to launch.
• Relationship Building Skills: Build and maintain strong relationships with colleagues, suppliers, and other stakeholders.
• Enthusiasm and Drive: A proactive, results‑oriented mind‑set to drive projects forward and deliver on objectives.
• Organisational Skills: Strong organisational skills essential for managing complex projects with multiple tasks and deadlines; prioritisation is key to ensuring all aspects run smoothly.

Company Background

You’ll find a great big welcome here at Myton Food Group – the part of our business that looks after manufacturing while maintaining strong roots within Morrisons Supermarkets.

At Myton Food Group, we have a legacy to be proud of. We’re British farming’s biggest single direct customer, buying from highly valued suppliers. We’re passionate about the quality of our food. Today, we have 19 manufacturing sites across the UK, where we pack and process fresh meats and fish, savoury and sweet pies, fruit and veg, flower bouquets, bread and lots more. We stand out in the world of food manufacturing, and we’re especially proud of the way we all get stuck in and work as a team, in partnership across our supply chain.

Benefits

• Six weeks holiday (including bank holidays)
• 15% discount in our stores available from the day you join us
• Additional 10% discount card for a friend or family member
• Career progression and development opportunities
• Subsidised staff canteen
• Free parking
• Market leading pension and life assurance
• Healthcare/Well‑being benefits including Aviva Digital GP
• Morrisons MyPerks with discounts at high street shops, cinemas and gyms, and lots more
• Long Service Awards
• Optional Payroll charity donations
• Enhanced Family/maternity/parental leave