NPD Brand Technologist

Refresco; Kegworth; Hybrid; GBP 30,000 - 42,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual bonus

Hybrid working

Leave: 28 days + bank holidays

Life assurance

Virtual GP access

Eye-care vouchers

Referral bonuses

GroceryAid support

Cheers platform discounts

Free onsite parking

Discounted products

Early Friday finish

Job summary

Refresco is seeking an NPD Technologist to join its Kegworth team. You will lead projects from concept to launch, shaping innovative beverages for brand, retail, and co-manufacturing accounts.

You will collaborate across functions, drive improvements, and ensure compliance with quality and safety standards while building strong customer partnerships and presenting innovations to internal and external stakeholders.

Qualifications

• Science or food technology background preferred.
• Strong communication skills with stakeholders.
• Proactive, highly organized and detail oriented.

Responsibilities

• Lead NPD and EPD projects from concept to launch, ensuring milestones are met.
• Develop and deliver innovative, commercially viable products per customer briefs and standards.
• Build strong customer relationships and lead presentations, innovation sessions and reviews.
• Coach and collaborate with Technologists and cross-functional teams for successful development and launch.
• Drive continuous improvement via benchmarking, market analysis and product optimisation.
• Maintain Health & Safety, Hygiene and Good Housekeeping standards and report hazards.

Skills

Project management

Stakeholder communication

Team collaboration

Job description

This is an exciting opportunity to join Refresco's NPD team as an NPD Technologist, playing a key role in developing and delivering innovative new and existing product projects across our brand, retail and co-manufacturing customer base. Working in a fast-paced and collaborative environment, you will manage projects from concept through to launch, support product innovation and continuous improvement initiatives, and build strong relationships with both internal and external stakeholders. This is a fantastic opportunity for someone passionate about product development, creativity and bringing market-leading beverage solutions to life.

NPD Technologist

Permanent

Refresco – Kegworth

1 day WFH

Benefits:

• Annual bonus and regular pay reviews
• Early Friday finish to kick‑start your weekend
• Hybrid working
• 28 days of annual leave plus bank holidays
• Option to purchase additional leave, increasing your allowance to 31 days plus bank holidays
• Life assurance coverage
• 24/7 virtual GP access for you and your family
• Free eye‑care vouchers and discounted glasses
• Employee referral scheme with bonuses for successful referrals
• GroceryAid support services offering financial, legal, wellbeing and practical guidance
• Cheers benefits platform providing discounts, free perks, and wellbeing tools
• Free onsite parking and discounted products

Key responsibilities of the role:

• Lead NPD and EPD projects from concept to launch, ensuring development processes are followed, key milestones are met, and stakeholders are kept informed throughout.
• Develop and deliver innovative, commercially viable products that meet customer briefs, legal requirements, and quality standards across brand, retail, and co-manufacturing accounts.
• Build strong customer relationships, acting as the key contact for projects and leading customer presentations, innovation sessions, and product reviews.
• Support, coach, and collaborate with Technologists and cross‑functional teams to ensure successful product development, implementation, and launch.
• Drive continuous improvement through benchmarking, market analysis, product optimisation, and identification of new growth and innovation opportunities.
• Maintain compliance with company Health & Safety, Hygiene, and Good Housekeeping standards, proactively reporting hazards and supporting a safe working environment.

The ideal candidate would have:

The ideal candidate will have a science or food technology background, with experience in NPD within an FMCG or food and beverage manufacturing environment. You will be a confident communicator, capable of building strong relationships with customers and internal stakeholders, and managing projects from concept through to launch. We're looking for someone who is proactive, highly organised and detail-oriented, with a passion for product innovation and continuous improvement. A positive, collaborative approach and the ability to thrive in a fast‑paced environment will be key to your success in this role

Ultimately, we encourage everyone to role model our core values of agility, responsibility, passion, excellence, and entrepreneurship as we believe these are what has made Refresco successful so far.

Find out more about the Refresco Values here:https://www.refresco.co.uk/uk/about/our-values

About Refresco:

Refresco is the global independent beverage solutions provider for Global, National and Emerging brands, and retailers with production in Europe, North America, and Australia.

Refresco offers an extensive range of product and packaging combinations from juices to carbonated soft drinks and mineral waters in carton, PET, Aseptic PET, cans, and glass.

Refresco continuously searches for new and alternative ways to improve the quality of its products and packaging combinations in line with consumer and customer demand, environmental responsibilities, and market demand

Refresco is headquartered in Rotterdam, the Netherlands and has more than 13,500 employees. www.refresco.com.

Our drinks on every table. That's the Refresco vision. We’re a global business and currently produce 12 billion litres of soft drinks from 64 manufacturing plants in 12 countries and we’re only just getting started.

We’re the proud owners of six drinks manufacturing sites within the UK. Our UK business provides a great place to work for over 1,800 employees, who produce private label soft drinks and fruit juices for all the leading retailers.

Whether it’s packed in cartons, bottles or cans, we ensure that our products are made to the highest quality standards. Our products get where they need to be when they need to get there to meet the needs of our high‑profile customers.