NPD MANAGER

Manucomm Recruitment Ltd; Galhampton; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 50,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonus

Excellent benefits package

Monday to Friday

Career development opportunities

Job summary

Manucomm Recruitment Ltd is seeking an experienced New Product Development Manager for a premium food business in Somerset. You will lead end-to-end development of high-quality own-brand products across a diverse portfolio, working with internal teams and external suppliers to bring innovative products to market.

You will oversee multiple projects, assess viability and costs, and drive packaging, timelines and regulatory compliance, with an emphasis on quality and customer expectations.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in New Product Development (NPD) within the food industry.
• Strong leadership and cross-functional collaboration skills.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management abilities.
• Strong Excel and PowerPoint proficiency.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end development of new and existing food products.
• Manage multiple NPD projects from concept to successful launch.
• Assess viability, costings, formats and critical paths.
• Lead and develop a junior product developer.
• Oversee packaging development and artwork approvals.
• Build supplier relationships and negotiate terms.
• Monitor trends, competitors and emerging opportunities.
• Collaborate with Technical, Buying, Marketing, Retail and Merchandising teams.

Skills

Leadership

Stakeholder management

Project management

Commercial awareness

Tools

Excel

PowerPoint

Job description

New Product DevelopmentManager - Food

Somerset | Up to£50,000 + Bonus + ExcellentBenefits

Are you anexperiencedNew Product Development(NPD) Managerwith a passionfor food innovation?

We're recruiting foran exciting opportunitywitha premium foodbusiness seeking anexperienced NPD professionalto lead thedevelopment of high-quality own-brandfood products acrossa diverse portfolio. This is afantasticopportunity to joina growing businesswhere you'll havethe autonomy todrive innovation, leada small teamand bring exceptionalproductsto market.

The Role

As New ProductDevelopment Manager, you'lloversee the completeproduct development lifecycle, from concept throughto launch, ensuringproducts meet commercialobjectives, quality standardsand customer expectations.

Working across bakery, dairy, butchery, preparedfoods and ambientcategories, you'll collaborate withinternal teams andexternal suppliers todeliver innovative productswhile managing multipledevelopment projects.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the end-to-end developmentof new andexisting food products.
• Manage multiple NPDprojects from conceptthrough to successfullaunch.
• Assess commercial viability, costings, product formatsand critical paths.
• Lead and developa JuniorProduct Developer.
• Manage packaging developmentand artwork approvalprocesses.
• Build strong supplierrelationships and negotiatecommercial terms whereappropriate.
• Monitor food trends, competitor activity andemerging marketopportunities.
• Work closely withTechnical, Buying, Marketing, Retail and Merchandisingteams to deliversuccessful product launches.
• Ensure products complywith UK foodsafety, allergen andlabelling legislation.
• Manageproject timelines, risksand supplier forecasts.

About You

You'll already haveexperience managing foodproduct development projectsandbe confident workingacross multiple productcategories within a fast-paced environment.

You'll have:

• Proven experience ina New ProductDevelopment, Product Developmentor NPDManager role withinthe food industry.
• Experience developing chilled, frozen and/or ambient food products.
• Strong commercial awarenessand product costingexperience.
• Excellent projectmanagement and criticalpath management skills.
• Experience working withsuppliers and packagingdevelopment.
• Previous leadership orteam management experience.
• Good understanding ofUK foodlegislation, food safetyand allergen requirements.
• Strong Excel andPowerPoint skills.
• Excellent communicationand stakeholder managementabilities.

Desirable

• Experience within preparedfoods, ready mealsor premium foodmanufacturing.
• Experience working fora premium retaileror food producer.
• Knowledge of AItoolsthat support productdevelopment or commercialanalysis.

What's on Offer?

• Salary up to£50,000
• Performance bonus - Up To 10%
• Excellent benefits package
• Mondayto Friday workingpattern
• Opportunity to leadinnovative food developmentprojects
• Collaborative, supportiveand growing business
• Excellentcareer development opportunities