NPD Manager

The Advocate Group; Lancashire; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

A prominent UK food manufacturing company is looking for a New Product Development Manager to lead innovative projects in chilled and frozen foods. In this role, you'll manage the complete NPD process, work cross-functionally, and ensure alignment for successful product launches. Ideal candidates will have experience in food NPD, strong project management skills, and a hands-on approach. This position offers the chance to shape product strategy in a collaborative environment.

Qualifications

• Strong project management and communication skills.
• Confident working independently with minimal supervision.
• Hands-on mindset and excellent documentation capabilities.

Responsibilities

• Lead the delivery of NPD and EPD projects.
• Chair weekly NPD meetings and manage timelines.
• Develop kitchen concepts based on trend insights.

Skills

Experience in food NPD

Project management skills

Cross-functional communication

Attention to detail

Proficiency in Microsoft Office

Tools

MS Project

Job description

New Product Development Manager

Do you want to lead exciting food innovation projects for one of the UK s most recognisable names in the chilled and frozen food manufacturing space?

We re hiring an NPD Manager to oversee end-to-end product development, bringing both new and improved products to market. This is a fantastic opportunity for a proactive and commercially minded food professional to shape product strategy within a fast-paced, collaborative environment.

About the Company

Our client is a long-established UK food manufacturer, known for its heritage, trusted quality, and presence across major supermarkets. With deep roots in the Northwest, the business has a loyal consumer base and a strong commitment to innovation within the savoury chilled and frozen food categories.

The Role

Reporting to the Head of Commercial, you ll own the full NPD/EPD process, from kitchen concept and factory trials through to product launch. You ll work cross-functionally with Technical, Engineering, Category, and Operations teams, managing timelines, documentation, packaging, and internal approvals.

This is a brilliant role for someone who enjoys working independently, thrives in a practical environment, and wants to deliver tangible results across branded and own-label portfolios.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the end-to-end delivery of NPD and EPD projects
• Chair weekly NPD meetings and manage project timelines
• Develop and trial kitchen concepts based on trend insights and customer briefs
• Manage costings, packaging approvals, and reheating/cooking validations
• Collaborate with Technical on specs, QUID, HACCP and documentation
• Coordinate internal tasting sessions and benchmarking
• Support Capex project delivery with Engineering, where applicable
• Ensure all internal systems and stakeholders are aligned pre-launch

What We re Looking For

• Experience in food NPD, ideally within chilled/frozen manufacturing.
• Strong project management and cross-functional communication skills
• Confident working independently with minimal supervision
• Hands-on mindset with attention to detail and commercial awareness
• Excellent documentation and organisation capabilities
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office; MS Project experience is a plus
• Experience with both own-label and branded ranges welcome

Interested? 'Apply' below or email your CV to: (url removed)

The Advocate Group is a leading recruitment partner to the FMCG and consumer product sectors. We are an equal opportunity employer and welcome applications from all suitably qualified persons regardless of their race, sex, disability, religion/belief, sexual orientation, or age.

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