NPD Manager

The Oval Partnership; Nottingham; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

The Oval Partnership is recruiting an NPD Manager to lead dessert-focused product development in a fast-paced food manufacturing environment. This hands-on role centers on translating briefs into creative, commercially viable concepts while guiding a small team through development to handover.

You will own the concept development process, stay ahead of trends, present to retail customers, and collaborate with process, technical, commercial and operations teams to deliver brilliant products.

Qualifications

• Proven experience leading NPD or product development projects in food manufacturing.
• Strong experience managing NPD critical paths.
• A hands-on developer who stays close to the product.
• Background in bakery/desserts or sweet categories preferred.
• Experience mentoring or line-management is advantageous.
• Confident with retail customers and presenting concepts.
• Energetic, nurturing leadership style balancing creativity with commercial delivery.

Responsibilities

• Lead customer NPD projects from brief to concept handover.
• Manage project critical paths and keep on track.
• Develop creative, commercially viable dessert concepts.
• Present concepts to retail customers.
• Collaborate with process, technical, commercial and operations teams.
• Coach and mentor one direct report.
• Foster a positive, collaborative team environment.
• Stay ahead of consumer trends and market activity.

Skills

NPD leadership

Project management

Creative development

Retail customer communication

Line management

Desserts experience

Cross-functional collaboration

Trend spotting

Stakeholder management

Job description

NPD Manager - Desserts

North West

Permanent

Are you a passionate and creative food developer with experience leading successful NPD projects from initial brief through to concept approval?

We are recruiting an NPD Manager to join a well-established food manufacturer within its desserts category. This is a hands-on concept development role, offering the opportunity to lead exciting customer projects while nurturing and developing a small, close-knit team.

You will take ownership of the concept development process, transforming customer briefs and emerging food trends into commercially viable products. The business has a dedicated process development team, so your focus will remain firmly on creativity, concept development, managing your team and delivering an outstanding customer experience.

The role:

• Leading customer NPD projects from initial brief through to concept handover
• Managing critical paths and ensuring projects remain on track
• Developing creative, commercially viable dessert concepts
• Presenting to retail customers.
• Working closely with customers to understand their requirements and build trusted relationships
• Collaborating with process, technical, commercial and operational teams
• Supporting the smooth handover of approved concepts into the process development team
• Leading, coaching and nurturing one direct report
• Helping to create a positive, passionate and collaborative team environment
• Staying ahead of consumer trends, emerging flavours and market activity

About you:

• Proven experience leading NPD or product development projects within food manufacturing
• Strong experience managing NPD critical paths
• A creative, hands-on developer who remains close to the product
• Ideally experienced in bakery, desserts, chocolate, confectionery or another sweet category
• Candidates from other fast-paced food categories, including ready meals, will also be considered
• Previous line-management, coaching or mentoring experience would be advantageous
• Confident communicating with retail customers and presenting product concepts
• Passionate, energetic and people-focused, with a nurturing leadership style
• Able to balance creativity with commercial awareness and delivery

This role would suit an experienced Senior Product Developer, Lead Developer or existing NPD Manager who wants to take ownership of a category while remaining actively involved in hands-on concept development.

You will be joining a supportive business where concept and process development are managed by dedicated teams, giving you the space to focus on creativity, customers and developing brilliant products.