NPD Manager - 12-Month FMCG Product Leader

Bright Blue Foods Limited; Blackburn; Hybrid; GBP 52,000 - 76,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive Salary

4x Life Assurance/Death in Service

25 days holiday per annum

GP 24/7 access

Bereavement Support

In-house Learning & Development

Online training platform with 100+ 培训

BBF Star Awards

Job summary

BBF Limited is seeking an experienced NPD Manager to lead end-to-end product development on a 12-month fixed-term contract at our Blackburn site. The role combines technical leadership with customer-facing responsibilities, including managing a small team and coordinating with key retailers, while travel to customer head offices is required.

You will drive NPD projects from concept through to launch, ensuring robust governance, timely delivery and strong cross-functional collaboration within a

Qualifications

• Minimum five years’ experience within an FMCG environment.
• Educated to degree level, or able to demonstrate equivalent professional experience.
• Food-related qualification or relevant food industry experience is desirable.
• Proven track record of leading product development activity from brief through to launch within a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
• Recent experience of managing, coaching and developing individuals or teams, with the ability to set direction and drive delivery.
• Full driving licence required, as regular travel forms part of the role.
• A highly motivated and commercially aware individual with strong leadership, coaching and team-building capability, demonstrating pace, ownership, sound judgement and effective ways of working.
• Able to operate effectively in a fast-paced and pressurised environment, balancing competing priorities, making informed decisions and maintaining momentum to deliver results on time and in full.
• Works collaboratively and with initiative, influencing across functions, coaching and mentoring others, and role-modelling the BBF ways of working.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end delivery of NPD projects, from test bakery and concept development through to full-scale factory trials, scale-up and successful launch across the group portfolio.
• Provide clear technical and commercial direction on new raw materials, recipe development and factory trials, working closely with Operations, Process and Site Technical teams.
• Drive the development of commercially viable and operationally achievable products that meet customer briefs, retailer standards, quality expectations and site capability.
• Own project critical paths, proactively managing risks, escalations, decision points and stakeholder alignment to ensure delivery on time and in full.
• Ensure all projects are delivered through the PLM process with strong governance, clear controls, compliant documentation and effective launch readiness.
• Act as an NPD subject matter expert, applying sound judgement and product development expertise to guide projects from brief to launch to a consistently high standard.
• Build, influence and maintain effective cross-functional relationships, ensuring alignment, pace and clear communication across key departments.
• Line manage at least one direct report, setting direction, delegating effectively, supporting development and ensuring workload priorities are clearly understood and delivered.
• Lead day-to-day engagement with key strategic customers, taking ownership of communication, expectations and issue resolution.
• Represent the business with credibility and professionalism during customer submissions, site visits and meetings, including travel to BBF sites and customer head offices as required.

Skills

NPD management

Leadership

Project management

Cross-functional collaboration

Coaching & mentoring

Strategic thinking

Communication

Travel readiness

Driving licence

Business awareness

Education

Degree or equivalent professional experience

Job description

BBF Limited is seeking an experienced NPD Manager to lead end-to-end product development on a 12-month fixed-term contract at our Blackburn site. The role combines technical leadership with customer-facing responsibilities, including managing a small team and coordinating with key retailers, while travel to customer head offices is required.

You will drive NPD projects from concept through to launch, ensuring robust governance, timely delivery and strong cross-functional collaboration within a