NPD Project Manager

Manucomm Recruitment Ltd; Galhampton; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 55,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Salary up to £50,000

Performance bonus 10%

Benefits package

Mon-Fri pattern

Lead innovative projects

Collaborative growing business

Career development

Job summary

Manucomm Recruitment Ltd is seeking an experienced NPD Project Manager for a premium food business in Somerset. You will lead the development of own-brand food products from concept to launch, overseeing cross-functional teams across bakery, dairy, and ambient categories.

The role offers autonomy to drive innovation, manage timelines and supplier relationships, and contribute to ambitious growth plans. Excellent benefits, a competitive salary up to £50,000 and a 10% bonus are on offer.

Qualifications

• Experience in NPD/Product Development or NPD Manager within the food industry.
• Experience developing chilled, frozen and/or ambient food products.
• Strong commercial awareness and product costing experience.
• Excellent project management and critical path management skills.
• Experience working with suppliers and packaging development.
• Leadership or team management experience.
• Good understanding of UK food legislation, food safety and allergen requirements.
• Strong Excel and PowerPoint skills.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management abilities.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end development of new and existing food products.
• Manage multiple NPD projects from concept through to successful launch.
• Assess commercial viability, costings, product formats and critical paths.
• Lead and develop a Junior Product Developer.
• Manage packaging development and artwork approval processes.
• Build strong supplier relationships and negotiate commercial terms where appropriate.
• Monitor food trends, competitor activity and emerging market opportunities.
• Collaborate with Technical, Buying, Marketing, Retail and Merchandising teams to deliver successful product launches.
• Ensure products comply with UK foodsafety, allergen and labelling legislation.
• Manage project timelines, risks and supplier forecasts.

Skills

NPD experience

Food industry experience

Excel skills

PowerPoint skills

Stakeholder management

Project management

Tools

Excel

PowerPoint

Job description

NPD Project Manager- Food

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

Are you anexperiencedNPD Project Managerwith a passionfor food innovation?

We're recruiting for an exciting opportunity with a premium foodbusiness seeking an experienced NPD professional to lead the development of high-quality own-brandfood products across a diverse portfolio. This is afantasticopportunity to joina growing businesswhere you'll havethe autonomy todrive innovation, leada small teamand bring exceptionalproductsto market.

The Role

As NPD Project Manager, you'll oversee 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 Product Development, Product Developmentor NPDManager role within the food industry.
• Experience developing chilled, frozen and/orambient 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 for a 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

If you're acommercially minded foodproduct developer lookingfor your nextchallenge, we'd loveto hear fromyou.