NPD Project Manager

manucomm recruitment; Wincanton; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 50,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Excellent benefits package

Performance bonus up to 10%

Mon-Fri working pattern

Job summary

manucomm recruitment is seeking an experienced NPD Project Manager for a premium food business in Somerset. Lead end-to-end development of innovative own-brand products across bakery, dairy, butchery, prepared foods and ambient categories.

You will oversee concept-to-launch lifecycle, collaborate with internal and external teams, manage packaging and supplier relationships, and ensure compliance with UK food legislation and labeling.

Qualifications

• Proven experience managing food product development projects across multiple product categories within a fast-paced environment.
• Experience in NPD role 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.
• Previous 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 the 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.
• Work closely 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 management

Food product development

Costing

Project management

Supplier management

Stakeholder management

UK food legislation

Excel & PowerPoint

Cross-functional collaboration

AI tools (desirable)

Tools

AI tools for product development

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 an 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 NPD Project 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 successful launch.
• 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/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 fora premium retaileror food producer.
• Knowledge of AItoolsthat support productdevelopment or commercialanalysis.

NPD Project ManagerWhat'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