Product Development Manager FMCG

Doughlicious The London Dough Co.; Greater London; Vor Ort; GBP 70.000 - 95.000; Vollzeit

Zusammenfassung

Doughlicious The London Dough Co. seeks an exceptional NPD leader to shape future products for UK and US markets, combining creativity with rigorous technical grounding.

You will own the end-to-end process from concept to launch, collaborating with Operations, Technical and Commercial teams to drive profitable innovations in clean-label, vegan, and high-protein bakery offerings. In this hands-on role, you will manage the NPD pipeline, oversee sensory and shelf-life testing, work with

Qualifikationen

• 4+ years of NPD experience in food manufacturing.
• Proven track record presenting NPD to UK grocery retailers.
• Strong food technology foundation and allergen management.
• Knowledge of UK FIR 2014 / EU 1169/2011 labelling.
• Commercially astute with cost and margin discipline.
• Excellent PM skills to manage concurrent briefs.

Aufgaben

• Drive innovation in vegan, gluten-free, clean-label, and high-protein product development.
• Develop concepts and range proposals for UK and international buyers.
• Oversee sensory evaluation, trials, shelf-life, and finish formats.
• Manage NPD pipeline, on-time delivery within cost targets.
• Coordinate with co-manufacturers in UK and US.
• Conduct costing and margin analysis with Ops and Finance.
• Maintain stage-gate documentation and project tracking.
• Collaborate with Regulatory/Technical teams for compliance.

Kenntnisse

NPD leadership

Food industry experience

Project management

UK retail experience

Costing & margins

Regulatory knowledge

Food tech fundamentals

Cross-functional collaboration

Jobbeschreibung

We are a passionate, entrepreneurial team that moves quickly, cares deeply about product quality, and is committed to clean-label innovation. This is a pivotal moment in our growth and we are looking for an exceptional NPD leader to help shape what comes next.

You will work closely with our Operations, Technical, and Commercial teams, and serve as the primary NPD contact for key retail and foodservice partners in both the UK and US. This is a hands-on, fast-paced role requiring creative ambition, rigorous technical grounding, and the commercial fluency to bring profitable products to market.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Drive innovation in vegan, gluten-free, clean-label, and high-protein product development in line with UK and US market trends
• Develop and present compelling product concepts and range proposals to major retail buyers across the UK and internationally
• Oversee sensory evaluation, factory trials, freeze-thaw testing, and shelf-life programmes for ambient and frozen formats
• Build and manage relationships with ingredient and packaging suppliers to support NPD requirements and cost targets
• Manage and track the full NPD pipeline, ensuring projects are delivered on time, within cost targets, and to brief
• Work with co-manufacturing partners in the UK and US to develop and transfer new products into production
• Conduct costing and margin analysis for new products in partnership with Operations and Finance
• Maintain robust stage-gate documentation and project tracking from concept to launch

Regulatory & Technical

• Collaborate with Technical and Regulatory teams to ensure full compliance across all new products for UK FIR 2014, EU 1169/2011, and US FDA labelling and allergen requirements
• Ensure new products meet gluten-free, vegan, and free-from claims with appropriate substantiation
• Support HFSS assessments, claim calculations, and retailer-specific technical requirements as needed

Commercial & Stakeholder

• Liaise with the Commercial team to support new business development, buyer presentations, and showcasing of Doughlicious capabilities
• Prepapre submission samples for ranging windows as needed

WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR

• 4+ years of NPD experience within a food manufacturing environment, ideally in frozen, chilled, or bakery/confectionery categories
• Proven track record presenting NPD to major UK grocery retailers (M&S, Waitrose, Sainsbury’s, Tesco, or equivalent)
• Strong food technology foundation: ingredient functionality, shelf-life principles, freeze-thaw stability, and allergen management
• Working knowledge of UK FIR 2014 / EU 1169/2011 labelling and allergen legislation
• Commercially astute — able to develop products within defined cost and margin parameters
• Excellent project management skills: able to run multiple concurrent briefs without compromising quality or timelines
• A genuine passion for food, flavour, and innovation in the free-from and better-for-you space
• Experience working with US retail buyers or knowledge of FDA labelling requirements
• Familiarity with high-protein ingredient systems in bakery or dessert applications
• Experience working with external co-manufacturers or third-party development partners
• Experience with Whole Foods, Costco, or natural/speciality retail channels