Product Development Manager (Food)

The Oval Partnership; Northampton; On-site; GBP 55,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

The Oval Partnership is recruiting a Product Development Manager for a high-volume food manufacturing site in Northamptonshire. You will steer bold culinary ideas from spark to shelf, leading multiple projects along the critical path and shaping concepts that excite major retail customers.

You will drive cross-functional collaboration, manage timelines, mentor technologists and developers, and stay ahead of food trends with commercial insight and strong leadership.

Qualifications

• Significant background in food development within a manufacturing setting.
• Outstanding project management skills with a track record of driving complex critical paths.
• Strong commercial acumen paired with a genuine passion for food trends.
• Confident communication and influencing skills across cross-functional teams and external stakeholders.
• Natural leadership ability with proven experience of leading and developing junior talent.

Responsibilities

• Brief Ownership: Lead projects seamlessly from concept validation to launch, ensuring full on-time delivery.
• Customer Collaboration: Build strong, trust-based relationships with customer technologists and buyers.
• Critical Path Management: Maintain momentum across cross-functional workstreams and adapt quickly to changing priorities.
• Strategic Innovation: Bring forward-thinking market insights to future development plans, keeping the business ahead of food trends.
• Team Leadership: Support, mentor, and inspire a talented team of technologists and developers, fostering a culture of creativity and excellence.

Skills

Food development

Project management

Commercial acumen

Communication

Leadership

Job description

Are you a passionate foodie with a knack for commercial innovation?

The Oval Partnership is working with a lading blue chip food manufacturer to recruit a Product Development Manager at their high-volume site in Northamptonshire.

Steer bold new culinary ideas from spark to shelf in a fast-paced environment where no two days are the same. Driving multiple projects across the critical path, the successful Product Development Manager will shape concepts that excite major retail customers and lead the future-of-food agenda.

Key Responsibilities of the Product Development Manager include:

• Brief Ownership: Lead projects seamlessly from concept validation to launch, ensuring full on-time delivery.
• Customer Collaboration: Build strong, trust-based relationships with customer technologists and buyers.
• Critical Path Management: Maintain momentum across cross-functional workstreams and adapt quickly to changing priorities.
• Strategic Innovation: Bring forward-thinking market insights to future development plans, keeping the business ahead of food trends.
• Team Leadership: Support, mentor, and inspire a talented team of technologists and developers, fostering a culture of creativity and excellence.

The successsful Product Development Manager will have:

• Significant background in food development within a manufacturing setting.
• Outstanding project management skills with a track record of driving complex critical paths.
• Strong commercial acumen paired with a genuine passion for food trends.
• Confident communication and influencing skills across cross-functional teams and external stakeholders.
• Natural leadership ability with proven experience of leading and developing junior talent.