Assistant Manager - R&D

Jabsons Foods; Bharuch District; On-site; INR 550,000 - 900,000; Full time

Job summary

Jabsons Foods in India (Gujarat) invites an experienced Product Development professional to lead NPD and product renovation initiatives, coordinating with cross-functional teams and ensuring safety and quality standards. You will oversee formulations, shelf-life testing, packaging considerations, and vendor sourcing to deliver innovative, market-ready products.

The role requires strong project management, regulatory awareness, and collaboration with marketing, operations and QC teams to meet

Qualifications

Responsibilities

• Prepare NPD and PR annual calendar per inputs and marketing guidance.
• Follow Stage Gate Process for product development.
• Prioritize NPD and PI projects and execute them.
• Lead projects from concept to prototyping to product acceptance; collaborate cross-functionally and suggest packaging materials; development activities include formulations, shelf-life testing, process flow charts with specs and controls, ingredient specs, and vendor sourcing guidance.
• Study the application and functionality of various food additives (flavour, enhancers, top notes, oleoresins, stabilizers, other additives) for suitability in NPD or renovation and apply in formulations to achieve results.
• Cross-function teaming with quality control, marketing, operations, finance, to achieve SMART project goals.
• Closely monitor the quality of newly launched products, ensure product stability and customer delight.
• Analyzing market trends, competitor products, and consumer feedback to identify opportunities for innovation.
• Managing documentation and records related to product development processes and formulations.
• Establish Intellectual Property (IP) Protection system and ensure to the same.
• Establish product tasting protocols and sensory evaluation procedures; list panelists and train them.
• Keep abreast of advancements in food technology and regulatory requirements to ensure compliance and innovation.
• Drive product renovation program to improve product quality and/or product margin.
• Follow food safety, packaging and labeling rules and regulations for FOP and BOP declarations and ingredients listing.
• Develop and maintain a well-equipped R&D facility.
• Support training of staff on product development essentials, process, quality standards.
• Manage and implement changes in processes and functioning to stay competitive and aligned with organizational goals.
• Functional budgeting and working within the approved budget.

Job description

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Prepare New Product Development (NPD) and Product Renovation (PR) annual calendar basis the inputs

& requirements of marketing department and guidance from the top management.

2. Follow Stage Gate Process for product development.

3. Prioritize NPD & PI projects and execute them.

4. Lead projects from concept to prototyping to product acceptance. Collaborate with cross functional team

to facilitate successful commercial production. Suggest right packaging materials. Development activities

inter alia would include developing formulations, shelf-life testing, process flow chart with specifications

and process controls, ingredients specifications, and guiding/supporting in identifying right vendors for

sourcing of ingredients and food additives.

5. Study the application and functionality of various food additives (viz. flavour, flavour enhancers, top notes,

oleoresins, stabilizers, other functional food additives etc.) for their suitability in the new product

2

development (NPD) or product renovation and use these in the product formulation to get the desired

results.

6. Cross function teaming with quality control, marketing, operations, finance, and more to achieve SMART

project goals

7. Closely monitor the quality of newly launched products, ensure the product stability and customer delight

8. Analyzing market trends, competitor products, and consumer feedback to identify opportunities for

innovation

9. Managing documentation and records related to product development processes and formulations

10. Establish Intellectual Property (IP) Protection system and ensure to the same.

11. Establish product tasting protocols and procedure for sensory evaluation of innovated or renovated

products. List sensory evaluation panelist, train them for product tasting.

12. Keeping abreast of advancements in food technology and regulatory requirements to ensure compliance

and innovation

13. Drive product renovation program to improve product quality and/or product margin.

14. Follow Food Safety Standard packaging and labelling rules & regulations, for selection of packaging

materials and various declarations to be made on front of pack (FOP) and back of pack (BOP) related to

Ingredients listing, Nutritional Information Table, any other mandatory or voluntary declaration and

claims.

15. Develop, maintain well equipped the R&D facility.

16. Supporting the training of staff on product development essentials, process, quality standards

17. Manage & Implement change in the processes and overall functional working to stay competitive and

relevant, keeping the organizational vision & goals in mind.

18. Functional budgeting and working within the approved budget