Innovation & Product Development Manager

MJM Malaysia Sdn Bhd; Selangor; On-site; MYR 180,000 - 300,000; Full time

Job summary

MJM Malaysia Sdn Bhd is seeking an Innovation & Product Development Manager to lead end-to-end product development for FMCG food and beverage across Southeast Asia. Translate consumer insights into innovative products and manage the development pipeline to accelerate launches.

Role requires 12–15 years in product development and innovation, with strong leadership, commercialization, formulation, and lifecycle knowledge across lab to scale-up. English fluency and project management essential.

Qualifications

• Experience driving FMCG product development from concept to launch.
• Strong knowledge of commercialization and lifecycle management.
• Proven ability to lead cross-functional innovation projects.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute innovation initiatives aligned with strategy and future market opportunities.
• Build and manage the innovation pipeline and growth platforms.
• Translate consumer insights into meaningful product innovations.
• Lead development from concept to commercialization with prototypes and evaluations.
• Coordinate cross-functional teams across lifecycle stages.
• Manage product portfolios through renovation and lifecycle management.
• Coordinate scale-up, specifications, and launch execution.
• Collaborate with Marketing, Commercial, Manufacturing, Regulatory, and Finance.
• Develop supplier innovation programs and evaluate tech opportunities.
• Ensure quality and robustness through process improvements.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Cross-functional teamwork

Project management

Consumer insights

Product portfolio

Innovation management

Education

Bachelor's and Master's in Food Science/related field

Job description

Jora Malaysia will close on 9th September 2026. Thank you for being with us, we are cheering you on as you continue your career journey.

The Innovation & Product Development Manager is responsible for leading the end-to-end innovation and product development process, transforming consumer insights, market opportunities, and emerging technologies into commercially successful food and beverage products. This role drives the company's innovation agenda by managing the product innovation pipeline, identifying future growth opportunities, and leading cross-functional teams from concept generation through commercialization. The incumbent combines consumer-centric innovation, scientific knowledge, commercial understanding, and project leadership to deliver differentiated products that strengthen the company's competitive position across Southeast Asia and future global markets. As a strategic business partner, this role collaborates closely with Marketing, Commercial, Manufacturing, Procurement, Quality, Regulatory Affairs, and Supply Chain to accelerate innovation, optimize product portfolios, and ensure successful product launches.

Key responsibilities

• Develop and execute innovation initiatives aligned with business strategy and future market opportunities, including annual innovation plans and innovation roadmaps by category
• Build and manage the innovation pipeline, identifying growth platforms and balancing breakthrough, adjacent, and incremental innovation
• Translate consumer understanding into meaningful product innovation by analyzing consumer behaviors, conducting market assessments, and identifying emerging trends
• Lead the development of innovative food and beverage products from concept to commercialization, including formulation development, prototype creation, and product performance evaluations
• Lead cross-functional innovation projects throughout the product lifecycle, defining objectives, developing timelines, coordinating teams, and monitoring progress
• Manage product portfolios to maximize business performance through evaluation, renovation opportunities, and lifecycle management
• Ensure seamless transition from development to commercial production, including manufacturing scale-up, technical specifications, and launch execution
• Partner with business functions including Marketing, Commercial, Manufacturing, Regulatory Affairs, and Finance to accelerate innovation success
• Develop supplier innovation programs, identify emerging ingredient technologies, and build relationships with strategic suppliers and research organizations
• Ensure products consistently meet quality expectations through quality attribute definition, formulation robustness improvement, and technical issue resolution

About you

Bachelor's and Master's degree in Food Science, Food Technology, Food Engineering, Nutrition, Chemistry, Biotechnology, or related discipline

12–15 years of experience in Product Development and Innovation within the FMCG Food & Beverage industry

Proven experience leading successful product launches and managing cross-functional innovation projects

Strong knowledge of commercialization, product development, technical and manufacturing processes

Expertise in product development, food formulation, ingredient functionality, food processing, commercialization, consumer insights, innovation management, and product portfolio management

Expertise in stage-gate process, product lifecycle management, sensory evaluation, shelf-life extension, cost optimization, and competitive benchmarking

Knowledge of manufacturing processes at lab, pilot, and commercial scale, food safety principles, quality systems, global and regional regulatory requirements, and packaging fundamentals

Experience working with ASEAN or international markets is preferred

Training in Innovation Management, Design Thinking, Consumer Insights, or Product Management is advantageous

Packaging development and process improvement experience is advantageous