New Product Development Manager - Lake District/ Carlisle

Job Title: New Product Development Manager

Location: Lake District/ Carlisle

Role Overview:

As the New Product Development Manager, you will play a key role in driving the development of new and innovative food products from concept to launch. You will collaborate closely with our R&D, marketing, and production teams to ensure our new products meet the highest standards of quality and customer satisfaction.

Key Responsibilities:

• The role is critical in driving the innovation agenda and maintaining the food values on site.
• Manage focused development of new products to deliver the required margin for our customers and the business, including the completion of development costings within agreed commercial, technical and customer briefs and timescales.
• Work closely with Commercial Manager and Category Team to understand the market and the consumer and support the delivery of Category Reviews.
• Create new and innovative products in line with agreed business plans & market developments, showing a real flair for food & culinary trends.
• Excite and inspire the customer and the business with innovation that delivers extra ordinary growth and profit.
• Challenge existing products and processes, upgrading where necessary.
• Effectively manage the development process from concept origination to product handover meeting all deadlines both internally and externally.
• Ensure self is up to date with culinary trends via shopping trips, travel, restaurants, exhibitions, market reports, visiting places of interest, reading food journals & magazines to improve culinary skills and knowledge of foods.
• Ensure NPD & EPD pipeline delivers against business strategy and is in line with our customers objectives and strategies.
• Preferred – Degree / HND in Food Science or equivalent work experience.
• Experience in food manufacturing, product research & development.
• Strong ability to work under pressure and to tight timescales.
• Self-motivated and ambitious with a “can do” attitude.
• Good communication skills at all levels.
• IT Skills – Email, Excel, Word, PowerPoint, web-based systems.
• Currently working in FMCG industry with experience of supply into major multiples – short shelf life / chilled ideal
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills.
• High energy level, comfortable working with multi-faceted projects aligned to day-to-day activities.
• Excellent influencing skills and ability to multi-task in a fast-paced environment.