Product Development Manager

The Product Development Manager will lead new product developments as well as product optimization efforts for dietary supplements. The Product Development Manager will be charged to lead product formulation and product operational readiness to ramp up and launch new products on time, with a high level of quality and maximum customer availability. A successful Product Development Manager is a creative and collaborative partner, is driven, organized, and detail oriented and is thoughtful and effective in problem solving and responding to the customers and consumer needs.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

•  Responsible for reporting on food safety and/or quality problems to personnel with the authority to initiate corrective actions.
•  Lead concept development in collaboration with marketing, the cross functional team and contract manufacturer (if needed).
•  Lead new product development, from discovery and initial feasibility assessment to product qualification, business evaluation and commercialization
• Contribute new ideas within the cross-functional team that drive the innovation pipeline 'at
• M2 Ingredients/Om Mushrooms through scientific and technical insights.
• Lead new product development for dietary supplements with a focus on the US market but projects could include Natural Health Products for the Canadian markets.
• Lead and or oversee benchtop sampling and plant trials to assess the viability of new ingredients & products.
• Lead regular new product development meetings to ensure projects meet deadlines, quality and regulatory standards from ideation to full scale production by engaging the cross functional team on the project timeline and keeping the team informed and accountable throughout the development phases.
• Formulate products according to product development briefs to meet consumer acceptance, functional, nutritional and certification targets.
• Develop and validate through testing the Finish Product Specifications of each new product as it relates to the functional and nutritional benefits of the product.
• Lead small scale consumer/employee acceptance testing and apply learnings to product development efforts
• Manage real time and accelerated stability program for Om & M2 products
• Actively participate in compliant product labeling in collaboration with quality, marketing, and legal teams.
• Actively participate in qualifying new contract manufacturing facilities and conduct site visits for first production runs 
• Actively participate in scientific research efforts to support product/ingredient efficacy
• Actively participate in the development and analysis of consumer insight studies in collaboration with the marketing team
• Source high quality dietary supplement ingredients and actively participate in the supplier qualification process in collaboration with the regulatory compliance team
• Act as steward of the product through development- reaching beyond project management to ensure every aspect of a new product meets the highest standards for quality, efficacy, consumer appeal, and financial value for the company
• You'll be most successful in this role if you have:
• Ability to apply knowledge of food science and dietary supplement formulation to meet consumer needs
• Exhibit skills in prioritization, time management, and project planning.
• Ability to work on ingredients with little industry track record.
• Ability to work with cross functional teams.

Qualifications: 

•  M.Sc. in food Science, chemistry, biochemistry or other relevant science degrees.
•  5-7 years of experience in the dietary supplements or functional food industry in a product development role including experience formulating, leading plant trials and production start up.
•  Experience in Natural Health Products development an asset.
•  Proficiency with genesis and Windows operating system including word and excel