New Product Development Manager NPD

Job description

An exciting opportunity to join my successful Food Manufacturing client as a NPD Manager.

You will provide a site based resource within the NPD department to manage and deliver all NPD projects for the site for the whole customer base from concept to launch ensuring these meet both the customer and client expectations, whilst satisfying all relevant technical criteria, leading to a timely and faultless successful launch, supported by the relevant site functions. You will work with passion and pride at all times demonstrating this through results and in-depth knowledge of food and site processes.

Duties & Responsibilities:

- To work with the development team to deliver new concepts/projects in line with the brief.
- To set critical timings and ensure all project aspects are delivered as specified satisfying customer and business, commercial, nutritional and process development requirements.
- To ensure the Product Development process is followed and that each stage is completed, documented and communicated accurately through to key stake holders.
- To play a major role in packaging development.
- To ensure all sample requests are logged onto the NPD sample planner and allocated resource accordingly.
- Work up concept samples in conjunction with the NPD chefs for internal and external presentations ensuring recipe costs are within target parameters.
- To input all required product material in written customer presentations ensuring this is executed accurately and with fineness.
- Attend customer presentations as required.
- Paly an active role in customer visits/pre-production/launches where appropriate.
- Manage the artwork process.
- Attend first print runs for artwork.
- To ensure that Launch packs are updated as required and signed off by appropriate staff prior to launch.
- To support the site teams in carrying out an internal Risk assessment to ensure that all aspects of safety, legality and product quality are being met by the company within the current manufacturing procedures.
- To attend regular NPD meetings.
- To ensure factory recipe sheets are correct.
- To effectively and efficiently hand over all development projects to site process development teams.
- Keep a watchful eye on all shelf-life trials to ensure issues are captured and rectified in a timely manner.
- Ensure all product claims are effectively validated.
- Ensure all samples leaving site are approved visually and organoleptically in a timely manner.
- Check product pack copy/specifications as required by the critical path.
- To provide input to site HACCP meetings when required.
- Organise and attend factory trials/pre-production runs in conjunction with site process development teams. Customer facing.
- Carry out post launch reviews in conjunction with relevant site functions.

The ideal candidate will have:

- Degree or food related subject in Food Technology or similar
- A strong Technical knowledge ideally provided from experience (2-3 years) within a similar field.
- Strong project management skills
- Experience with retailer NPD systems
- Must be in possession of a full valid driving licence
- Computer literate

Quattro Recruitment are acting as an Employment Agency on behalf of their client.