About the Company
We've partnered with a well-established food business on a key hire to support their continued growth. They’re looking for an NPD Manager to take the reins on driving innovation across short- and long-term product pipelines, with a focus on added value, blue sky thinking, and category-led development.
About the Role
Reporting into the Senior Manager for Insights, NPD & Marketing, this role sits at the heart of a collaborative commercial function, working cross-functionally with category, procurement, technical, and commercial teams. You’ll be responsible for owning customer relationships, spearheading innovation strategy, and delivering commercially viable NPD/EPD solutions that align with retailer needs and business ambitions.
Responsibilities
* Lead the development and execution of NPD, EPD, and innovation pipelines across customer portfolios
* Partner with the Category team to identify white space opportunities, build strategic plans, and bring consumer-driven products to life
* Own the gate process from concept to launch, managing timelines, stakeholder alignment, and cross-functional sign-off
* Drive internal benchmarking initiatives to monitor product and market performance
* Support commercial decision-making through robust margin analysis and cost-effective innovation
* Run Product Innovation Days, contributing to a culture of creativity, pace, and best-in-class standards
The ideal candidate
* Proven track record in product development within FMCG or fresh/chilled food
* Strong commercial acumen and ability to translate insights into product opportunities
* Creative thinker with strategic execution skills
* Experience working with major UK retailers and understanding of their development processes
* Comfortable managing multiple stakeholders in a fast-paced, hands-on environment
* Strong organisational and communication skills