Product & Technical Manager (Existing Product Development & Technical Oversight)
£45,000 | Remote-first | 1–2 days/week in Stroud, Gloucestershire (travel covered) | Fixed-term maternity cover (9–12 months)
Freja is scaling rapidly across multiple channels and markets, increasing complexity across product, packaging and compliance. We’re hiring a highly organised Product & Technical Manager to take ownership of our existing product portfolio during a maternity cover period. This is a delivery-focused role spanning Existing Product Development (EPD), packaging updates and technical oversight, ensuring the current range remains compliant, operationally robust and commercially optimised across multiple markets.
About the role
This role is focused on execution across the existing range. There are no new product launches planned - the priority is delivery, compliance and continuous improvement. You will own packaging updates, range extensions, product improvements and regulatory compliance across multiple markets, ensuring changes are delivered on time, fully compliant and operationally robust.
Working closely with Operations, Marketing, Brand, Sales, Customer Service, suppliers and external partners, you will drive cross-functional delivery and ensure product changes land smoothly across the business. This role suits someone who thrives in structured, delivery-focused environments and enjoys owning detail, compliance and execution.
Key responsibilities
Existing Product Development (EPD) & delivery
* Lead end-to-end delivery of EPD initiatives (flavour variants, pack size extensions, packaging updates)
* Own critical paths and internal gate processes to ensure on-time execution
* Drive product improvements and cost optimisation across the existing range
* Manage customer-specific packaging or format adaptations where required
* Ensure seamless handover of changes into Operations and Supply Chain
Packaging development & artwork governance
* Own packaging updates, including sustainability and regulatory changes
* Partner with Brand to deliver compliant artwork and labelling across markets
* Maintain strict version control across packaging, specifications and artwork
* Ensure all claims are validated and substantiated
Quality, technical & compliance
* Ensure all products meet regulatory and technical requirements across markets
* Oversee labelling compliance and territory-specific requirements
* Manage product testing (nutritionals, shelf life, claims, panel testing)
* Maintain up-to-date specifications, certifications and documentation
* Oversee QA processes (batch review, retained samples, investigations)
* Maintain sourcing standards across raw materials and suppliers
* Manage external regulatory and technical partners
Post-launch & continuous improvement
* Conduct post-launch reviews and implement improvements
* Partner with Customer Service on complaints and resolution
* Act as guardian of the existing range, maintaining quality and consistency
* Identify and implement improvements to EPD and technical processes
Project & stakeholder management
* Own cross-functional critical paths across sourcing, compliance, testing and supply chain
* Drive collaboration across Operations, Marketing, Brand, Sales and Customer Service
* Ensure clear communication between technical, commercial and operational teams
* Build and manage supplier and copacker relationships
About you
* Proactive, detail-oriented and delivery-focused
* Technically confident, with strong ownership of compliance and governance
* Comfortable managing multiple projects and stakeholders simultaneously
* Strong cross-functional operator with a bias for execution
Essential skills & experience
* Experience in Product Development, EPD or Technical roles within food/FMCG
* Strong understanding of Existing Product Development processes
* Experience owning quality and technical responsibilities
* Experience managing suppliers and copackers
* Strong critical path and project management capability
* Working knowledge of labelling and regulatory requirements
* Ability to manage multiple stakeholders and timelines
Desirable
* Knowledge or qualification in food labelling regulations
* Experience working with regulatory consultants
* Background in regulated consumer goods (food, supplements, FMCG)
* Experience supporting export compliance across multiple markets