Head of Innovation – Graham's Bakery
Dromore, Northern Ireland
About Us
Graham's Bakery is a third-generation family business with a vision to continue its growth, through innovation, in the sweet bakery sector. We supply leading retailers and foodservice operators across the UK, Ireland, and beyond, with a reputation for quality, creativity, and reliability.
The Role
We are seeking an ambitious Head of Innovation to join our Senior Leadership Team. This is a pivotal role responsible for leading our Innovation Department, owning the full New Product Development (NPD) and New Product Introduction (NPI) process, and driving continuous improvement in how we bring products from concept to launch.
As Head of Innovation, you will oversee the Innovation Kitchen, manage scale-up and feasibility trials, and ensure product launches are delivered on time, in spec, and ready for commercial success. You'll collaborate closely with
Commercial
Sales, Production, and Technical teams to ensure creativity is matched with operational excellence.
Key Responsibilities
* Lead the Innovation Department.
* Own the NPD pipeline and align innovation with commercial strategy.
* Deliver successful NPI launches with high first-run success rates.
* Champion process optimisation and scaling trials to ensure efficiency and quality.
* Lead projects from concept through to launch, ensuring milestones, budgets, and timelines are met.
* Drive cross-functional collaboration between Commercial Sales, Production, and Technical.
* Embed digital and lean processes to improve speed and consistency.
* Build capability within the innovation team and develop future leaders.
About You
* Proven experience leading NPD/NPI in food manufacturing (bakery experience highly desirable).
* Strong technical understanding of food/bakery processes, scaling, and manufacturing.
* Commercially astute, able to balance creativity with feasibility.
* Track record of successful product launches with major retailers or foodservice operators.
* Excellent project management skills — able to prioritise, plan, and deliver multiple initiatives at pace.
* Leader who develops people and drives cultural change.
* Excellent communicator with strong stakeholder management skills.
Why Join Us?
* Opportunity to shape the strategic innovation agenda of a fast-growing bakery.
* Senior Leadership role with direct impact on company growth and culture.
* Work in a family business environment with strong values and a commitment to growth through innovation.
* Competitive salary and professional development opportunities.