NPD Manager

Location: Nottingham
Job Type: Full-time
£40,000

An exciting opportunity is available for an experienced Senior Product Development Technologist to join a rapidly growing food manufacturing business focused on delivering high-quality, nutritious, and innovative food products to consumers across the UK. With a strong customer base and ambitions for international expansion, this role offers a chance to play a key part in shaping the future of the brand's product range.

Role Overview

This position is responsible for driving both New Product Development (NPD) and Existing Product Development (EPD), delivering commercially viable and technically sound products. The role combines hands-on development work with strategic project leadership, managing the full product development lifecycle - from concept and trials through to launch and post-launch evaluation.
The successful candidate will lead cross-functional projects, acting as the technical point of contact for internal departments and external suppliers, and will play a central role in maintaining the brand's reputation for quality, innovation, and customer satisfaction.

Key Responsibilities

Conduct market and competitor research to identify trends and innovation opportunities within the food sector

Lead the end-to-end development of new products, collaborating with teams across Production, Procurement, Marketing, Compliance, and external partners

Develop and refine recipes to meet nutritional, commercial, and operational requirements

Organise and execute sensory evaluations, shelf-life testing, and technical assessments

Maintain accurate and up-to-date product specifications and technical documentation

Plan and manage factory trials, overseeing scale-up and implementation

Identify and evaluate new ingredients, suppliers, and processing technologies

Provide technical leadership to troubleshoot issues and drive improvements across the existing product range

Ensure all projects meet food safety, regulatory, and compliance standards

Candidate Requirements

3-5+ years of experience in food product development, ideally with exposure to added value meats, thermal processing, or similar sectors

Strong understanding of technical requirements for food manufacturing and product compliance

Proven ability to manage multiple projects and meet critical deadlines

Strong collaboration skills, with experience working across departments including Operations, Procurement, and Marketing

Detail-oriented with a strategic mindset and excellent problem-solving ability

Resilient, adaptable, and capable of working in a fast-paced, growing business environmentThis is a unique opportunity to contribute to a high-growth, purpose-driven business at the forefront of food innovation. Ideal for individuals with a passion for product development and a drive to deliver excellence across every stage of the production process