DEPARTMENT: NPD

REPORTS TO: Head of Development

ABOUT US:

We are a fast-paced food manufacturing business, specialising in producing ready meals for a wide range of customers. Operating from a large-scale factory environment, we are committed to delivering high-quality, safe, and delicious products. The successful candidate will predominantly support low care production areas but also support other area within training, ensuring compliance with food safety, hygiene, and health and safety standards.

ROLE OVERVIEW: 

• Responsible for the development of new and existing products
• Progressing multiple projects through the NPD system from brief to launch
• Drive continuous improvement by being attuned to ongoing developments with new raw materials and processes, competitor activity and market trends, in the associated categories.
• To monitor final product costs throughout the development process and advise of any deviation whilst agreeing corrective action as appropriate

KEY RESPONSIBILTIES AND ACCOUNTABILITIES: 

• Working with our Development Chefs to develop new concepts aligned to customer briefs and through blue sky developments, ensuring at all times that these meet customer and business requirements.
• A demonstrable understanding of business requirements in terms of margin and budgets alongside those of our customer
• Liaison with the buying team and suppliers to ensure that raw materials are ordered in a timely fashion for sample making and creative development as well as evaluating new raw materials.
• Presenting to customers both on and off site.
• Supporting in initial factory trials as appropriate and assisting the Process Technologist in the translation of kitchen methods and assembly into a suitable factory process (where applicable).
• Following product approval, ensure all relevant departments have the necessary information to complete the customer requirements for launch critical path.
• Collate information from all practical work interpreting and feeding back any relevant results to the Product Manager for possible product amendment or discussion with the customer.
• Working closely with the process development team to generate recipes that are fit for factory purpose.
• Provides a tangible input into the on-going improvement of product quality of existing dishes as part of the Development team.
• Has awareness of comparative products from all the major retailers and other food outlets and demonstrates this knowledge during product presentations internally and with the customer.

EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS: 

• NPD professional with a degree in Food Science or related discipline
• Must have a minimum of 2 years’ experience in manufacturing preferably chilled.
• A strong understanding of new product development and manufacturing processes, and problem solving abilities, who can think outside the box whilst under pressure.
• Passionate foodie with an impressive working knowledge of the NPD processes
• Creative and confident in presenting new products
• Outgoing, passionate with a high degree or self-motivation

Please note: This job description outlines the core responsibilities and duties of the role. It is not an exhaustive list, and the role may evolve over time to include additional tasks and responsibilities in line with business needs.