Product Innovation Manager

We are a forward-thinking food manufacturer creating delicious, nutritious, and convenient products designed for modern lifestyles. Our focus is simple: to deliver food that feels good, tastes great, and fits seamlessly into everyday life.

With ambitious growth plans and the experience to back them up, we combine big-company capability with a grounded, hands-on culture. Collaboration, openness, and a shared drive to succeed sit at the heart of how we work. Everyone plays a role, and every idea has the potential to make an impact.

As NPD Manager, you will lead the end-to-end innovation and product development agenda, driving both new product launches and improvements to the existing range.

Working cross-functionally, you’ll bring ideas to life—collaborating closely with marketing, category, and culinary teams to build an exciting pipeline of products that excite customers and consumers alike.

This is a hands-on, high-impact role. You’ll take ownership from early concept through to factory scale-up and commercial launch, ensuring every product meets the highest standards of quality, cost efficiency, and feasibility.

• Lead projects through a structured Stage & Gate process from concept to launch
• Manage timelines, risks, and deliverables to ensure projects land on time and in full
• Own and maintain project documentation and reporting for senior stakeholders

• Translate insights into commercially viable, consumer-led product concepts
• Partner with culinary teams to refine product briefs, recipes, and costings
• Oversee trials, approvals, and scale-up into manufacturing
• Ensure products deliver on taste, quality, and operational efficiency

• Build and maintain a rolling 3-year innovation pipeline aligned to business goals
• Lead product renovation initiatives to keep the range competitive and relevant
• Identify opportunities for both branded and customer-led development

• Manage the transition from kitchen concept to factory production
• Support trials and first production runs, ensuring smooth execution
• Work closely with technical, supply chain, and procurement teams
• Oversee successful handover to production post-launch

• Track and communicate the financial impact of development decisions
• Ensure accurate documentation for specifications and pack copy
• Drive post-launch reviews to capture learnings and optimise performance

• Lead and develop a direct report, supporting growth and capability
• Build development plans and share knowledge across the wider business
• Champion market awareness through trend insights and competitor benchmarking

• Proven experience in food manufacturing and product scale-up
• A strong track record of delivering end-to-end NPD projects
• Commercially aware with the ability to turn insight into action
• Confident communicator who thrives in cross-functional environments
• Highly organised, adaptable, and comfortable in a fast-paced setting
• Hands‑on knowledge of ingredients, processes, and food labelling
• A proactive mindset with a strong sense of ownership
• Passion for food and continuous improvement