Senior NPD - Products Job Tulbagh South Africa,Quality Assurance

Position: Senior NPD - New Products
Location: Tulbagh

Minimum Requirements

Degree in Food Science, Chemistry, or a related field

Minimum 3-5 years' experience in New Product Development within the FMCG manufacturing industry

Strong understanding of FMCG production processes and quality standards

Knowledge of food safety systems such as HACCP, GMP, and ISO standards

Experience with product trials, formulation, and factory implementation processes

Excellent project management and organisational skills

Strong analytical, problem-solving, and communication abilities

Computer literacy in MS Office (Excel) and product development systems

Experience in food and beverage FMCG products (advantageous)

Knowledge of retailer requirements and product compliance standards (advantageous)

Experience working in high-volume manufacturing environments (advantageous)

Duties and Responsibilities New Product Development & Innovation

Translate customer and market briefs into commercially viable new product formulations and prototypes
Conduct product trials, testing, and evaluations to ensure product quality, functionality, and manufacturability
Formulate new products while maintaining cost efficiency and quality standards from the concept stage
Research and develop new product concepts in line with market trends and customer requirements

Technical Documentation & Raw Materials

Conduct shelf‑life studies, sensory evaluations, and stability testing where applicable
Support factory implementation of new products, including line trials and scale‑up from lab to full production
Prepare product specifications, technical documentation, and production instructions for new products
Source and evaluate raw materials and ingredients for new product development

Compliance, Quality & Food Safety

Partner with Quality Assurance on specification sign‑off, validation trials, and product safety assurance prior to launch
Work within HACCP, GMP, and ISO food safety systems across all new product development activity
Ensure all new products comply with food safety regulations, quality standards, and legal labelling requirements

Cross‑Functional Collaboration & Market Insight

Work closely with Production, Procurement, Quality Assurance, Marketing, and Sales teams during product development and launch phases
Support retailer requirements and product compliance standards for new product listings
Monitor market trends, competitor products, and consumer insights to identify innovation opportunities

Project & Timeline Management

Manage new product development timelines and ensure projects are completed within deadlines
Maintain accurate project documentation and report pipeline progress to the HOD Research and Development

Key Performance Areas

Quality and completeness of product specifications and technical documentation for new products
Compliance pass rate on new product specifications, labelling, and food safety requirements
New product margin performance against concept‑stage costing
Product trial success rate and first‑time‑right handover to Production
Speed‑to‑market (concept‑to‑shelf cycle time) on assigned projects
Number and value of successful new product launches against annual plan

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