Product Development Manager

Introduction:
Our client is seeking an experienced and innovative Product Development Manager to join their team within the Food Production sector. This role is pivotal in driving the development, optimisation, and successful commercialisation of food products that meet market demands, regulatory standards, and operational requirements.

Job Purpose:
You will be responsible for leading the development and optimisation of food products by turning concepts into scalable, compliant, and market-ready solutions that meet client needs while supporting operational efficiency and business growth.

REQUIREMENTS
Minimum education (essential):

• Formal culinary training or a professional chef qualification
• BSc in Consumer Science or Food Technology (Desirable)

Minimum applicable experience (years):

• 7 - 10 years’ experience

Required nature of experience:

• Factory and manufacturing processes within the food, ready-meal, or sauce industry
• Product development from concept to commercialisation
• Market and consumer trend analysis
• Supervising and managing teams in a product development environment
• Cross-functional collaboration and product testing
• Project management within a manufacturing setting
• Regulatory compliance and food safety standards

Skills and Knowledge (essential):

• Solid understanding of flavour mixing, ingredient functionality, cooking and baking methods, and food preparation techniques.
• Strong sensory skills to analyse and deconstruct complex flavour profiles.
• Knowledge of current food trends, processing methods, and formulation practices.
• Good understanding of shelf-life management, food safety, and regulatory standards.
• Proficient in R&D processes and Microsoft Excel.
• Ability to translate food trends into practical, market-ready product concepts
• Strong attention to detail with a focus on consistency, cost efficiency, and scalability.
• Technical understanding of ingredient functions and interactions within recipes.

Skills and Knowledge (Desirable):

• Awareness of emerging food trends and flavour innovations
• Basic cost and production principles
• Knowledge of sensory testing related to taste, texture, and aroma
• Familiarity with healthier and allergen-friendly ingredients

Other:

• Proficient in Afrikaans and English
• Own transport and license

KEY PERFORMANCE AREAS AND OBJECTIVES
Product Innovation & Testing

• Lead the development of new food products from concept through to commercialisation, informed by market trends and consumer insights.
• Reformulate and improve existing products to enhance quality, shelf-life, cost efficiency, and production performance.
• Manage multiple product development projects simultaneously, ensuring adherence to timelines and deliverables.
• Conduct flavour blending, prototyping, and sensory testing in line with customer and brand expectations
• Optimise ingredient selection to balance cost efficiency with product quality
• Plan and manage factory trials to validate formulations and ensure scalability
• Collaborate with production, QA, technical, marketing, and commercial teams to resolve development challenges.
• Evaluate product performance through sensory analysis, shelf-life testing, and consistency assessments.
• Maintain thorough documentation of all testing and development outcomes.

Quality & Compliance

• Ensure all products comply with internal quality standards, food safety regulations, and labelling requirements.
• Maintain accurate formulation records and specifications for traceability and audits.
• Work closely with QA to conduct risk assessments and implement corrective actions.
• Uphold precision and accuracy in recipe formulation and documentation.

Project & Cross-Functional Management

• Collaborate with procurement, production, and food safety teams to ensure raw material availability and process readiness.
• Lead cross-functional meetings to align priorities and support smooth product rollouts.
• Monitor project progress and proactively adapt plans based on production, sourcing, or regulatory challenges.

Team Management

• Ensure the NPD Kitchen team is adequately trained, resourced, and supported through clear SOPs.
• Monitor individual performance, providing guidance and addressing underperformance where necessary.

Market & Consumer Alignment

• Stay informed on market trends, competitor activity, and new ingredients within the FMCG sector.
• Conduct benchmarking and research to identify opportunities for innovation.
• Support marketing teams with product positioning and development of strong USPs.