We have an exciting opportunity to join the Pilgrims Europe Product & Innovation team with a vacancy for a NPI Manager at our Craigavon site.
Location: Craigavon
Contract: Permanent, Full-time
This role will work closely with the Product Development Team and NPI Technologists in nurturing a food culture in the business, in line with our journey to become a world class food company.
The successful candidate will be accountable for the execution of customer and category development, from factory trials through pre-launch and launch phases, ensuring delivery of technical, operational, and commercial objectives, through cross functional collaboration with category, customer, and site stakeholders.
Key areas of responsibility include (but not limited to):
- Accountable for delivery of approved product development projects from customer briefs, and category initiatives through to launch in sites
- Deliver against agreed product development and innovation KPIs.
- Responsible for ensuring key milestones are met within the Recipe Professor stage-gate system.
- To manage agreed cost of launching a product i.e. micro, nutritional, sampling & trials, including ingredients.
- In conjunction with all stakeholders, prepare diligently for and lead site visits, to ensure customer expectations are met and exceeded.
- Working effectively with other key functions: operations, technical, process development, packaging development, OPEX to ensure all aspects of product delivery.
- Allocate projects to the site team members commensurate to skill and active workload
- Product Development input to site team on CI process for relevant customers
Skills and Knowledge:
- Food related degree and/or a minimum of 2 years Product Development experience in the food industry is essential
- Product Costing Experience
- Experience running factory trials
- Experience working within a structured development environment using a stage gate process.
- Ability to lead and manage a team, in addition to manage their own portfolio of development projects.
- Project management skills
- IT Proficiency – Excel/Word/PowerPoint
- Ingredient Knowledge/Food Passion
- Previous experience in the Food Industry
- Relevant Food Industry Qualifications and/or Experience
- Must have a full clean UK driving license
What We Offer:
- Competitive salary
- Career development opportunities within a growing, forward thinking business
- Competitive annual leave and enhanced Sick Pay
- 24/7 Employee Assistance Programme
- End of Year Thank you Gift and Lunch, Refer a Friend Scheme, Stars Awards, Wellbeing Initiatives, Long Service Awards
- Free site Car Parking, Life Assurance and many more
This role would be suitable for someone who is passionate with relevant restaurant/hospitality industry experience and exceptional culinary and creative food skills. As well as excellent Communication Skills and multi-tasking experience.
