Role Overview

A well-established food manufacturing organisation is seeking an experienced New Product Development (NPD) Manager to lead its product development function. This specialist role calls for a strong technical background in poultry applications, formulation, spices and flavour development, together with proven leadership and customer-facing experience.

Responsibilities

Lead and manage the NPD team, ensuring effective project prioritisation and delivery.
Manage multiple NPD projects from customer brief through to commercialisation.
Interpret customer requirements and develop innovative formulation solutions.
Develop, test and optimise recipes and product concepts.
Prepare product samples and manage customer feedback and reformulation requirements.
Work closely with customer development teams throughout the product development process.
Source specialised spices, flavours and ingredients through flavour houses and suppliers.
Develop and optimise spice packs, spice blends, savoury sauces, marinades and related products.
Ensure compliance with food safety, regulatory and quality requirements.
Oversee product specifications, recipes and production documentation.
Monitor market and industry trends to identify new product opportunities.
Provide technical guidance and leadership to the NPD team.

Requirements

Degree or diploma in Food Science, Food Technology or a related discipline.
Proven food product development experience, preferably in spices, seasonings and savoury applications.
Strong formulation and sensory evaluation capabilities.
Specialist knowledge of poultry applications and processing, including poultry formulation and application development.
Knowledge of chicken breading and crumbing systems; coatings and batter systems; brining and marinades; pick-up, coating adhesion and processing performance; yield optimisation; texture, adhesion and moisture retention; and frying and processing performance.
Experience in formulation and recipe development, spice blends, savoury sauces and marinades, and flavour creation, matching and optimisation.
Experience working with poultry processors, flavour houses and ingredient suppliers.
Knowledge of food safety, quality and regulatory requirements.
Proven project management and team leadership experience.
Strong customer-facing and communication skills.
Creative approach to flavour development, with the technical ability to create and match flavour profiles.
Strong commercial and problem-solving orientation.

Additional Information

Advertised package: R540,000 TCTC per annum (R45,000 per month).