Senior NPD Technologist(s) x3
hace 12 días
Lancing
These are senior, sleeves-rolled-up NPD roles for someone who understands that great bakery products are born at the intersection of craft, commercial reality, and technical discipline. You’ll take ownership of the end-to-end NPD lifecycle—idea to launch—working closely with commercial, technical, operations, and supply chain teams to deliver profitable, scalable, retailer-ready bakery products. If you love bakery, thrive under pressure, and can turn a brief into a product that actually survives factory scale-up and retailer scrutiny, you’ll feel right at home Key Responsibilities Product Development & Innovation • Lead the development of new bakery products across bread, biscuits, cakes and seasonal ranges (depending on the business focus)., • Translate customer and retailer briefs into technically sound, commercially viable products., • Drive continuous improvement of existing products to optimise quality, cost, shelf life, and process efficiency., • Champion ingredient functionality, recipe optimisation, and process robustness. Customer & Commercial Interface • Act as the technical NPD lead on key customer accounts., • Support customer presentations, product submissions, tastings, and trials., • Balance innovation with margin—because great ideas still need to make money. Factory Trials & Scale-Up • Lead factory trials from bench to full-scale production., • Work closely with Operations and Engineering to ensure smooth handovers and repeatable processes., • Identify and mitigate risks early—no surprises on launch day. Technical & Compliance • Ensure all products meet food safety, quality, legal, and retailer standards., • Support shelf-life testing, nutritional compliance, and specifications., • Work collaboratively with Technical teams to ensure seamless sign-off. Mentorship & Leadership • Coach and support junior NPD technologists., • Set standards, share best practice, and raise the technical bar across the team., • Be a calm, credible presence when timelines tighten and pressure rises. About You You’re commercially sharp, technically credible, and bakery-obsessed—in the best possible way. You’ll bring: • Proven experience in bakery NPD within a food manufacturing environment., • Strong understanding of bakery processes, ingredients, and functionality., • Experience working with major UK retailers or branded customers., • Confidence leading trials, customer meetings, and cross-functional projects., • The ability to manage multiple projects without dropping the ball