Product Development Manager (Food)

Position: Product Development Manager

Location: Thames Refinery, UK

Reports to: R&T Director

Company Description: ASR Group is the world’s largest refiner and marketer of cane sugar, with an annual production capacity of more than 6 million tons. The company produces a full line of grocery, industrial, food service and specialty sweetener products. It operates sugar refineries and mills across North America and Europe, and owns a portfolio of leading brands including Domino®, C&H®, Redpath®, Tate & Lyle®, Lyle’s®, and Sidul®. At ASR Group, we also produce and market Tellus®, a compostable tableware made from plant fibers, including sugarcane.

Overview: Reporting to the Research and Technology Director, the Product Manager provides customer‑facing leadership across the product portfolio in Europe, acting as the key link between customers, Sales and Marketing, Operations and technical teams. The role ensures strong involvement of the Product team across the full lifecycle of projects and initiatives, with ownership of technical and operational delivery throughout. It requires strong customer engagement in shaping briefs and supporting commercial activity, combined with technical credibility to guide decisions and ensure continuity and accountability. The position also plays a critical role in supporting operations, working closely with manufacturing and supply chain to enable scalable, reliable delivery against demanding timelines without compromising quality or compliance.

Product Development & Project Management:

• Lead customer‑facing technical aspects of product and process development, reformulation and optimisation from concept through launch and post‑launch governance, ensuring alignment with commercial priorities and manufacturing capability.
• Provide senior technical leadership in ingredient qualification, applied development activities, and production of bench‑top or full‑scale samples aligned with customer and marketing briefs.
• Apply stage/gate project management principles with a strong execution focus to deliver multiple customer‑driven work streams on time and in full.
• Coordinate product formulations and laboratory samples based on consumer insights, ensuring compliance with manufacturing, regulatory, and cost objectives.
• Manage sensory evaluations and consumer testing (qualitative and quantitative), analyse data, and provide actionable recommendations.
• Prepare and approve technical documentation (ingredient specifications, formulation briefs, and finished product) and develop process control documents in collaboration with quality and operations teams.

Scale‑Up Trials & Manufacturing Problem Solving:

• Lead scale‑up trials across European sites, including co‑packers, by defining objectives, developing Design of Experiments plans, capturing critical data, and aligning cross‑functional teams to optimise product performance.
• Direct full‑scale production trials to validate process robustness, confirm commercialisation strategies, and ensure seamless transfer from development to manufacturing.
• Troubleshoot manufacturing, pilot plant, and laboratory processes using data‑driven approaches to resolve technical challenges that directly impact delivery timelines, product quality, or customer acceptance.

Team and Laboratory Management:

• Provide hands‑on technical leadership to the Product team, setting priorities based on customer and commercial criticality and fostering collaboration to deliver reliable outcomes.
• Responsible for developing team capabilities and ensure delivery continuity by defining training priorities, implementing succession plans, and embedding knowledge strategies.
• Oversee routine laboratory operations, including applied product development activities, analytical testing, equipment reliability, consumables management, and budget planning.
• Ensure a safe, GMP‑compliant laboratory environment and adherence to health and safety standards.
• Manage qualification and tracking of real‑time and accelerated shelf‑life assessments for all new, optimised, or reformulated products.

Cross‑Functional Collaboration:

• Contribute to projects involving manufacturing operations, packaging innovation, regulatory, legal, quality, supply chain, and procurement.
• Partner with Marketing, Sales, Procurement, Finance, and Operations to identify opportunities for competitive advantage and support new product development initiatives.
• Lead customer engagement sessions, supporting Marketing and Sales with development briefs and product sample showcases.

Work Experience – Required:

• Experienced in a senior technical role within the Food or FMCG industry, with proven success in delivering complex technical development and commercial implementation projects.
• Strong technical expertise across applied product and product development, manufacturing technologies, and scale‑up trials, from laboratory through pilot and full‑scale production.
• Proficiency in project management methodologies, including stage/gate processes, to deliver multiple work streams on time and within budget.
• Demonstrated ability to plan, manage, and execute pilot and manufacturing trials in compliance with Good Manufacturing Practice protocols, ensuring accurate sample assessments against agreed specifications.
• Extensive knowledge of Design of Experiments, stability and shelf‑life studies, and analytical and physical testing methodologies.
• Proven people management and leadership skills, with experience in team development and fostering collaboration to achieve departmental objectives.
• Strong laboratory management capabilities, including oversight of equipment reliability, consumables, safety compliance, and budget planning.
• Strong understanding of HACCP principles and ability to develop and implement process control documents to ensure food safety compliance.
• Excellent communication skills, with ability to influence and collaborate effectively at all levels of the organization, including cross‑functional leadership and external stakeholders.
• Customer‑oriented mindset, with experience engaging in external customer‑facing meetings and applying market insights to identify new development opportunities.
• Excellent computer literacy, including proficiency in MS Office Suite and familiarity with digital tools for data analysis, reporting, and project management.

Work Experience – Preferred:

• Knowledge in sugar refining and/or syrup production processes, including functional properties, processing behaviour, and formulation impact.
• Familiarity with continuous improvement principles, advanced statistical analysis, and data‑driven approaches to optimise products, reduce costs, and enhance quality.
• Experience leveraging Artificial Intelligence tools and data analytics in product development for predictive modelling, formulation optimisation, and trend analysis.
• Experience in interpreting consumer insights and applying them to innovative product design strategies.
• Awareness of global regulatory requirements and compliance standards for food and beverage products.

Education & Certification:

• Minimum B.Sc. in Foods, Nutrition, Chemistry, Agriculture, or a related Science/Technology/Engineering field.
• Advanced degree (M.Sc. or Ph.D.) in a relevant discipline is highly desirable.
• Professional certifications in Health and Safety, Food Safety, HACCP, or Quality Management Systems are preferred.
• Training or certification in Project Management (e.g., PMP, PRINCE2) and Continuous Improvement methodologies (e.g., Lean, Six Sigma) is advantageous.