At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead product development for delicious sauces and gravies, ensuring quality and efficiency.
- Company: Join a respected manufacturer in West Yorkshire known for high-performing food products.
- Benefits: Enjoy a competitive salary and the chance to work in a dynamic, fast-paced environment.
- Why this job: Shape the future of tasty products while collaborating with top flavour houses and internal teams.
- Qualifications: Experience in NPD/EPD within sauces or savoury categories is essential.
- Other info: This is a full-time, permanent role with opportunities for hands-on involvement in product trials.
The predicted salary is between 43000 - 52000 £ per year.
Location: Leeds, West Yorkshire
Salary: £50K-£60K
Type: Full-time, Permanent
Reporting to: General Manager
About the Opportunity
Are you a results-driven EPD professional with a flair for creating and enhancing delicious, high-performing products? Do you excel in fast-paced environments where attention to detail and pragmatic decision-making are essential? If so, we’d love to connect with you.
We’re working with a respected manufacturer in West Yorkshire, seeking an experienced EPD/NPD Manager to lead improvement across their core range of gravy and savoury sauces, with a particular emphasis on Private Label products.
Role Overview
As EPD/NPD Manager, you’ll play a pivotal role in shaping the future of the product portfolio. You’ll be responsible for driving quality, efficiency, and cost improvements, ensuring all products meet the latest legislative and customer requirements.
Key Responsibilities
- Take ownership of the EPD pipeline: respond to customer briefs, lead recipe upgrades, and manage cost-saving initiatives
- Collaborate with top flavour houses to source and trial new ingredients
- Oversee recipe reformulation and updates, ensuring technical compliance and business continuity
- Manage artwork changes, product set-ups, and internal systems
- Conduct kitchen trials and support scale-up in the factory with a hands-on approach
- Serve as the technical point of contact for internal teams and customers
- Work closely with Commercial and Category teams to ensure product development aligns with business strategy
About You
- Proven experience in NPD/EPD within sauces, dry mixes, or savoury categories
- Strong background in Private Label product development
- Detail-oriented, with excellent project and change management skills
- Confident in managing technical documentation and working with flavour houses
- Process-driven, pragmatic, and focused on delivering results
EPD Manager employer: Blakeney Point Search
Contact Detail:
Blakeney Point Search Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land EPD Manager
✨Tip Number 1
Network with professionals in the food manufacturing industry, especially those who have experience in EPD or NPD roles. Attend industry events or join relevant online forums to connect with potential colleagues and learn about the latest trends in product development.
✨Tip Number 2
Familiarise yourself with the specific products and brands of the company you're applying to. Understanding their current offerings and any recent innovations can help you tailor your discussions during interviews and demonstrate your genuine interest in their work.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare to discuss your previous experiences in detail, particularly any successful projects related to sauces or private label products. Be ready to share specific examples of how you've driven quality improvements or managed cost-saving initiatives in past roles.
✨Tip Number 4
Showcase your knowledge of regulatory requirements and compliance standards in the food industry. Being able to speak confidently about how you ensure products meet these standards will set you apart as a candidate who understands the importance of technical compliance.
We think you need these skills to ace EPD Manager
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV highlights your experience in EPD/NPD, particularly within sauces and savoury categories. Emphasise any relevant projects or achievements that demonstrate your ability to drive quality and efficiency.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: In your cover letter, express your passion for product development and detail how your skills align with the responsibilities of the EPD Manager role. Mention specific experiences that showcase your ability to manage recipe upgrades and collaborate with flavour houses.
Highlight Relevant Skills: Clearly outline your project and change management skills in your application. Provide examples of how you've successfully managed technical documentation and worked with internal teams to ensure product development aligns with business strategy.
Showcase Your Results-Driven Approach: Demonstrate your results-driven mindset by including metrics or outcomes from previous roles. For instance, mention any cost-saving initiatives you led or improvements in product quality that you achieved.
How to prepare for a job interview at Blakeney Point Search
✨Showcase Your Experience
Be prepared to discuss your previous roles in NPD/EPD, especially within sauces or savoury categories. Highlight specific projects where you successfully led product development or improvements, particularly in Private Label products.
✨Demonstrate Attention to Detail
Since the role requires a detail-oriented approach, be ready to provide examples of how you've managed technical documentation and ensured compliance with legislative requirements in past projects.
✨Collaborative Mindset
Emphasise your ability to work with cross-functional teams. Share experiences where you collaborated with flavour houses or internal teams to drive product development and align with business strategies.
✨Hands-On Approach
Discuss your experience with kitchen trials and scale-up processes. Illustrate how your hands-on involvement has contributed to successful product launches or improvements, showcasing your practical skills in the kitchen and factory settings.