At a Glance
- Tasks: Manage product development from start to finish, ensuring quality and timely delivery.
- Company: Join a dynamic organisation in the drinks industry, focused on innovation and growth.
- Benefits: Enjoy a flexible work schedule with 4 days in the office and 1 day remote.
- Why this job: Be part of a creative team driving exciting new products and collaborating with artisans.
- Qualifications: Experience in project management and knowledge of the drinks or FMCG sectors required.
- Other info: Opportunity for personal growth in a rapidly transforming company.
The predicted salary is between 43200 - 72000 £ per year.
London - 4 days/week in the office 1 day from home
Role Overview
Reporting directly to the Head of Creative, you will be responsible for managing the end-to-end delivery of products—ensuring timely, cost-effective execution from project initiation through to market launch. This includes securing stakeholder buy-in and approvals at key stages, while maintaining the highest quality standards throughout.
Leveraging strong project management expertise and a deep understanding of the drinks industry, you’ll work across all business sites to proactively identify and manage the impacts and interdependencies of new product development (NPD). Your scope will include overseeing development within categories such as whisky, rum, and cognac.
You will also be tasked with identifying and developing opportunities to collaborate with local artisans for the creation of branded merchandise—both for retail and online platforms—as well as POS materials. This may extend to the development of food products and packaging innovations.
Working closely with the in-house creative team, you’ll take ownership of sourcing dry goods including labels, bottles, cartons, and corks, ensuring alignment with brand standards and timelines. This is a unique opportunity for a driven and detail-oriented professional to join a dynamic organisation undergoing rapid growth and operational transformation.
Key Responsibilities
- Project Planning & Execution: Develop and manage comprehensive project plans for NPD initiatives, outlining key milestones, timelines, resource allocations, and decision points to ensure timely delivery.
- Project Briefs: Create and communicate clear project timelines and briefs, covering design and packaging scope, pricing structures, value and volume metrics, cost of goods, and distribution strategies.
- Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner with in-house project managers to execute NPD projects across creative, marketing, production, sales, and external agencies. Coordinate with resources at both head office and production sites to meet stakeholder expectations, ensuring accountability and seamless execution of line extensions and new brand concepts.
- Stakeholder Communication & Management: Maintain consistent communication with all internal and external stakeholders throughout the NPD lifecycle. Lead and facilitate internal/external NPD meetings, in partnership with project managers, ensuring agendas, minutes, actions, and updates are documented and shared. Monitor and manage risks, issues, and deliverables to ensure alignment with project priorities and deadlines.
- Relationship Management: Build strong, collaborative relationships across suppliers and internal teams. Ensure packaging reflects company's commitment to sustainability while maintaining premium quality, by selecting environmentally responsible materials and solutions.
- Budget Management: Oversee project budgets, ensuring resources are used efficiently and financial goals are met.
- Product Testing & Quality Assurance: Manage pre-launch testing and quality checks to ensure all products meet defined standards and specifications. Conduct site visits to bottling halls as needed to verify that packaging and design meet production standards.
- Regulatory Compliance & Risk Mitigation: Ensure all new products adhere to applicable regulations and industry standards. Proactively identify potential risks and implement mitigation strategies to safeguard project outcomes.
- Post-Launch Evaluation: Conduct evaluations following product launches to measure performance and gather insights for future improvements.
Requirements
- Deep knowledge of supply chain and operations, ideally within the drinks or FMCG sectors
- Proven experience with logistics planning, label compliance and international goods movement
- Strong track record in category innovation, including packaging and POS development
- In-depth understanding of the drinks industry
- Demonstrated project management expertise with the ability to drive complex initiatives to successful completion
Contact Detail:
Lime Talent Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land NPD Project Manager
✨Tip Number 1
Familiarise yourself with the latest trends in the drinks industry, especially around whisky, rum, and cognac. This knowledge will not only help you during interviews but also demonstrate your passion and commitment to the role.
✨Tip Number 2
Network with professionals in the NPD and drinks sectors. Attend industry events or join relevant online forums to connect with potential colleagues and gain insights into the company culture at StudySmarter.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare to discuss specific examples of your project management experience, particularly those that involved cross-functional collaboration. Highlight how you successfully navigated challenges and achieved stakeholder buy-in.
✨Tip Number 4
Showcase your understanding of sustainability in packaging and product development. Be ready to share ideas on how you can contribute to the company's commitment to environmentally responsible practices.
We think you need these skills to ace NPD Project Manager
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV highlights relevant experience in project management and the drinks industry. Use specific examples that demonstrate your ability to manage end-to-end product delivery and stakeholder communication.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Write a cover letter that showcases your passion for new product development and your understanding of the drinks sector. Mention how your skills align with the responsibilities outlined in the job description, particularly in project planning and execution.
Highlight Relevant Skills: Emphasise your project management expertise, especially in logistics planning and category innovation. Include any experience you have with sustainability practices in packaging, as this is important for the role.
Prepare for Potential Questions: Think about how you would answer questions related to managing risks, stakeholder communication, and post-launch evaluations. Be ready to provide examples from your past experiences that demonstrate your problem-solving abilities and project success.
How to prepare for a job interview at Lime Talent
✨Showcase Your Project Management Skills
Be prepared to discuss your project management experience in detail. Highlight specific projects you've managed, focusing on how you ensured timely delivery and stakeholder buy-in. Use examples from the drinks industry if possible, as this will resonate well with the interviewers.
✨Understand the Drinks Industry
Research the latest trends and challenges within the drinks sector. Being knowledgeable about whisky, rum, and cognac will demonstrate your genuine interest in the role and help you engage in meaningful discussions during the interview.
✨Emphasise Cross-Functional Collaboration
Prepare to discuss how you've successfully collaborated with various teams in previous roles. Provide examples of how you coordinated with creative, marketing, and production teams to achieve project goals, as this is crucial for the NPD Project Manager position.
✨Highlight Your Problem-Solving Abilities
Be ready to share instances where you've identified risks or issues in a project and how you mitigated them. This will showcase your proactive approach and ability to manage complex initiatives, which is essential for this role.