Lead Product Development Manager

Want to help us bring happiness to the world? Want to join an ambitious and fast growing global biscuits and confectionery business investing heavily in iconic global brands, infrastructure and people? Then this is the place for you.

As proud bakers and chocolatiers and custodians of iconic global brands, we don’t compromise on the quality of ingredients in our products or on the people we hire. We are looking for entrepreneurial spirits who share our passion for bringing happiness to our consumers and who embody our Winning Traits.

To succeed at pladis you need to be purpose-led , resilient , and positive to succeed here because we expect pace and agility , we insist on collaboration and demand accountability. If that is your thing, then pladis offers global ambition, a clear Vision and roadmap for success, challenge, and unrivalled opportunities to learn and make an impact.

We have an exciting opportunity for a Lead Product Development Manager role based at High Wycombe on a permanent basis.

Key deliverables:

Strategy and Business Knowledge

• Interact with R&D to guide and commercialise key technologies essential for new innovation both internally and externally.
• Interact with brand managers to populate savoury pipeline in line with strategy.
• Interact with flavour houses, seasoning and ingredient suppliers to create both base and topical flavour systems.
• Knowledge and understanding of regional taste differences and is able to apply to work appropriately as well as advise others.
• Working closely with sensory to get to the right product.
• Utilise supplier technology to deliver unique solutions to the marketplace.

Creation/Project Management

• Demonstrate a leadership role in new projects and initiatives on savoury crisps and snacks.
• Proactive in using new materials and advancing technology.
• Continue to prove commercial success through new and aligned relevant innovation and new wins.
• Demonstrate consistent year-over-year portfolio progression.
• Direct technology development and implementation.
• Create and execute training programs for technical and commercial staff on seasoning and flavour.
• Key input and/or leadership role into savoury community of practice.
• Anticipate, investigate and resolve problems related to raw materials, flavour systems, finished prototypes and initial scale up procedures.
• Proactive in new raw material evaluation.
• Continue to expand own knowledge.
• Proactively work with new flavour systems and specific areas of improvement.
• Foster cross category collaboration and knowledge sharing.

This includes:

• Provide a technical response to the commercial brief and completing Acorn. Input technical detail into Stage & Gate process then translate this into a Product Development Programme.
• Identify technical hurdles, compile technical risk assessment and contingencies, communicate to product design lead/Project Manager any project issues (including non-functional issues).
• Ensure timely completion of project documentation and monitor, acting upon it accordingly.
• Ensure technical gates are completed at each stage plus ensure the completion of ingredient specs, product specs, HARA, and product quality attributes delegating tasks to project team as appropriate.
• Overall responsibility for the development of bench samples, planning and running pilot plant and factory trials (pladis and Suppliers), and presentation of samples to marketing.
• Ensure that all work is carried out in a safe and hygienic manner, following factory or bakery GMPs.
• Regularly review trial’s budget for a project and the associated phased spend ensuring regular update of cost tracking spreadsheet and reviewing with line manager.
• Draw up product specs to final status ensuring effective handover of the development to the factory following an appropriate post launch review.

Leadership & Team management:

• Manage, empower and mentor team, so that their personal and technical development needs are identified and acted upon – the outputs should be evaluated through the appraisal system. Be a role model for the team promoting high standards of work, and behaviours.
• Ensure that personal development plans are built, kept current and actioned as appropriate.
• Use their breadth of experience to act as a technical mentor across the team to ensure mitigation of risk to execution of projects.
• Work with colleagues to ensure that product development facilities are maintained to a safe and hygienic standard and operate using lean principles. Drive for continuous improvement.

pladis is an Equal Opportunity Employer, committed to hiring a diverse workforce. All openings will be filled based on qualifications without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, marital status, veteran status, disability, age, religion or any other classification protected by law.

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