New Product Development Manager, EMEA in London

Position Overview:

A rapidly growing global QSR and consumer brand is seeking a New Product Development & Supply Chain Manager to lead the development, commercialization, and supply chain delivery of new menu items, ingredients, packaging, and product innovation across international markets.

This highly cross-functional role sits within Supply Chain and partners closely with Marketing, Operations, Development, Quality, Procurement, Innovation, and external suppliers. The Manager will take products from concept through launch, ensuring each innovation is commercially viable, operationally executable, and aligned with quality and brand standards.

The role will also support category management and supplier strategy, helping build the supply chain capabilities required to support both new product innovation and ongoing business growth.

Key Responsibilities:

• Own the end-to-end NPD process from concept through commercialization and launch.
• Manage an innovation pipeline across food, beverages, packaging, and equipment.
• Lead cross-functional project teams, timelines, critical paths, budgets, and stage-gate approvals.
• Deliver limited-time offers, permanent menu additions, and market-specific innovations.
• Develop sourcing strategies aligned with the product pipeline, market expansion, cost, quality, and supply risk.
• Lead supplier sourcing, qualification, negotiations, contracts, onboarding, and performance management.
• Build strategic supplier relationships and identify emerging ingredients, technologies, capabilities, and consumer trends.
• Lead product trials, factory testing, restaurant testing, and operational validation.
• Manage commercialization requirements including specifications, cost modeling, ingredient sourcing, packaging, shelf life, nutrition, regulatory compliance, and launch readiness.
• Partner with Operations to ensure products can be executed consistently, including equipment compatibility, build times, training, quality, and waste considerations.
• Track consumer and food trends, competitive activity, and whitespace opportunities to inform the innovation pipeline.
• Conduct post-launch reviews and identify opportunities for continuous improvement.

What You'll Need:

• 5+ years of New Product Development experience within QSR, food manufacturing, foodservice, or hospitality.
• Strong understanding of food product development and commercialization.
• Experience working with suppliers, manufacturers, and cross-functional teams.
• Proven project management skills with the ability to manage multiple launches simultaneously.
• Strong commercial and analytical acumen.
• Excellent stakeholder management and ability to influence without direct authority.
• Highly organized with strong attention to detail and follow-through.
• Experience working across international markets preferred.
• Franchise experience preferred.
• Knowledge of food regulations and manufacturing processes preferred.
• Packaging development experience a plus.
• Project management certification such as PRINCE2 is a plus.
• Willingness to travel internationally as needed.

Who You Are:

You are a builder and hands-on operator who enjoys taking ideas from concept to reality. You thrive in a fast-paced, high-growth QSR environment and are equally comfortable developing strategy and managing the details required to execute.

You are commercially minded, highly organized, and comfortable managing multiple priorities and stakeholders. You bring curiosity, creativity, and a solutions-oriented mindset to product development.

You build strong relationships with suppliers and internal partners, communicate effectively across functions and cultures, and are comfortable influencing without direct authority.

Most importantly, you take ownership, move with urgency, and are passionate about creating products that deliver for both the consumer and the business.