Process Manager (14 month FTC)

At Yeo Valley, we’ve been making delicious, organic dairy products for over 50 years. As a family‑run business, we believe in doing things the right way – sustainably, ethically, and with people at the heart of what we do. We are looking for a Process Manager to join our Central Development Team on a 14‑month FTC to cover maternity leave. This role will be based at our Newton Abbot site and the working hours are 40 hours per week (Monday to Friday).

Under the direction of the Senior Process Manager, as Process Manager you will lead & manage, with the support of Senior/ Process Technologists, the launching & evaluating of new & existing products within the ice cream & desserts category. You will collaborate and lead with cross functional teams to deliver cutting‑edge, high‑quality product concepts that are aligned with customer and business priorities. This role requires the overall ability to be the interface of the site development process with the customer and the internal functions to deliver products from Gate 3 to 6 approval and ensure a successful product launch from their site. You will improve and develop processes and procedures across the site with the below main areas of focus:

• Supervising existing and developing new site processes
• Lead the Product & Material reformulation site plan
• Supporting Capital Projects with Senior Process Manager
• Managing NPD/EPD site launches

This role is critical in shaping the future of the Yeo Valley Product Portfolio.

Product Innovation Support:

• Nominated site lead contact for Yeo Valley Process Development for internal and external projects associated with assigned site.
• To manage specific NPD projects from Gate 3 approval to Gate 6 Post Launch Review, ensuring the relevant stakeholders are involved at the right stage and aligned, and the business has clear visibility on the NPD agenda for your allocated site and the state of play on current projects.
• To develop and maintain excellent customer relationships with defined retailers through a customer ‘intimate’ approach.
• Must be able to explain difficult or sensitive information and be willing to step in & support more junior team members in this area.
• To present and discuss factory trial products with the customer and where applicable attend high profile pre‑productions.
• To manage trial requests from customers or internal colleagues for new business, new customers, product range presentations.
• Has accountability of the results and performance of their site process team with regards to NPD success and reaching targets/objectives.
• To assist the technical teams in maintaining the quality management systems and processes in line with legal, customer, company and other best practice requirements which create, maintain and improve the integrity and food safety and quality of all products manufactured.
• Conduct process audits and support root cause analysis when quality or efficiency issues arise.
• Own the Process Development Systems for your site and ensure they are always up to date, as well as managing and implementing the internal audit of these systems.

Essential Requirements

• Technical Skills – Expertise in product formulation & sensory analysis.
• Project Management – Experience in managing multiple product development projects simultaneously, with a focus on meeting deadlines and managing resources effectively.
• Knowledge of Ingredients – Strong understanding of the functional properties of yogurt, desserts & ice cream, savoury or fruit.
• Teamwork – Ability to work well with a collaborative, cross‑functional team environment and lead in own area of expertise.
• Problem solving – Leads the team with troubleshooting skills & guidance. They have the ability to analyse complex technical challenges & implement solutions. Familiar with Root Cause Analysis. Support & mentor team members to reach solutions.
• Communication – Excellent verbal & written communication skills with the ability to present ideas and data clearly to technical & non-technical stakeholders.
• Driver’s License is essential due to multi‑site locations.

Qualifications

• Food qualification or previous food manufacturing or catering experience.
• Minimum 5 years of post‑graduate experience in a food NPD role, preferably within dairy, desserts, ice cream, savoury or fruit.
• Ideally have some people management experience.

Desirable Skills and Personal Attributes

• Industry Knowledge – Working knowledge of relevant legislation criteria and food production industry standards/HACCP.
• Large Scale Capital Projects – Ideally experience in managing or supporting.
• Business Acumen – Commercial awareness with the ability to identify & maximise opportunities while minimising costs.
• Personal Attributes: Detail‑Oriented – Meticulous attention to detail in both product development and documentation.
• Adaptability – Able to work in a fast‑paced environment and adjust to changing priorities & project timelines.
• Resilience and supporting others are key.
• Analytical Thinker – strong, analytical skills, capable of interpreting data to guide decision‑making processes.
• Tenacious & “can do” attitude.
• Self‑driven with a growth mindset & can use initiative.
• Desire and ability to influence & drive change.
• Hands on & practical approach to working.
• Good IT skills – Microsoft and database systems.
• Influential – Ability to pull cross functional teams in one direction with right level of data and detail to make decisions.

Benefits

We’re independent, British and proud to be making the highest quality yogurts, desserts and ice cream under the Yeo Valley brand and for many of the UK’s major retailers. Operating from four dairies and two logistics centres in Somerset and Devon, we employ over 1900 staff and produce more than 25% of the UK’s packaged yogurt. We’re sure you don’t need convincing, but there’s a whole host of benefits that we offer. It goes without saying that you'll have access to free parking, top of the range personal protection equipment (PPE) and your own locker. You'll also receive the following:

• Competitive holiday allowance
• Non‑contributory pension scheme
• Life cover
• Healthcare cash back plan
• Cycle to work scheme
• Subsidised Yeo Valley products and services
• Preferential rates with our partners
• Learning and development opportunities; we’re committed to ensuring all of our employees have the chance to grow.

Our closing dates are a guide for when the application window should close, although we may close the advert sooner if we can. So, we recommend you get your application in straight away – and don’t miss the opportunity to join us! Unfortunately, we’re not able to provide employment sponsorship to candidates at this moment in time. Please note that Yeo Valley do not accept speculative agency applications; we will only accept applications from preferred suppliers that have been submitted to us via our recruitment portal at the point of instruction.