At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead innovative product development from concept to launch in health and wellness.
- Company: Join Zendlabs, one of the UK's fastest-growing contract manufacturing businesses.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, bonuses, health care, and career growth opportunities.
- Other info: Be part of a passionate team with autonomy and the chance to build something special.
- Why this job: Shape the future of exciting brands and drive innovation in a dynamic environment.
- Qualifications: Experience in NPD, formulation, and a passion for health and wellness products.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 65000 £ per year.
On-site | Leadership | Full Time | Hybrid Paddock Wood, Kent (with occasional UK, EU and US travel)
Help Build One of the UK's Most Exciting Contract Manufacturing Businesses
Zendlabs is looking for an exceptional NPD Specialist to help build one of the UK's fastest-growing contract manufacturing businesses. This isn't a traditional NPD role. This is an opportunity to work with ambitious health, wellness and sports nutrition brands, taking products from concept through to launch whilst helping shape the future of a business built around quality, innovation and customer experience. You’ll work directly with founders, brand owners and internal teams to bring new products to life, solve technical challenges and deliver an exceptional customer experience. If you love products, innovation and building relationships, you’ll love this role.
What You'll Be Responsible For
- Own New Product Development
- Manage customer projects from concept through to launch.
- Develop new powder formulations across sports nutrition, wellness and functional health products.
- Work closely with customers on ingredients, claims, flavour profiles and formats.
- Coordinate artwork approvals, specifications and technical documentation.
- Support continuous product innovation and line extensions.
- Customer Success & Relationship Management
- Build long-term relationships with customers and brand founders.
- Lead onboarding and product launches.
- Deliver an exceptional customer experience that drives retention, referrals and advocacy.
- Technical & Regulatory Leadership
- Work alongside Manufacturing to ensure products meet regulatory requirements.
- Support formulation development, stability and specification management.
- Manage change controls and continuous improvement projects.
- Help maintain world‑class quality standards across the facility.
- Cross‑Functional Project Management
- Work closely with: Procurement, Operations, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Commercial to ensure projects are delivered on time and in full.
- Drive Innovation
- Identify emerging ingredients, formats and market trends.
- Support future product categories and technologies.
- Attend exhibitions and supplier events.
- Help shape the future direction of Zendlabs.
What We're Looking For
- Experience within sports nutrition, supplements, functional foods or health and wellness products.
- Proven experience in NPD, formulation or technical roles.
- Strong understanding of ingredients, formulations and manufacturing processes.
- Experience managing multiple projects simultaneously.
- Commercial awareness and a customer‑first mentality.
- Exceptional communication and organisational skills.
- Naturally curious with a passion for innovation and continuous improvement.
The Type of Person Who Will Thrive Here
- You love products and innovation.
- You enjoy solving problems and turning ideas into reality.
- You are equally comfortable discussing formulations with customers, working with Quality or spending time on the production floor.
- You are curious, proactive and commercially minded.
- You thrive in fast‑moving environments with plenty of autonomy.
- You want to build something genuinely special rather than simply maintain the status quo.
Why Join Zendlabs?
- Help shape one of the UK's fastest‑growing contract manufacturing businesses.
- Work with exciting health, wellness and sports nutrition brands.
- Influence innovation, systems and customer experience.
- Be part of a passionate and ambitious team.
- Opportunity to grow with the business and build a team around you.
- Health Care, Optical & Hearing Salary sacrifice, Retail & Health discounts.
- Competitive Salary (£60,000 to £65,000 DOE), Bonus and Exceptional Long‑Term Career Opportunity.
Career Path & Next Steps
- Year 1
- Establish and lead the NPD function.
- Deliver world‑class customer onboarding and product launches.
- Help shape the innovation roadmap.
- Years 2‑3
- Build and develop an NPD team.
- Lead future product categories and technologies.
- Become a key member of the wider leadership team.
- Next Step: Head of Innovation
- Responsible for innovation strategy, product pipeline, technical leadership and long‑term growth of Zendlabs.
Senior NPD & Innovation Manager employer: zendbox
Zendlabs is an exceptional employer that offers a unique opportunity to shape the future of one of the UK's fastest-growing contract manufacturing businesses in the health, wellness, and sports nutrition sectors. With a strong focus on innovation, quality, and customer experience, employees enjoy a collaborative work culture that fosters personal and professional growth, competitive salaries, and comprehensive benefits, including health care and retail discounts. Join a passionate team where your contributions directly impact product development and customer success, all while enjoying the dynamic environment of Paddock Wood, Kent.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior NPD & Innovation Manager
✨Leverage Innovation Hubs
Tap into local innovation hubs and research centres. These places often host events and workshops where you can meet like-minded people and industry leaders. Plus, they might have job openings that aren't widely advertised, so keep your ears open!
✨Showcase Your Projects
Turn your past innovation projects into compelling stories. Create a portfolio showcasing your creativity and problem-solving skills. This can give hiring managers a real flavour of what you can bring to the table at companies like zendbox.
✨Connect at Industry Conferences
Make it a point to attend industry conferences and seminars focused on R&D and innovation management. These events are fantastic for networking and often have job boards or career fairs where you can connect directly with firms looking for talent.
✨Use Your University’s Resources
If you're fresh out of university, don't forget to tap into your institution's career services. They often have exclusive partnerships with companies seeking new talent in R&D, especially for full-time roles. It's a good shortcut to landing a gig at places like zendbox.
We think you need these skills to ace Senior NPD & Innovation Manager
Some tips for your application 🫡
Showcase Your Creative Thinking:In innovation and R&D management, it's all about thinking outside the box. Make sure your CV highlights any projects or experiences that showcase your creative problem-solving skills. Use specific examples to illustrate how you've developed and implemented innovative ideas in previous roles.
Tailor Your Experience to R&D:When you're crafting your CV, focus on your experience in research and development. Highlight any relevant projects you've worked on, including methodologies used and results achieved. This will show us at zendbox that you understand the R&D process and can contribute meaningfully to our projects.
Let Your Passion Shine in the Cover Letter:For a full-time role like this, your cover letter should reflect your genuine passion for innovation and development. Share your excitement about the opportunity to work at zendbox and touch on how your goals align with our mission. This helps us see your motivation for wanting to join our team!
Quantify Your Achievements:Numbers speak volumes in R&D! Whenever possible, quantify your achievements in your CV. Whether it’s a percentage improvement in project outcomes, the budget size you’ve managed, or the number of successful products you've launched, these figures will help paint a clearer picture of your impact and capabilities.
How to prepare for a job interview at zendbox
✨Show Off Your Innovative Thinking
In an Innovation R&D Management role at zendbox, they're going to want to see how you approach problem-solving. Be ready to discuss previous projects where you introduced a new idea or process. Highlight your ability to think outside the box and provide examples where your innovations drove significant results.
✨Familiarity with Tools and Technologies
Make sure you're clued up on the latest tools and technologies related to innovation management, such as project management software and data analysis platforms. Being able to discuss specific tools you’ve used or have experience with will show zendbox that you’re ready to hit the ground running.
✨Demonstrate Collaboration Skills
Since this is a full-time gig, emphasising your teamwork skills will be essential. In innovation, collaboration often sparks the best ideas, so be ready to talk about how you've worked effectively within cross-functional teams in your past roles. Have concrete examples at the ready!
✨Prepare for Scenario-Based Questions
Expect some scenario-based questions in your interview that reflect real challenges you might face in the role. £At zendbox, they might want to see how you handle tight deadlines or manage conflicting ideas within a team. Prepare some responses that demonstrate your critical thinking and decisiveness in high-pressure situations.
