Bakery Technical Development Manager

Are you a technical expert in sweet bakery with a passion for innovation, customer partnership, and hands-on product development? If you thrive at the intersection of NPD, technical application, and customer-facing support, this is a rare opportunity to join a respected, high-growth food manufacturer and become a key player in their next phase of expansion.

We're supporting a leading business in the bakery and ingredients sector to find a Technical Development Manager who can drive technical projects, lead customer development, and shape the future of their delicious portfolio.

The Role

You’ll act as the technical face of the business for a defined customer base across the South, working closely with industrial bakeries, manufacturers, foodservice operators and suppliers. This is a hybrid role blending product development, customer support, and commercial thinking.

You will be responsible for:

• Leading the development from concept to launch.
• Driving innovation and introducing new product ideas into target markets.
• Providing hands-on customer support, technical troubleshooting and application expertise.
• Managing NPD projects through the Test Bakery to customer line trials.
• Working in partnership with customers to grow volumes and identify new opportunities.
• Ensuring all products meet regulatory, safety and retailer standards.
• Building strong, trust-based relationships with bakers, production teams and technical functions.
• Supporting the delivery of business plans and contributing to growth targets.

About You

You will ideally bring:

• Significant technical expertise in sweet bakery and ingredient functionality.
• Hands-on NPD experience, including formulation, bench work and scale-up.
• Experience supporting industrial bakeries or manufacturers with technical development.
• A track record of working directly with customers in a technical or development capacity.
• Strong project management ability and the confidence to lead cross-functional teams.

What’s on Offer

• A home-based role with autonomy and influence
• Competitive base package plus bonus
• Car allowance

This is an excellent opportunity for someone who enjoys being customer-facing, technically hands-on, and driving innovation in a fast-moving category. Please do reach out and I'll call you back with more details