NPD Project Manager, Kent

Job Description

This client is a leading global supplier of ingredients and premix manufacturing solutions for the food, beverage and nutrition industries. They have stocks in over 35 centres around the world to ensure continuity and has manufacturing facilities in the UK, China and the USA.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES & ACCOUNTABILITIES
• Ensuring products are delivered against briefs and managing the NPD project process from initial enquiry to product launch.
• Plans and coordinates activities of designated projects to ensure that goals or objectives of projects are accomplished within prescribed time frames. This includes setting scope, teams, tasks, timing and critical paths for projects.
• Develop and maintain a projects tracker that summarises the statues of tasks required.
• Oversee modifications to schedules and/or plans as required to maintain integrity of projects.
• Run weekly projects meetings to ensure all departments are following up on outstanding tasks.
• Establishing unique customer demands and ensuring their needs and requirements are met by assigning to appropriate departments.
• Support in customer’s meetings to provide detailed updates on projects status. In addition, where required, chase the customer for outstanding actions from their side.
• Liaising with all internal departments within the NPD process to ensure timely delivery of projects.
• Manage and work with external partners to deliver on opportunities outside of current on-site business capabilities.
• Develop and maintain good knowledge of key ingredients, supply chains and manufacturing processes through regular communication with the business units and commercial teams.
• Monitor and mitigate project risks.
• Prepare indicative costings for new opportunities and update costings once products are approved for launch.
• Attend taste panels to become familiar with products and flavour trends.
• Keep up to date with trends by attending innovation sessions, webinars and training events.
• Evaluation of projects to identify key issues and achievements in order to learn for future opportunities.
• Drafting and updating company NPD procedures / SOPs where required.
• Taking responsibility for successful project launch with the operational team.
• Overseeing repeat orders with the operational team and providing key customers with schedule updates.
• Monitor orders to be delivered/released on time and communicating with internal departments to ensure any issues are addressed early and communicated back to the customer.
• Proactively identifying additional opportunities for range expansions and new products.
• Compile and send weekly schedule tracker for contract manufacturing.

CORE COMPETENCIES / PERSON SPECIFICATIONS
• Education to GCSE standard minimum or equivalent.
• Proven experience of delivering a project from concept to first order.
• Excellent communication skills at all levels.
• Ability to manage multiple projects at the same time.
• High attention to detail.
• Demonstrable organisational skills and use of initiative in order to resolve issues.
• Ability to work to deadlines and prioritise workload.
• Proficiency in Word, Excel and Outlook to a minimum of intermediate standard.