Head of NPD

HEAD OF NPD

Role Overview

As Head of NPD, you will lead the development and execution of innovative product lines. You will be responsible for identifying market trends, conceptualizing new products, and managing the development process from idea generation to product launch. Your focus will be on driving innovation, enhancing product offerings, and contributing to overall business growth.

Key Responsibilities

Market Analysis and Trends:

• Conduct in-depth market research to identify consumer preferences, industry trends, and market opportunities.
• Evaluate competitor offerings to inform product development strategies.

Innovation and Product Development:

• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to develop innovative product concepts.
• Refine and manage product ideas to align with brand objectives and customer needs.
• Oversee prototype development, testing, and feedback implementation.

Project Management:

• Lead the end-to-end product development lifecycle, including concept validation, formulation, and scaling production.
• Work closely with marketing, supply chain, and production teams to ensure seamless product launches.
• Monitor timelines, budgets, and resources to deliver projects efficiently.

Quality and Compliance:

• Ensure all products meet quality standards, regulatory requirements, and company guidelines.
• Collaborate with quality assurance teams to address product challenges or improvements.

Consumer Insights and Engagement:

• Develop strategies to gather consumer feedback and evaluate product performance.
• Utilize insights to refine and improve products.

Financial and Commercial Success:

• Work with finance teams to establish pricing strategies that balance profitability and market competitiveness.
• Monitor product performance against business objectives.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Marketing, Business, or a related field.
• At least five years of experience in product development or innovation, ideally in the FMCG sector.
• Proven track record of managing successful product launches.
• Strong understanding of market trends and consumer behavior.
• Creative and strategic thinker with the ability to translate insights into actionable product strategies.
• Exceptional communication and collaboration skills for working across teams.
• Strong attention to detail and a passion for delivering high-quality products.