Senior NPD Technologist

The Cake Crew have a vacancy for Maternity Cover for a Senior NPD Technologist for a period of 1 year from February 2025. This role is for a customer-facing Senior NPD technologist who will ensure customer critical paths for project briefs are adhered to, launching product on time and supporting briefs with innovative ideas and trends through market data and research.

The main duties of the role are:

1. To manage customer accounts with NPD and EPD projects from concept to launch;
2. Direct contact with key retailers, face-to-face and written communication.
3. Create and develop innovative designs, capturing new key trends for both NPD and EPD projects.
4. Work to tight deadlines in a fast-paced environment ensuring that all key milestones are met.
5. Champion recipe creation and all documentation throughout the concept to launch process including recipes, submission forms, QAS/CQMs, launch folders, and factory paperwork.
6. Undertake all tasks associated with product launch organoleptic testing and micro review.
7. Responsible for sourcing new ingredients, fit for purpose for the design, customer and site requirements and costs. Be the first point of contact for basic information such as specification, MOQ, lead times, and price.
8. Attend all customer submission meetings.
9. Responsible for sending out kitchen samples and meeting the required delivery deadlines.
10. Work closely with process technologist to organise trials, ensure all raw materials are ordered in advance, and support production and the process technologist throughout the trial stage.
11. Organise preproduction launch meetings and oversee first product launches.
12. Support teams' workload to 'get the job done.'
13. Work closely with the relevant specification writer to ensure alignment with project updates.
14. Attend any onsite meetings as required.
15. Support with innovation days.
16. Attend quality panels when required and/or competitor benchmarking sessions.
17. Be the link between customer needs and requirements and the process technologist’s adherence to factory processes.
18. Support and ensure transit trials are completed and recorded.
19. Responsible for sending out photography samples and public relation samples.
20. Research new ways to produce and improve quality, processing, and packaging.
21. Support with projects for the benefit of the business and department as directed by the NPD manager.
22. Support and cover/deputise for the NPD department in the absence of the NPD Manager, e.g., attend meetings, support the team, etc.
23. Comply with and assist with the implementation of company food safety, quality, and legality policies as they relate to the role.

You will:

1. Preferably be educated to degree level.
2. Have experience working within an NPD technologist role in the food industry, ideally within bakery.
3. Have knowledge and experience of bakery ingredient functionality.
4. Have an understanding of HACCP principles and be suitably qualified (Level 3 minimum).
5. Have good written and verbal communication skills.
6. Be computer literate in all aspects of Microsoft Office.
7. Be food hygiene qualified.
8. Be conversant with retailer Codes of Practice and Policies desirable – Tesco, Sainsbury’s, CO-OP, Aldi, Asda, Morrisons, Iceland, Lidl, Bidfood, and Premier/Cadbury would be an advantage.

This is initially a maternity cover post, but may lead to a permanent full or part-time position.

If this is the role for you, then apply using the application form or send your CV to (url removed).