NPI Manager

Location: Hyde
Department: Product & Innovation

We're looking for an experienced NPI Manager to join our Product & Innovation team at Hyde.

This is a fantastic opportunity for a food manufacturing professional with strong project management and leadership experience to take ownership of the end-to-end NPI process, ensuring successful product launches that meet customer, technical, operational, and commercial requirements.

Working closely with Development, Operations, Technical, Engineering, Commercial, and Customer teams, you'll lead the delivery of new products from approval through trials and first production, ensuring projects are delivered right first time and on schedule.

• Lead and manage the NPI team, prioritising workload and ensuring successful project delivery.

• Drive new product launches through trials, validation, and first production runs.

• Manage critical paths, ensuring projects are delivered on time and to customer expectations.

• Coordinate cross-functional teams including NPD, Operations, Technical, Engineering, and Commercial.

• Lead factory trials, product validations, shelf-life assessments, and process sign-off activities.

• Identify and implement continuous improvement, yield improvement, and cost-saving initiatives.

• Approve specifications, recipes, artwork, and technical documentation.

• Support site investment projects, process improvements, and operational excellence initiatives.

• Develop and coach team members to maximise performance and career development.

• Degree qualified in Food Science, Food Technology, Manufacturing, or a related discipline.

• Experience in a Process Manager, NPI Manager, or Process Development role within food manufacturing.

• Strong project management and stakeholder management skills.

• Knowledge of food legislation, food safety, and product labelling requirements.

• Proven experience managing multiple projects in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.

• Excellent communication, organisational, and problem-solving skills.

Desirable

• High-volume food manufacturing experience.
• Culinary or product development knowledge.
• Experience delivering customer-facing NPI projects.
• Strong understanding of continuous improvement and factory processes.

Benefits Include:

• Competitive salary and benefits package
• Pension scheme
• Life assurance
• Employee discount platform
• Ongoing training and development
• Career progression opportunities within a leading food manufacturing business

If you're passionate about innovation, process improvement, and bringing exciting new products to market, we'd love to hear from you.

Apply today and help shape the future of food innovation at Pilgrim's Europe!

Pilgrim’s Europe produces some of the best-known and most iconic brands in the UK and Ireland, including Fridge Raiders, Rollover, Denny, Richmond, Oakhouse and Moy Park, alongside a diverse range of industry leading own-label products in categories including fresh pork, lamb and chicken, working with all the major retailers and food service outlets.

Our portfolio extends to authentic chilled and frozen ready meals, snacking ranges, added value and food service products.

Across Pilgrim’s Europe we combine 20,000 of the best people in the industry, united by a shared set of core values and a passion for producing the highest quality, most delicious and innovative food, which is enjoyed by millions of people in the UK, Ireland and Europe every day. Our Pilgrim’s Europe team are based in our Pilgrim’s UK, Moy Park, Pilgrim’s Food Masters and Pilgrim’s Shared Services businesses.

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