Manager Group New Product Development

General Responsibilities

Summary

End-to-End Product Development:
Lead the product development process for our Own brands, from initial concept and market research to product launch and post-launch analysis.
Collaborate with marketing, design, regulatory and quality teams to ensure product concepts meet business objectives and are launched on time in full.

Responsibilities

• Market Research and Trend Analysis:

Conduct market research to identify trends, customer preferences, and gaps in the market. Analyze competitor products and customer feedback to inform new product ideas and development strategies.

• Innovation and Product Optimization:

Drive innovation and renovation by proposing new product ideas to capture market share and optimizing existing products to enhance profitability.

• Supplier and Vendor Management:

Lead strategic sourcing efforts to identify, evaluate, and onboard reliable suppliers and manufacturers that align with our quality, sustainability, and cost objectives.
Build and maintain strong relationships with suppliers and manufacturers to source for high-quality products and ensure smooth production processes
Negotiate commercial terms, including pricing, lead times, MOQs, and service levels, to ensure competitive and cost-effective procurement across categories and ensure launches to happen on time.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration:

Work closely with marketing, sales, and operations teams to ensure product alignment with brand identity, customer expectations, and retail strategies.
Coordinate product testing, quality assurance, and compliance efforts to ensure new products meet regulatory and quality standards.

• Project Management:

Manage product development timelines, budgets, and resources to ensure timely product launches.
Monitor progress through regular updates, identifying and addressing potential roadblocks to meet project milestones.

• Post-Launch Monitoring and Continuous Improvement:

Track the performance of newly launched products, using sales data, customer feedback, and market insights to make recommendations for product improvements or line extensions.

Implement continuous improvement initiatives to refine and enhance future product offerings.

Functional Skills and Knowledge

• Minimum 5 years of experience in new product development , preferably within the Dairy and edible oils industry.
Experience working in house brands/own brands preferred

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Experience working with marketing, design, quality, logistics, and regulatory teams
• Ability to manage multiple stakeholders in a matrix environment
• Strong interpersonal and relationship-building skills

Project & Timeline Management

• Skilled in project planning and tracking against timelines and budgets
• Ability to identify and mitigate risks proactively

Industry & Brand Understanding

• Knowledge of private label/house brand dynamics
• Ability to align product development with brand strategy and positioning

Education

Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Marketing (or any other related field). A master's degree is a plus.

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