NPD Manager

Do you have experience leading new product development within chilled food or meat manufacturing?

Can you take products from initial concept and recipe development through factory trials, customer approval and launch?

Are you commercially minded, hands-on and confident working directly with major retail customers?

MacGregor Black are partnering with an established food manufacturing business on the search for an NPD Manager . This is a permanent, hybrid-based role in Ballymena.

This is a newly created position offering the opportunity to establish and lead a dedicated NPD function within a successful, growing manufacturer. The business has developed strong relationships with major UK retailers and is now investing in its innovation capability to support further growth.

The NPD Manager will take ownership of the end-to-end product development process, turning customer briefs and market opportunities into high-quality, commercially viable products. Initially, the role will play a central part in a major range renovation programme before building a more structured, proactive innovation pipeline.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead new products from initial concept and recipe development through trials, launch and post-launch review.
• Create commercially viable recipes that meet customer, quality and manufacturing requirements.
• Manage the NPD critical path, ensuring projects are delivered on time and to the agreed brief.
• Lead kitchen and factory trials, working closely with Technical, Commercial, Operations and Procurement.
• Support a significant reformulation programme across the existing product portfolio.
• Build strong relationships with retail customers, presenting concepts, samples and development updates.
• Ensure products meet food safety, legislative, allergen and customer-specific requirements.
• Assess factory feasibility, raw-material utilisation, yield, cost and margin throughout development.
• Introduce greater structure, pace and accountability across the NPD process.
• Identify proactive innovation opportunities based on consumer trends, customer insight and market activity.

What We’re Looking For:

• Proven NPD or product development experience within food manufacturing.
• Experience taking products from concept through factory scale-up and commercial launch.
• A strong understanding of recipe development, ingredients, allergens and food legislation.
• Experience within meat, protein or chilled food manufacturing would be highly advantageous.
• Exposure to major UK retail customers and retailer-led development processes.
• Strong project management skills with experience managing critical paths and multiple launches.
• A practical, hands-on approach and confidence working within a fast-paced factory environment.
• Commercial awareness, including product costing, margin and manufacturing feasibility.
• Strong communication and influencing skills across Technical, Commercial and Operational teams.
• A food-related degree or equivalent industry experience.

Salary £45k

For further information, please contact Alice Redmond at MacGregor Black .