NPD Project Manager

NPD Project Manager - 12 month contract

Greater London – Hybrid

£50,000 - £55,000 + Package

The Advocate is partnered with a growing leader within the drinks industry seeking a seasoned and ambitious NPD Project Manager to lead groundbreaking initiatives. This is an unparalleled opportunity to collaborate with a global powerhouse and play a pivotal role in driving new product development success.

Key Responsibilities

Lead New Product Development Projects

• Take ownership of a portfolio of new product and commercialisation projects across a defined region.
• Coordinate projects from initial concept and planning through to launch, ensuring key milestones are delivered on time.
• Work closely with commercial, technical, supply chain and operational teams to keep projects moving and resolve issues quickly.
• Monitor progress against agreed timelines, identifying potential delays and taking action before they impact delivery.

Project Planning & Delivery

• Work with stakeholders to establish project requirements, objectives, timelines and measures of success.
• Build and maintain clear project plans, tracking milestones, dependencies, actions and key deliverables.
• Coordinate multiple projects simultaneously, balancing priorities and focusing attention where it will have the greatest commercial impact.
• Ensure projects progress through the appropriate approval and governance stages.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Bring together teams from across the business to ensure projects are aligned and progressing effectively.
• Chair regular project meetings, maintain clear action plans and ensure accountability across the wider team.
• Build strong working relationships with both internal and external partners involved in product development and launch.
• Communicate clearly with stakeholders at different levels and across different functions.

Stakeholder & Communication Management

• Act as a central point of contact for project-related activity, ensuring stakeholders have the information they need to make informed decisions.
• Provide clear updates on progress, priorities, risks and potential challenges.
• Confidently challenge information, highlight gaps and escalate issues where necessary.
• Build effective relationships across a fast-moving, international organisation.

Risk & Issue Management

• Identify potential risks and challenges throughout the project lifecycle.
• Assess their potential impact and put practical mitigation plans in place.
• Drive the resolution of issues, ensuring high-priority challenges are addressed quickly.
• Maintain visibility of project risks and communicate these effectively to relevant stakeholders.

Data, Systems & Reporting

• Use project management systems and reporting tools to maintain accurate project information.
• Track project performance, timelines, milestones and key actions.
• Analyse data to identify trends, issues and opportunities and use these insights to support decision-making.
• Produce clear and concise project updates and reports for relevant stakeholders.

Continuous Improvement

• Look for ways to improve project delivery, processes and ways of working.
• Identify opportunities to make project management more efficient and effective.
• Share best practice and contribute to the development of improved processes across the wider team.

About You

We're looking for an experienced project professional who enjoys working in a fast-paced environment and is comfortable managing multiple priorities at once.

You'll ideally bring:

• Experience in project management, NPD, commercialisation or a similar environment, ideally within consumer goods or another fast-moving industry.
• Experience managing projects from initial planning through to launch or implementation.
• Strong understanding of structured project management methodologies and governance processes.
• Experience working across multiple business functions, with the ability to influence people without direct line management responsibility.
• Excellent organisational skills, with the ability to manage a high volume of projects and competing deadlines.
• Strong commercial awareness and the confidence to prioritise, challenge and make decisions based on business impact.
• Strong analytical skills and confidence working with Excel and project data.
• Experience working with project management systems and business processes; experience with ERP systems would be advantageous.
• A structured and detail-oriented approach, while still being able to understand the bigger commercial picture.
• A proactive, resilient and positive approach, with the ability to remain effective when priorities change.
• Comfortable working in an environment where things move quickly and processes continue to evolve.

You'll be someone who can take a complex project, bring the right people together, create structure and keep things moving. You'll be comfortable working at pace, managing competing priorities and challenging stakeholders when necessary — while maintaining strong relationships across the business.

You don't need to have every box ticked. If you have strong project management experience in a fast-moving consumer, manufacturing, retail or similarly complex environment and enjoy making things happen, we'd be keen to hear from you.

If you are a motivated individual with a passion for international sales, we'd love to hear from you!

Get in touch with Ciara at the Advocate Group or APPLY NOW to be considered for this exciting vacancy.

The Advocate Group is a leading recruitment partner, based in the UK, to the FMCG and consumer product sectors. We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all suitably qualified persons regardless of their race, sex, disability, religion/belief, sexual orientation, or age. By applying for this role, you are agreeing to our Privacy Policy, which can be found on our website. Please note that The Advocate Group is acting as an employment agency in relation to this vacancy.