NPD Manager

Recruiter:

Fenris Personnel CC

Job Ref:

JHB002175/KVR

Date posted:

Thursday, September 17, 2026

Location:

Johannesburg, South Africa

Salary:

R540K Annually

SUMMARY:
NPD MANAGER – FOOD MANUFACTURING
Our client, a well-established organisation within the food manufacturing industry, is seeking an experienced New Product Development (NPD) Manager to lead their product development function.
This is a specialist opportunity for an NPD professional with a strong technical background in poultry applications, formulation, spices and flavour development, together with proven leadership and customer-facing experience.

POSITION INFO:

Duties & Responsibilities

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
Lead and manage the NPD team, ensuring effective project prioritisation and delivery
Manage multiple NPD projects from customer brief through to commercialisation
Interpret customer requirements and develop innovative formulation solutions
Develop, test and optimise recipes and product concepts
Prepare product samples and manage customer feedback and reformulation requirements
Work closely with customer development teams throughout the product development process
Source specialised spices, flavours and ingredients through flavour houses and suppliers
Develop and optimise spice packs, spice blends, savoury sauces, marinades and related products
Ensure compliance with food safety, regulatory and quality requirements
Oversee product specifications, recipes and production documentation
Monitor market and industry trends to identify new product opportunities
Provide technical guidance and leadership to the NPD team

Desired Experience & Qualification

REQUIREMENTS
Degree/Diploma in Food Science, Food Technology or a related discipline
Proven experience in food product development, preferably within spices, seasonings and savoury applications
Strong formulation and sensory evaluation capabilities
Specialist knowledge of poultry applications and processing
Experience working with flavour houses, spice companies and ingredient suppliers
Knowledge of food safety, quality and regulatory requirements
Proven project management and team leadership experience
Strong customer-facing and communication skills
Creative approach to flavour development with the technical ability to create and match flavour profiles
Strong commercial and problem-solving orientation
Poultry formulation and application development
Chicken breading and crumbing systems
Coatings and batter systems
Brining and marinades
Pick-up, coating adhesion and processing performance
Formulation and recipe development
Yield optimisation
Texture, adhesion and moisture retention
Frying and processing performance
Spice blends, savoury sauces and marinades
Flavour creation, matching and optimisation
Working with poultry processors, flavour houses and ingredient suppliers

only short listed candidates will be contacted

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Desired Experience & Qualification

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