Senior NPD Innovation Manager
Kepak Group, Ireland
Job Description
About Kepak:
Kepak Group is an Irish company and one of Europe’s leading meat processors. Kepak have a portfolio of market leading brands including Rustlers, Big Al’s, John Stone, Stript Snacks and Celtic Beef. At Kepak, our ambition to grow as a business is equalled only by our ambition to grow the careers and personal satisfaction of our people.
What to expect in the job?
Leading the NPD team in all areas of development, from conception to production, launching new products with confidence across Retail and Foodservice
- Process owner for NPD amp; Innovation in Cork site.
- Passionate driver of a successful NPD agenda in Kepak Red Meat, building a capable and confident team, championing excellence in project management.
- Building cross functional relationships across the wider business through a highly collaborative way of working and being a key driver of our Passion for Food value.
Reporting Relationship:
- Day- Day line management is the Cork site director/GM.
- Remotely reports to NPD amp; Innovation Director; role is responsible for the delivery of the Kepak Red Meat Ireland NPD agenda whilst working with the broader Group NPD team and with accountability and ownership of the NPD process.
- The role has potential line management of Senior technologists, Development Technologists and Development Assistants.
- Working closely with the broader NPD team.
Key Responsibilities:
Responsibilities associated with this role include, but are not limited to the following
- Lead and develop the Product Development Team within Red Meat Ireland and in line with Kepak HR Processes and Values.
- To take responsibility for Product Development within Kepak Ireland Red meat, Supporting the culinary team in the innovation process on concept development, before taking the lead on bringing NPD from brief to launch.
- To own the Development phase of the Kepak innovation process, taking responsibility initially for the implementation of the existing process but then for evaluating the process, comparing and contrasting to different processes within Kepak Group and then to work as part of a team across Group to standardise where appropriate.
- Initiative for ongoing research into EPD amp; Continuous Improvement seeking to optimise product quality, cost and nutritional profile. As part of this, the role should take responsibility and initiative for championing the impact of Kepak Core (Group sustainability programme) on existing and NPD.
Requirements
What we need from you?
- Food technology/science related degree qualification
- 10+ years’ experience of developing products within the food industry. Ideally involving meat, amp; short shelf life, preferablychilled environment
- Excellent project management skills.
- Commercially aware with a good grasp of consumer trends and the retail landscape.
- Demonstrable experience of managing NPD teams through concept to production stage of product.
- A people person with the ability to build effective cross functional relationships with a variety of internal stakeholders both in the realms of commercial and operations
- Experience working in matrix style structures requiring alignment to multiple functions.
- Passionate about food
Benefits
What can we offer you?
- Employee benefits platform
- Company phone
- Company laptop
- Discounted health insurance
- Pension scheme
- Subsidised canteen
- Free parking
- Cash sales available on company produce
- Flexibility of holiday planning
- Permanent contract
Note: This factory is located in an area that is not easily accessible by public transport.
Kepak is an Equal Opportunities Employer
Note: as with all positions, due to the nature of the business, key responsibilities will evolve and change over time
Connect with Kepak: LinkedIn | Twitter | Facebook