Charlie Bigham's | B-Corp
NFD Manager (MAT Cover)
London
Posted 6 days ago
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Food Team Lead – Recipe Design & New Food Development
Job Introduction
As the Food Team Lead, you will champion world-class recipe design and take full responsibility for all new food re-development, including:
- Recipe and new product process development
- Trials to launch
- Post-launch care up to the 26-week review
Your role is to deliver consistent, high-quality recipes with rigorous due diligence.
Key Responsibilities
🍽️ New Food Development
- Lead the delivery of delicious, high-quality food aligned with food and brand values.
- Create, manage, and meet deadlines for all new food development (NFD) briefs on critical paths.
- Brief chefs with clear direction and defined deadlines, considering production implications.
- Prioritise chef and process team workloads to ensure timely delivery.
- Own sourcing of new raw materials to ensure quality right from the start.
- Cost all NFD developments to meet margin targets and secure sign-off.
- Benchmark products against competitors to maintain best-in-class standards.
- Conduct shelf-life taste testing (fresh, frozen) to ensure consistent quality.
- Prepare professional food presentations outlining recipes, ingredients, methods, and launch rationale.
- Provide accurate data and cost information for the Gatekeeping process, ensuring smooth project sign-off.
- Support customer sell-ins with product kits and chef support to drive tradeshow success.
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⚙️ Process Oversight
- Attend and lead NFD Meetings, facilitating clear communication on all developments.
- Ensure pre/post-trial meetings with stakeholders deliver actionable outcomes, recommendations, and deadlines.
- Oversee accurate trial reports with details on yields, labour, viscosity, and quality measures.
- Conduct due diligence in:
- Shelf-life testing
- Nutritional and cooking validations
- Trial reviews for safe, high-quality food production.
- Develop ‘right first time’ process designs for consistent and effective site execution.
💬 Communication & Collaboration
- Work closely with the EFD Manager for site-wide NFD programme coordination.
- Maintain effective communication with wider site and central teams.
- Collaborate with operations, technical, and supply chain teams (especially on trials/lauches).
- Drive food engagement, ensuring quality-first mentality across teams.
- Provide informative post-launch site handovers for sustained success.
👥 Leadership & Team Management
- lead and manage a team of:
- 2 Technologists
- 2 Chefs
- 1 Kitchen Assistant
- Collaborate with the EFD Chef on recipe development.
- Conduct regular 1:1s, appraisals, and performance reviews to build a high-performing team.
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🎯 Projects & Additional Responsibilities
- Lead standalone or cross-team projects to achieve stated goals.
- Conduct PLR (Project Life Review) for all developments.
- Resolve ad-hoc project demands as needed.
The Ideal Candidate
🔎 Qualifications & Experience
- Proven experience in managing a team.
- Minimum 5 years in Process Management.
- Strong background in either NPD (New Product Development) or EPD (Enhanced Product Development).
- Grocery/ready meals industry experience preferred.
🧠 Key Skills
- A confident, engaging communicator.
- Numerate with strong analytical skills.
- Highly accurate and detail-oriented.
- Organised, with the ability to multitask and prioritise effectively.
- Focused with outstanding attention to detail.
- Strong interpersonal and commercial acumen.
🔥 Key Attributes
- Passionate about great food.
- Positive ‘Can-Do’ attitude.
- Highly motivated and energetic.
- Enjoys collaborative teamwork.
- Creative and innovative.
- Independent, proactive, and change-ready.
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Skills
Process Management
NPD
EPD
Analytical Skills
Attention to Detail
Interpersonal Skills
Commercial Acumen
Communication
Team Leadership
Recipe Development
Food Safety
Project Management
Time Management
Creativity
Innovation
Problem Solving
Location