Culinary Innovation Project Manager

Culinary Innovation Project Manager

We are seeking a dynamic and highly motivated Culinary & Innovation Project Manager to manage the end-to-end development of new products across retail, B2B, and foodservice sectors. The successful candidate will utilize the SIMPY Innovation process to ensure timely and successful product launches, working closely with cross-functional teams including Business Development, Sales, Production, and Finance. The role involves overseeing product development from concept to marketplace, managing critical paths, and ensuring compliance with food safety legislation and quality management systems.
Key responsibilities include leading cross-functional teams, conducting trials, and adapting products to meet evolving market trends. You will provide innovative solutions for customers, troubleshoot project challenges, and collaborate with senior management to meet business goals. Leadership, attention to detail, and strong project management skills are essential.

Key Responsibilities: Responsibilities associated with this role include, but are not limited to:

• The role of the C&I Project Manager is to facilitate the continuing development, identifying, managing, and efficiently developing new products from concept through to launch for retail, B2B & foodservice sectors
• Participate and support the C&I strategy in line with specific business development plans
• Using the SIMPY Innovation process manage a structured development process throughout TCFG to ensure the successful launch of new products into the marketplace. Working closely with customers and the commercial team in delivering new product and existing product development strategy which brings a competitive advantage to the business
• Provide strong leadership within the C&I team and with customers, ensuring timely delivery and execution of all projects
• Devising critical paths and manage them throughout the business
• Lead the cross functional project teams & meetings to actively drive the products through SIMPY Innovation process to successful launch within the business via approved critical paths
• Liaise with all functions including Business Development, Sales, Production, Maintenance, Purchasing and Technical as appropriate to progress live projects and the Culinary & Innovation strategy
• Provide relevant information to the finance department to enable calculation of product costing and ensure accurate records are documented with regards to all project work
• Steer pilot products through the development process from initiation to launch including carrying out recipe trials, taste panelling, customer consultation & presentation and first production
• Ensure that products are launched in compliance with food safety legislation and quality management systems, both on time and on budget
• Relay the project reports and results to the Senior Management team as required
• Work closely with customers in delivering innovative solutions that are in line with customer expectations and operational/commercial restraints
• Work with production in relation to process improvements / yields / improving process efficiencies
• Assisting customers with project troubleshooting
• Understanding the marketplace and change/evolve the product offering to meet consumer trends
• Participate in the completion of all State agency grant applications
• Write and maintain the upkeep of SOP’s relevant to C&I department
• Flexibility for factory trials which may be conducted outside of normal working hours

Skills / Qualifications/ Experience:

• 3rd level Degree in Food Science / Culinary Science or related discipline
• 5+ years NPD experience
• High energy, team player with strong record of meeting aggressive goals and objectives
• Strong culinary & organisational skills
• Strong people & project management skills
• Strong attention to detail skills required
• Good communication skills, self-starter, work under own initiative, good listener, assertive and highly motivated. Clear demonstration of an ability to provide guidance and motivation to others

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