NPD Manager – Beverages £50,000 - £60,000 + Bonus + Benefits Kent Tired of the same-old product briefs, slow decision-making, and red tape? Here’s a rare opportunity to lead end-to-end NPD projects in the fast-moving world of RTD (Ready-to-Drink) beverages, where your ideas don’t sit in a queue, they hit the shelves. This is a hands-on, commercially-focused NPD Manager role for someone who wants more autonomy, more visibility, and more impact. You’ll be joining a business with serious manufacturing capability, global reach, and a senior leadership team that actually listens to their technical experts. Why This Job? Why Now?

Own the development process from idea to launch. No handoffs, no silos, no chasing approvals from five different departments.
Work directly with customers, not just internal stakeholders, to shape projects and pitch ideas that actually get made.
Be part of a business that invests in innovation. Not one that talks about it on the website and forgets it at budget time.
Enjoy stability with the freedom to shape things.
No more being a number. You’ll be visible, valued, and part of the company’s growth story.

What You’ll Be Doing

Leading the full NPD process from brief to commercialisation
Developing innovative formulations in the sports, RTD, and dairy-alternative space
Managing development trials and first production runs (in-house and with third parties)
Working closely with procurement, production, QA, and sales to bring products to life
Conducting sensory assessments and ensuring products meet quality and organoleptic standards
Advising on shelf life, packaging compatibility, and regulatory compliance
Mentoring junior team members and running internal beverage development training
Continuously improving development processes and identifying new raw material suppliers

What You’ll Need

BSc/MSc in Food Science, Food Chemistry, or similar
Experience in end-to-end beverage NPD experience
Experience working with manufacturing teams to take products from lab to line
Solid project management skills (a PM qualification is a bonus)
A passion for innovation, sustainability, and commercially viable science

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