Job Description Head of NPD & Technical (FMCG) Our Client in the Co Armagh have a requirement for a Head of NPD & Technical to join their team on a permanent basis. Excellent Salary and benefits package. Contact Conor O ’ Hagan for further details The Role: Reporting to the General Manger, we are looking for a creative leader to join the Senior Management Team at a newly developed grade AA food manufacturing facility in Co Armagh. Your role will be to drive innovation and excellence by delivering a world class innovation and renovation programme, with full responsibility for a program of NPD for the brand. Provide leadership to the technical team responsible for ensuring that all products manufactured by the Company meet safety, quality, and legal requirements. Become the leading expert in the business for external knowledge of ingredients and process. Co-ordinate and deliver site development activity – product submissions, panels, new launch reviews. Head up and facilitate the NPD meetings and feasibilities / handovers for relevant categories. Ensure effective communication between development, technical, process, commercial, purchasing and operations departments. Fully understand all aspects of the customer in terms of NPD strategies, procedures, and structures As part of a passionate and innovative team, you will play a key role in delivering an ambitious NPD pipeline. Establish close and collaborative relationships with the companies’ key stakeholders. Lead renovation workstreams to improve quality/organoleptic/commercials. Manage samples for shelf-life testing and micro and nutritional analysis for all products. Ensuring compliance with legislation, BRC, Bord Bia, Red Tractor and retailer/customer standards. Ensure external non-conformance and complete complaint investigations to ensure a rigorous approach to the root cause and that corrective and preventative action are put in place in a timely manner. The Person: Can demonstrate all or some career experience within Innovation in food and must have a passion for food. Educated to degree level with a food or related discipline or minimum 5 years relevant experience. Ideally proven experience in the development of gluten free bakery products. The ability to build and maintain internal departmental relationships, whilst challenging data and searching for cross departmental opportunities. Proficiency in Microsoft Office and an advantage to have experience of material management systems. Experience of managing and influencing multiple stakeholders including external suppliers · Strong Project Management Skills – be able to work on own or as a team. Understand the NPD gate process, manufacturing processes and technical implications. Strong numeracy and experience in costing concept products The Package: Excellent salary available (depending on experience) bonus Strong holidays and benefits package For further information, and to apply for this Head of NPD position or other engineering / operations opportunities, please contact Conor O ’ Hagan or visit our Website. Expert, confidential recruitment advice Salary is usually negotiable, salary details listed are to be used as a guide and are based on factors such as your experience and expertise. We reserve the right to heighten short listing criteria dependent upon the calibre of response.