Interim NPD Manager (12 months fixed term)
Shift Pattern: Monday - Friday
Working Hours: Flexibility within standard office hours
An exciting opportunity has arisen for Site Development Manager to join our to join our New Product Development (NPD) Team.
A bit about us
Cranswick Convenience Foods is one of the largest cooked meats manufacturers in the UK, supplying high quality cooked meats, from standard tiers through to premium, to leading high street retailers.
With a diverse team of over 1,000 colleagues, every day at Cranswick brings unique challenges and opportunities for personal and professional growth – there has never been a more exciting time to join us!
What you’ll be doing
As a Site Development Manager, you will play a fundamental role in supporting the NPD team. You will:
- Manage innovation, NPD and EPD projects from concept through to successful launch.
- Ensure the products meet both the customer and Cranswick expectations, whilst satisfying all relevant technical and operational criteria.
- Build strong relationships with customers and internal stakeholders.
- Drive retailer-specific innovation strategies and customer development plans.
- Lead cross-functional projects, ensuring milestones and critical paths are achieved.
- Ensure that team members have clear objectives, current role profiles, appropriate training, and regular performance reviews.
- Assuring compliance with Stage & Gate processes and provide regular project status updates.
- Supporting product quality through benchmarking, trials and launch reviews.
- Identifying opportunities for value engineering and cost optimisation.
- Promote collaboration, continuous improvement, and the sharing of best practice across the business.
- Work with passion and pride, demonstrating this through results, in-depth knowledge of food and site processes.
Be responsible for 2 direct reports within the development team.
A full job description is available upon request.
What we need from you
Essential
Interest in food, commercial acumen, relationship building and a good understanding of our business and customer base is key.
- A strong understanding of the NPD process built from at least 3 years’ experience, preferably in a chilled manufacturing industry.
- Intermediate or Advanced Food hygiene certificate.
- Must be in possession of a full valid driving licence.
- Demonstrate a genuine passion and understanding of food and respect for quality with a factory minded approach.
- Able to work both as an individual and as a team player.
- Good interpersonal / communication skills.
- Ability to work within a fast-moving environment with change and high expectations.
- Flexible.
- Detail Conscious; taking pride in presenting and inspire through preparation of food.
- Experience working with major UK retailers.
- Ability to create a good first impression, project yourself well and present with confidence.
Desirable
- Knowledge of meat technology and manufacturing processes.
- Experience of value engineering and cost optimisation projects.
- Butchery Knowledge.
What you’ll get in return
We offer a fantastic reward package in return, here’s a peek at some of our fantastic benefits:
- Discounted ShareSave scheme
- Enhanced Maternity, Paternity & Adoption pay with service
- Enhance pension scheme
- Long service awards – vouchers and enhanced holidays with service
- Access to our ‘Feed Your Wellbeing’ hub offering a range of retail, restaurant and entertainment discounts, as well as access to health and wellbeing support (including 24h virtual GP)
- Cycle to work scheme
- Opportunity to purchase extra holidays
- Recommend a friend scheme
- Death in service
- Access to discounted and exclusive memberships
- On site parking
Interested?
Send us your CV and covering letter to [email protected] and let us know what position you’re applying for in the subject of the email.
Closing date: 28/8/2026 (please note that the closing date may be brought forward)
If you are an internal applicant please notify your line manage before applying