Product Development Specialist – Beverage Manufacturing

Job Title: Product Development Specialist – Beverage Manufacturing

Department: Supply Chain

Reporting to: Supply Chain Director

Location: Ruiru                                                                               

Brief on Client

Our client is an established beverage manufacturing company based in Kenya dealing with alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages.

Role Summary

To create long-term value by supporting and managing the development of new products through the innovation’s agenda, and renovation of the existing brands to maximize quality and assure sustainable brand attributes across all brands.

Key Responsibilities:

• Leveraging your strong understanding of food markets, customers, consumers, and trends (with emphasis on alcoholic, and juice manufacture) to make recommendations on strategy, direction, and opportunities that will enhance the organization’s brand quality positioning.

• Leading cross-functional teams on all new product development - brief, ideation, exploration and specification development, and finalization.

• Tracking and managing product development projects, regularly reporting development status, and making recommendations for action.

• Partnering with external ingredient suppliers to realize product development goals and identify opportunities to innovate.

• Presenting new product development concepts to cross functional teams

• Support the development of product release protocols and ensure adherence to guarantee consistent and sustainable sensory profiles of the organization’s products.

• Lead the intrinsic’ training agenda and set up of cross-functional tasting capability in line with the product quality strategy.

• Manage the sensory development agenda as per the work instructions set out by the organization, including refresher trainings as per guidelines released.

• Put in place a documented process to manage all intrinsic aspects of the organization’s products and set up a system of reference.

• In collaboration with the Quality specialist, approve finished products by confirming compliance with extrinsic and intrinsic specifications.

• As a critical member of the organization’s food safety team, ensure that FSMS/HACCP plans are designed and maintained to deliver the required product profiles.

Qualifications & Experience

• A university degree in Food Science, Food Technology, or their equivalent.

• 5 years of proven success as a food product developer, Research & Development professional, or food scientist

• Experience in leading new product development and leading cross-functional teams

• Excellent project management and organizational skills

• Strong creative and technical orientation, able to both identify and imagine the possibilities and bring compelling, safe, high-quality products to the market.

• Very comfortable working with teams, communicating with people, and establishing rapport.

Competencies & Attributes

• Understanding of alcoholic and non-alcoholic technical brand attributes

• Understanding methods of manufacture and quality control of alcoholic and non- alcoholic beverages especially juices.

• Analytical skills and attention to detail

• Ability to work across different functional areas with diverse teams.

• Ability to multi-task and work on various projects at the same time.

• Methodical and disciplined work approach. Planning and organizing skills, monitoring and measuring.

• Team player with strong relationship building ability.

• Strong business acumen.

• Judgement and decision-making skills.

• Ability to interact and communicate effectively at all levels in the organization. Influencing and negotiation skills.

• Strong verbal and written communication abilities.

• Innovative thinking - ability to challenge the status quo.