NPD Manager

Kinrise is a growing, privately owned powerhouse in Australian food manufacturing, home to some of Australia’s most loved and innovative brands. At our Snackfoods business, we are home to iconic brands such as Cobs and Poppin popcorn brands. We describe ourselves as a ‘start-up with scale’ and have a burning ambition to grow our business.

We're seeking an experienced NPD Manager to lead the development and commercialisation of innovative food products across our growing snack foods portfolio. This is an exciting opportunity for a hands-on food scientist or R&D professional who enjoys taking products from concept through to launch while driving continuous improvement and value engineering initiatives.

Reporting to the Head of R&D and NPD, you will play a pivotal role in shaping our innovation pipeline, developing market-leading products, optimising existing formulations and collaborating across the business to deliver exceptional consumer experiences.

Please note that this is a Max-Term role until Feb 2027, Full Time based in Dandenong South.

About the role.
As the NPD Manager, you'll lead end-to-end product development projects across multiple brands and categories, from concept creation and recipe development through to factory trials, validation, commercial production and post-launch review.

You'll work closely with Marketing, Operations, Procurement, Sales and external suppliers to deliver innovative products that meet consumer needs while supporting business growth, operational efficiency and sustainability objectives.

This role offers the perfect blend of innovation, technical leadership, commercial thinking and project management.

Key Responsibilities, include but are not limited to:

Innovation & New Product Development

• Lead end-to-end new product development projects from concept through to commercial launch

• Develop innovative food products, recipes and packaging solutions aligned with consumer and market trends

• Conduct product formulation, prototyping and feasibility assessments

• Manage factory trials, scale-up activities and commercial validation processes

• Conduct sensory evaluations and shelf-life studies to optimise product performance and consumer experience

• Partner with Marketing and Commercial teams to ensure products align with brand strategies

• Identify emerging food trends, technologies and ingredients to strengthen the innovation pipeline

• Provide technical expertise to support capital investment decisions and new processing technologies

• Coordinate innovation showcases and present emerging concepts to key stakeholders

Product Improvement & Value Engineering

• Lead continuous improvement initiatives across existing product portfolios

• Identify opportunities to improve product quality, efficiency, sustainability and profitability

• Drive annual value engineering programmes and cost-saving projects

• Partner with Operations to improve manufacturing efficiencies, line speeds, changeovers and product performance

• Evaluate ingredients, packaging and manufacturing processes to optimise commercial outcomes

• Support initiatives that reduce waste and improve environmental sustainability

Project Management & Stakeholder Engagement

• Manage multiple NPD and renovation projects simultaneously

• Develop project timelines, risk mitigation plans and launch schedules

• Collaborate with cross-functional teams including Marketing, Sales, Procurement, Quality and Operations

• Build strong relationships with ingredient suppliers, packaging suppliers and industry partners

• Provide regular project updates and technical reports to senior leadership

• Ensure projects are delivered on time, in full and within agreed budgets

Quality, Compliance & Food Safety

• Ensure compliance with FSANZ requirements, food safety standards and regulatory obligations

• Maintain product specifications, technical documentation and compliance records

• Support internal and external quality audits

• Ensure all new products meet customer, consumer and quality expectations

• Champion safe product design and manufacturing excellence

• Promote a strong health, safety and quality culture across the business

About You.

To succeed in this role, you will be a commercially minded food professional who combines technical expertise with strong leadership and stakeholder management skills.

You will bring:

• Proven experience leading successful food innovation and NPD projects

• Strong knowledge of food science, food technology and food manufacturing processes

• Experience conducting sensory evaluation and shelf-life testing

• Sound understanding of FSANZ regulations and food compliance requirements

• Excellent project management and prioritisation skills

• Strong commercial acumen with the ability to balance innovation, cost and operational requirements

• Exceptional stakeholder engagement and influencing skills

• Analytical problem-solving capabilities and a continuous improvement mindset

• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced FMCG manufacturing environment

• A hands-on approach with strong accountability and ownership

Experience

• Minimum 5 years' experience in Research & Development, Food Technology or New Product Development

• Experience within FMCG food manufacturing

• Demonstrated success delivering products from concept to commercialisation

• Experience working within a fast-paced, commercially focused manufacturing environment

• Proven track record of innovation, renovation and value engineering delivery

Why Join Us?

Kinrise is a fast paced, agile business that focuses on your talents and challenges you to perform at your best. An opportunity with us would mean:

• An opportunity to work with leading Australian-made brands and products

• An exciting role in a growing business with a great history and an ambitious growth agenda

• Supportive and collaborative team culture

Kinrise is committed to creating an environment that welcomes all, celebrates our diversity in all its forms and fosters an environment of inclusion. We recognise that our unique differences are what sets us apart and how we succeed as a team. We are an equal opportunity employer.