About the Company:
Since its founding in 2006, Natural Pet Food Group has been at the forefront of redefining the premium pet food market. Committed to innovation, the company consistently stays ahead of industry trends, delivering high-quality products while fostering a culture of creativity and collaboration.
Proudly utilising only the finest NZ-sourced ingredients, Natural Pet Food Group leads the way in providing natural, high-meat nutrition for pets. The company produces K9 Natural and Feline Natural, distributing to global markets in North America, China, Southeast Asia, New Zealand, and Australia.
Natural Pet Food Group is dedicated to evolving its products to meet changing consumer needs and market trends. This is your opportunity to join a forward-thinking company committed to innovation and excellence.
About the Role:
NPFG are seeking an experienced Innovation Programme Manager to lead and drive the end-to-end innovation processes. This role is pivotal in ensuring the successful execution of innovation strategies, refining the New Product Development process, and overseeing cross-functional teams to align with company goals. You will play a crucial role in developing and executing innovative product strategies, optimising workflows, and enhancing ways of working across functions.
Key Responsibilities:
- Lead and champion NPD processes, documentation, and continuous process improvement.
- Evaluate and refine innovation processes to improve efficiency, speed, and quality.
- Implement best practices in project management and agile methodologies for improved execution.
- Develop and execute innovative product strategies that enhance the brand portfolio.
- Build a well-balanced product innovation pipeline and roadmap to drive top-line growth.
- Foster relationships with external partners, suppliers, and industry experts to enhance innovation.
- Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including marketing, production, supply chain, finance, and sales, to bring new product concepts from ideation to launch.
- Champion a culture of creativity, collaboration, and continuous improvement across the organisation.
- Ensure timely and scalable market launches for product innovations.
- Utilise product innovation to differentiate the company and strengthen customer relationships.
About the Candidate:
We are seeking a strategic and results-driven person with a passion for innovation and new product development. The ideal candidate will have:
Experience:
- 8+ years in product innovation, R&D, or NPD, ideally within FMCG, pet food, or nutrition industries, with a deep understanding of market trends and product development challenges.
Skills & Competencies:
- Strategic Thinking: Ability to define long-term goals, anticipate market shifts, and drive innovative strategies to stay competitive.
- Leadership: Proven experience in leading teams, setting clear goals, and driving performance across functions.
- Collaboration: Skilled in working cross-functionally to ensure smooth execution of product development processes.
- Commercial, Financial & Analytical Acumen: Strong in financial analysis, cost-effective decision-making, and market analysis to guide product success.
- Innovation & NPD Expertise: Expertise in driving innovation from concept to market, ensuring high-quality, breakthrough products.
- Customer-Centric Approach: Focus on understanding consumer needs and developing products that deliver value and exceed expectations.
- Process Leadership: Experience in leading product development processes with a focus on efficiency, quality, and compliance.
- Strong Drive for Results: Goal-oriented with a focus on achieving targets and overcoming obstacles to meet development milestones.
- Self-Awareness & Continuous Improvement Mindset: Committed to personal growth, with a strong focus on learning and refining skills in product development and leadership.
If you are passionate about driving innovation and want to make a meaningful impact in a dynamic environment, we would love to hear from you! Apply today to be part of a forward-thinking team that is shaping the future of natural pet food.
Apply Now!
To find out more, please get in touch with Josh Pidduck on +64 22 639 2831 for a confidential chat.
To apply for this vacancy you MUST be a New Zealand citizen, resident, or have already secured the right to work in New Zealand and therefore hold a valid visa.
At the appropriate stage we will request your references, we ask that you do not include them on your CV when applying.
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