Location: Al Wathba, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Position Type: Full Time
Department: R&D
What Will Your Day Look Like?
The Product Development Manager leads the company's product development strategy by managing the R&D team and driving innovation from concept through commercialization. The role is accountable for delivering high-quality, commercially successful products, maintaining a strong innovation pipeline, and ensuring technical excellence across all development activities.
The Product Development Manager inspires and develops the R&D team by fostering a culture of innovation, collaboration, accountability, agility, and a strong sense of urgency. Combining scientific expertise with commercial acumen, the role makes informed decisions based on product profitability (P&L), balancing speed to market.
Working closely with cross-functional teams, the Product Development Manager ensures the successful execution of development projects while building strategic partnerships with suppliers, contract manufacturers (co-manufacturers), innovation institutes, universities, and technology partners to accelerate innovation and support the company's growth and competitive advantage.
How Will You Make an Impact?
- Develop and implement the roadmap for the NPD (New Product Development)
- Collaborating with multiple BU-led managers to fully develop NPD business plans.
- Oversee the launch of new products to ensure successful market introduction
- Identify market trends, and emerging ingredients to drive product innovation.
- Manage the product development pipeline, ensuring projects are completed on time and within budget.
- Monitor competitor products and industry developments to identify opportunities for innovation.
Innovation Strategy for NPD
- Build and manage an innovation pipeline aligned with strategic business priorities.
- Prioritize innovation projects based on market potential, feasibility, strategic fit, and return on investment.
- Measure innovation performance using key metrics such as innovation pipeline health, speed-to-market, product launch success, and revenue generated from new products.
Leadership, Coaching & Mentoring
- Mentor and guide the team and help them realize their potential. Actively support the team members in defining their growth agenda and help them in the implementation of the same (As required)
- Conduct periodic performance reviews and provide developmental inputs as required
Other Activities
- Prepare and present inputs related to category / project budgets (resource requirements) and manage / control overall financial performance of the Risk and Corporate Governance function by monitoring actual cost against budgets
Education and Experience:
- Minimum of 8 years of experience, including at least 2 years in a leadership or managerial capacity the beverage manufacturing industry.
- Strong background in beverage manufacturing operations and product development is required.
- A master's degree in food science or food technology.
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