Senior Product Manager – Foods | Dorset (Hybrid)

NPD | Product Development | FMCG | Food Manufacturing | Retail

Dovetail Recruitment are recruiting for a Senior Product Manager to join a fast-paced food business supplying innovative own-label ranges to major retailers. This is an end-to-end NPD role with real influence across innovation, formulation, retailer engagement, and category development.

You’ll work closely with leading retail customers to identify emerging food trends, develop commercially successful products, and bring concepts to market quickly. The business has a strong focus on health, nutrition, and evolving consumer demands, giving you the opportunity to work on genuinely innovative product pipelines rather than incremental updates.

This role offers broad exposure across product, technical, sourcing, and commercial functions, with close collaboration with international suppliers and manufacturing partners. The environment is agile and entrepreneurial, allowing decisions to be made quickly and ideas tested without unnecessary bureaucracy.

It’s an excellent opportunity for an experienced NPD or Product Manager looking to take greater ownership of retailer relationships, innovation strategy, and category direction within a growing FMCG food business.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead NPD projects from concept through to launch and scale-up

• Develop and optimise formulations across taste, nutrition, quality, and cost targets

• Manage critical paths, timelines, and product launches

• Deliver customer presentations, benchmarking, and product tastings

• Use market trends and consumer insight to drive innovation strategy

• Collaborate with suppliers and manufacturing partners, including UK/EU travel

• Work cross-functionally with technical, sourcing, commercial, and supply chain teams

• Support retailer relationships and contribute to category growth plans

Skills & Experience Required

• 5+ years’ experience within NPD, product development, or food manufacturing

• Background in FMCG, ambient food, or retail supply

• Strong formulation, ingredients, and sensory evaluation knowledge

• Proven project management and critical path management skills

• Experience presenting to retailers and customers

• Commercial awareness including costings, pricing, and margin management

• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills

• Passion for food innovation and market trends

Benefits

• Annual salary reviews

• 25 days holiday, increasing with service up to 30 days

• Option to buy additional holiday

• Hybrid and flexible working options

• Medical cash plan and mental health support

• Annual bonus scheme

• Enhanced maternity and paternity leave

• Generous company sick pay

• Pension contribution scheme

• Learning, development, and progression opportunities

• Cycle to Work scheme

• Regular social events

• Free parking on Christchurch Quay

Summary

Senior Product Manager / NPD Manager opportunity within FMCG food manufacturing, focused on food innovation, formulation, product development, retailer-facing delivery, and end-to-end project management.