Job Summary:

As a Product Development Manager, you will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of our product portfolio. Your technical expertise, creativity, cross-functional collaboration, and leadership skills will be instrumental in driving our innovation pipeline and maintaining our competitive edge in the market to ensure that new products are developed efficiently, cost-effectively, and to high-quality standards. The product development manager plays a crucial role in bridging the gap between the conceptual development of new products and their physical realization on the production line.

Key Responsibilities:

1) Lead cross-functional teams in the development of new products through a product development lifecycle, from ideation and formulation to testing, sampling, approval, scale-up, and launch, ensuring projects meet specifications, deadlines, and budget requirements.

2) Collaborate with internal teams to identify trends, opportunities, gaps in the market, and customer needs, translating insights into actionable product concepts that align with company strategy.

3) Develop product specifications, and packaging, and work with marketing and operations for positioning, launch strategies, and to ensure the new product is optimized for manufacturability.

4) Oversee the product lifecycle management process, including product adjustments, enhancements, and discontinuation.

5) Manage the preparation and production of samples for product evaluations.

6) Manage product testing processes, including sensory evaluation, shelf-life studies, and consumer testing where necessary, to ensure products meet quality and safety standards and ensure product development goals are aligned with customer needs and technical feasibility.

7) Develop and manage project timelines, resources, and budgets, and post-launch product performance, reporting on progress and making recommendations to senior management.

Qualifications:

1. Bachelor’s degree in Business, Engineering, Marketing, or a related field.

2. 3-5 years experience in leading cross-functional teams, managing product lifecycle processes, or food production experience preferred.

3. Demonstrated ability to oversee and manage sample production processes, including coordination with operations teams.

4. Understanding of food manufacturing including market trends, customer needs, and competitive land

5. Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to present ideas and feedback effectively to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.

6. Strong analytical skills, with the ability to interpret data and insights to make informed decisions on product development strategies.

7. Ability to work in a fast-paced and dynamic environment.

8. Exceptional verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills.

9. Strong decision-making capabilities and adaptability to change.

10. High level of integrity, dependability, and a results-oriented approach.

Working Conditions:

1. Office Environment: A portion of the work is conducted in an office setting, involving time spent on the computer for research, project management, and communication with team members and stakeholders.

2. Production Environment: Regular visits to the production facility to oversee sample runs and understand manufacturing processes, as well as warehousing areas will involve exposure to machinery, noise, and varying temperatures.

3. Physical Demands: Some physical activity may be required, such as lifting sample materials, standing or walking for extended periods during facility visits, or performing hands-on product evaluations.

4. Meeting Attendance: Frequent participation in both in-person and virtual meetings, including project updates, strategy sessions, and presentations to management and stakeholders.

5. Travel Requirements: Occasional travel may be required for supplier visits, industry conferences, and consumer testing events, potentially including international travel.

6. Fixed, full-time schedule

7. Share office space with other workers.

8. Ability to work independently and within a team environment is required.

9. Communicate by a variety of m (i.e., phone, e-mail, face-to-face, and/or videoconferencing daily)

10. Work week not to exceed 50 hours.

11. Ability to work within high-stress environments.

12. Ability to work under strict deadlines.

13. Ability to handle conflict situations and demands from multiple units.

14. Must be able to work in a cold, damp, wet, humid, and slippery environment.

15. Ability to wear personal protective equipment, bump cap, hair net, safety glasses, hearing protection, smock, rubber and cotton gloves.

16. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, ability to adjust focus and color vision.

Cloverdale Foods Company offers a competitive compensation package and an excellent benefits program for confidential consideration, please send your resume to HRDept@cloverdalefoods.com or Fax: 701-663-0690. In order to comply with government recordkeeping requirements, please go to http://www.cloverdalefoods.com/employment/apply.asp and send us a completed Online Application along with your resume/cover letter.

Cloverdale Foods Company is an Affirmative Action/Equal Employment Opportunity Employer.