Product Development Manager - FTC

The role

You will set the strategic direction for fresh dog meals and lead the launch of a market-first product. This role involves managing the NPD pipeline, leading complex programmes across multiple sites, and overseeing kitchen trials and scale-up.

What you will do

• Set the strategic direction for fresh dog meals
• Set quarterly and yearly goals and report progress
• Lead the launch of a market-first product including equipment and production capability
• Own the NPD pipeline using customer insights and market trends
• Manage projects end-to-end from idea to post-launch review
• Set customer research and palatability testing strategies
• Develop renovation plans for existing recipes
• Build supplier partnerships for new ingredients
• Own kitchen trials and scale-up from bench to full production
• Ensure recipes meet FEDIAF guidelines and nutrition standards

Required qualifications

• 8+ years in NPD or product development in pet food
• A degree in animal science, veterinary science, food science, chemistry or a similar field
• Knowledge of pet nutrition, FEDIAF guidelines, and pet food labelling and claims rules
• Experience with audits
• Hands-on experience of kitchen or factory trials and scale-up
• Experience working with costings, margins and budgets
• Track record of leading complex projects across multiple sites and teams
• Experience setting the direction for an NPD pipeline or product area
• Ability to present to senior leaders
• Right to work in the UK

Nice to have

• Experience with launches that needed new equipment or processes

Benefits

• 25 days holiday plus 8 bank holidays
• One additional day for every year of service up to 5 years
• 5 additional paid paws days per year for learning, development or wellbeing
• £500 personal learning & development budget
• Significant discount on Fresh food
• Enhanced parental leave
• Flexible core working hours
• Cycle to work scheme
• Pension with NEST
• Private Medical Insurance with Vitality
• Private Dental Insurance with Bupa
• Paid time off for fertility treatments and pregnancy loss

Before you apply

• Initial call with Talent Acquisition Partner (remote)
• 75 minute skills interview in person including an interview task
• 60 minute behaviours interview (remote)
• 45 minute leadership interview (in person)
• Unable to offer visa sponsorship

About the company

Butternut Box is a B-Corp certified company that makes fresh dog food delivered direct to customers. They feed hundreds of thousands of dogs across the UK and Europe.