Our client operates nationwide and across the African Region. This is a newly created role which joins the senior ranks of the marketing department of recognised brands.
You must have specialist skills to develop, maintain, and updates the new product development processes, initiating and continuing new product “Concept to Customer” process to ensure a group of new concepts/products are available to be introduced or commercialized annually for all markets.
Key Accountabilities
- Creates and manages the new product development pipeline portfolio, to ensure successive quarterly rollouts of value-added profitable products, to achieve short-, medium- and long-term plan growth targets.
- Collaborates cross-functionally to drive the Customer to Concept process to bring new products to market.
- Identifies marketing opportunities by analysing and defining the total market, market share, competitor market share, and available market share by product market.
- Provides leadership and support for the design, development, refinement, and implementation of products by initiating research to identify consumer needs.
- Develops new products to meet consumer needs.
- Researches consumer acceptance of products and works to identify current and future packaging improvements.
- Identifies co-pack opportunities.
- Develops introductory market programs to introduce new products; and lead status meetings to drive programs or new product initiatives to market.
- Periodically present project updates to the leadership team.
- Develops, maintains, and updates new product development “Concept to Customer” process to ensure a group of new concepts/products are available to be introduced and commercialized on a quarterly basis including:
- Ideation Capture
- Funnel to Focus
- Stage Gate Management
- Performance Evaluation
- Initiates and continues new concepts/products “Ideation” activities from ideation capture, strategic alignment assessment, and Ideation prioritization.
- Initiate and continue new concepts/products “Funnel to Focus” activities from proof of concept, market viability validation, business case development, and resource requirements.
- Champions prioritized new concepts/products through the “Stage Gate” development processes of Formulary and costing, Internal product/process validation testing, specification data disbursement, test pilot operational run, customer/market test, and production scale up.
- Champion the identification, development, and analysis of the project justification for capital projects related to cost savings, product improvements, and new production capabilities tied to new product introductions.
- Handle all aspects of taking successful new product concepts through commercialization.
- Develops an introduction team with members from key functional areas to insure a coordinated and successful introduction.
- Conducts Performance Evaluation Analysis activities for New Products including:
- Post-launch ROI validation – sales and cost performance validation
- Customer/Market feedback
- Champion identified improvements
- Ensure key learnings and best practices are documented and shared institutionally.
- Implement improvements in project management tools and methodologies.
- Maintains ongoing communication with Operations to ensure a thorough understanding of emerging new ingredients, packaging, and cooking technology.
Key Qualifications, Skills, and Competencies
- Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Business Management, or a related discipline preferred.
- Minimum of 5 years of business experience in the field of marketing, product management, or sales. Experience in Project management, leading cross-function teams, and using a product development process preferred.
- Must be willing to continue to advance education in project management.
- Possess working knowledge of the food or FMCG or similar sectors.
- Requires strong written and oral communication skills, planning and organization skills, and strong analytical abilities.
- Can interpret syndicated market data and research and recommend appropriate actions.
- Capable of working independently and staying organized while assuming multiple responsibilities and tasks.
- Able to motivate, problem solve, deal with ambiguity, and effectively prioritize business needs.
- Proficient in Microsoft Office applications (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, One Note) and other related operating systems.
- Shows integrity, tenacity, resilience, and adaptability in complex situations and an often-changing environment; can handle pressure and commit to and respect deadlines.
- Ability to implement and live the Company values.
Contact Colin Roberts for further details.