Director, New Product Development - Performance and Medical

This role can be based in either San Clemente, CA or Linden, NJ. The pay range for the position is $160,000-$190,000 depending on experience.

The Product Development Director (Performance and Medical) will be responsible for leading all aspects of new product development & packaging for medical and performance products for Fresh Realm.  This role will direct multiple development and culinary personnel to maximize sales and margin growth. The role will be able to operate at both a strategic and tactical level, with experience inputting the longer-term plans of the business and implementing them. 

As a positive and passionate team player, with experience managing development and culinary teams, you will not be fazed by working under pressure and to deadlines. Must be skilled in developing meals in the performance and medical sector to strict nutritional guidelines and have knowledge of all trends and regulations within this space. Strong project management and interpersonal skills are essential.  Ability to build and develop strong, cooperative relationships with internal and external partners at executive and operational management levels. Skilled at presenting new product ideas, concepts and technical solutions to customers in the performance, medical and nutritional meal space. Must have the resilience to make things happen and ability to direct multiple short timeline projects and prioritize accordingly to ensure both internal and external deadlines are met.  

MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES 

Interpret Product/Project briefs to direct individual and multiple departmental teams across sites to develop products to agreed commercial values from kitchen to factory.

Maintain a relevant product suite to support strategic growth objectives within Fresh Realm.

Develop comprehensive talent management, acquisition, and retention plans 

Implement continuous improvement initiatives 

Responsible for the effective management of the full product development cycle from product initiation, project kick-off to sign-off and launch 

Ensure that all development processes for food, packaging and food safety standards are highly robust, effective and efficient and implemented to deliver consistent high-quality products that meet the working brief  

Work closely with commercial, marketing and operations to optimize the category, sales and margin expectations 

Dial in to key trends driven by Consumer behavior, lifestyle choice, innovative chefs, industry leaders, and competitor activity, to ensure our NPD is relevant and at the forefront of food culture and design in a multi-site environment which is geographically diverse. 

Utilize a working knowledge of plant processes and facilities 

Ensure onsite monitoring and development assistance when testing / manufacturing new products  

Establish relationships with suppliers to ensure product standards and commercial targets are met 

Plans and formulates aspects of research and development proposals such as objective or purpose of project, applications that can be utilized from findings, costs of project, and equipment and human resource requirement. 

QUALIFICATIONS FOR THE JOB 

Skills and Requirements 

Must understand product development cycle from concept to commercialization including cost parameters and shelf-life implications. 

Must understand all aspects food nutrition and have the ability to develop meals that meet strict dietary and nutritional requirements 

Fully versed in all aspects of product costings 

Deliver the Annual Budget targets where responsibility is allocated. 

Excellent management skills 

Forward thinker and lateral thinking approach to problem solving 

Excellent customer relation skills with strong experience of customer and executive level presentations 

Microbiological understanding of short shelf-life chilled food  

Understanding of packaging development, a plus 

Up to date with latest food trends, changes in market and technology tracking 

Ability to effectively collaborate and lead cross-functional teams  

Manage short- and long-term development projects across multiple sites and retailers  

Experience with critical path management software   

Excellent organization skills and attention to detail 

Project management and critical judgment skills required.  

Must be comfortable wearing many hats to assist the cross-functional team where needed to meet objectives, principles, actions, and timelines to hit aggressive deadlines.  

The ability to work in a fast-paced environment is necessary.  

Experience / Education 

10 years management experience in Development within the Chilled Short Shelf-Life Meal sector.  

5 years’ experience in developing meals in the performance / medical or nutritional tailored category 

Experience in the Chilled Ready to Cook / Ready to Heat sector 

Experience working in Fresh food short shelf RTH, RTC meal etc. manufacturing environment 

Must have a food science qualification with an emphasis on nutrition / dietetics 

Experience working in a start-up environment preferred but not required 

Must have a BSc degree and new product development experience in the ready meal sector 

Will have a focused, hardworking, and entrepreneurial attitude to business and ideally come from a food product background with a passion for NPD.   

What We Offer 

Comprehensive benefits package for full-time employees including medical, dental, vision, pet insurance and legal insurance 
401(k) with company match that is immediately vested 
Life and ADD insurance 
Opportunities for career growth with a dynamic company that is changing the landscape of fresh meals. 
Paid time off  
 

Our Values at Work 

We believe that ACTIONS speak louder than words and our company values align to those ACTIONS. 

In Our Daily Work, This Looks Like 

ACCOUNTABILITY: Set clear objectives and prioritize your tasks Hold yourself and your teams accountable for meeting deadlines Learn from your mistakes and use it as a learning opportunity to improve next time 
CHALLENGE WITH CURIOSITY: We challenge and engage with each other through curiosity and a drive to innovate and transform. This encourages us to learn from one another, be open-minded to other perspectives and possibilities, and continuously improve and problem-solve with intensity. We persevere through challenges, observe patterns, and pay attention to the details to make connections others may overlook, allowing us to exceed expectations. 
TRANSPARENCY & HONESTY: Maintain open and consistent communication. Admit mistakes and take ownership Document decisions to help avoid misunderstandings 
INNOVATION: Work with the end-user in mind and create solutions that will add value Question existing norms, assumptions, and best practices Experiment and take calculated, data-driven risks 
OBJECTIVITY: Utilize data and make data-driven decisions at every opportunity 
NIMBLENESS: Utilize time management to help stay focused and on task with urgency es and make adjustments accordingly Delegate and trust others to handle specific responsibilities with resources and support 
SUCCESS THROUGH OUR CUSTOMERS: Know your audience and the type of work they expect to receive as the end-result of a project, initiative, or task Seek feedback at different stages to ensure you’re on the right track. Foster collaboration among cross-functional teams to ensure you’re providing the best experience and service to our consumers.

Employee pay will vary based on factors such as qualifications, experience, skill level, competencies and work location.  We will meet minimum wage or minimum of the pay range (whichever is higher) based on city, county and state requirements. 
 

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer 
 
 

#LI – Remote #LI-AH1 

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer.