NPD manager
Details:
Wage: 88,000/yr - 104,000/yr
Location: 3500 20th St. E, Ste. C, Fife, WA, 98421
Position Location: 100% Onsite
Position Status: Full Time
About the Position
The NPD Manager will own projects from initial concept through production launch, partnering closely with Marketing, Sales, Manufacturing, Quality, Supply Chain, and external manufacturing partners. This role combines food science, product development, project management, and hands-on experimentation to create products that meet consumer expectations while being commercially viable, manufacturable, and food safe.
What You'll Do:
Own and manage the New Product Development pipeline from concept through commercialization.
Partner with Marketing to evaluate market trends, consumer preferences, and brand opportunities.
Develop and maintain an innovation funnel with clear project milestones and go/no-go decision points.
Identify opportunities to expand Brown & Haley's product portfolio through internal development and external manufacturing partnerships.
Evaluate new product concepts for consumer appeal, technical feasibility, cost, and manufacturing capability.
Lead new product projects from initial concept through first production and post-launch evaluation.
Work closely with internal teams and external manufacturers to overcome technical and commercialization challenges.
Lead bench development, culinary gold-standard creation, plant trials, first-production runs, and post-launch product evaluations.
Work hands-on in the company test kitchen to develop and refine new product concepts.
Ensure products meet customer, consumer, quality, cost, manufacturing, and food safety expectations.
Partner with manufacturing teams to ensure new products can be produced efficiently and consistently at commercial scale.
Serve as Brown & Haley's technical subject matter expert for food science and product development.
Apply food science principles to solve product functionality, quality, and manufacturing challenges.
Maintain and continuously develop expertise in food science, confectionery manufacturing, and consumer preferences.
Represent Brown & Haley's technical capabilities in customer meetings, product presentations, commercialization reviews, and internal technical discussions.
Support Manufacturing with troubleshooting and process improvement using foundational food science principles.
Design and conduct product development experiments and trials.
Analyze test results and production data to identify trends and make informed technical recommendations.
Develop conclusions and recommendations that support product, ingredient, process, and commercialization decisions.
Document development activities, testing results, specifications, and technical recommendations.
Establish project timelines, milestones, deliverables, and resource requirements.
Coordinate activities across Marketing, Sales, Production, Quality, Supply Chain, and external manufacturing partners.
Monitor project progress and proactively address obstacles that could impact launch timelines.
Communicate project status, risks, recommendations, and key decisions to stakeholders.
What We're Looking For:
Education
Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Culinary Science, Culinology, Chemical Engineering, or a related field.
Equivalent combination of education and relevant experience may be considered.
Project Management certification preferred.
Experience
3–5 years of experience leading or executing New Product Development projects within a Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) environment.
Demonstrated experience developing food products preferred.
Experience developing candy, chocolate, confections, nut products, or related CPG products strongly preferred.
Strong understanding of confectionery functionality and processes such as tempering, enrobing, panning, and related manufacturing techniques.
Experience working with co-manufacturers or external manufacturing partners is a plus.
Certifications
PCQI (Preventive Controls Qualified Individual) certification preferred.
Candidates without PCQI certification must be willing to obtain certification within the first 12 months.
Technical Skills & Competencies
Strong food science and product development knowledge.
Excellent project management and organizational skills.
Strong analytical and experimental design capabilities.
Complex problem-solving skills with the ability to translate technical findings into practical recommendations.
Strong attention to detail and documentation skills.
Proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Teams.
Ability to use AI tools and models to support data analysis and technical documentation.
Experience with AI-assisted programming, particularly Python, preferred.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Ability to build strong working relationships across Marketing, Sales, Production, Quality, Supply Chain, and external manufacturing partners.
Ability to manage multiple projects and priorities in a fast-paced environment.
Physical Requirements
Ability to lift and move up to 50 pounds.
Ability to sit and stand for extended periods.
Regular walking throughout office, laboratory, test kitchen, and manufacturing environments.
Frequent use of hands for handling, testing, and manipulating products and equipment.
Ability to reach with hands and arms.
Occasional stooping and kneeling.
Ability to work safely in an active food manufacturing and product development environment.
Why Join Brown & Haley?
At Brown & Haley, you'll have the opportunity to help shape the future of a company with a long history of innovation and some of the most recognizable confectionery products in the Pacific Northwest.
As our NPD Manager, you'll have the unique opportunity to combine food science, creativity, hands-on product development, and commercial strategy while bringing new products from an initial idea all the way to the production floor and ultimately into customers' hands.
If you're passionate about food innovation and excited by the challenge of turning great ideas into commercially successful products, we'd love to hear from you.
