Chocolate & Confectionery Product Development Manager

Job description

New Product Development Manager - Great British Confectionery Group

Location: Birdham, Chichester

This is not a standard NPD role.

We’re looking for someone who lives and breathes confectionery, someone who understands flavour, texture, nostalgia, and indulgence. Someone who gets excited about how a product tastes, feels, looks and delights, not just how it moves through a process.

If your idea of innovation is a new workflow or a software feature, this role isn’t for you.

If your mind jumps to flavour pairings, formats, and how to create something people can’t stop eating...read on!

You will lead the creation of standout confectionery, from bold original ideas to licensed brand collaborations. This is about building products that win on the shelf because they’re irresistible, innovative and FUN!

Think Like a Chocolatier, Not a Project Manager

• Develop confectionery that surprises and delights. Flavour-first, experience-led
• Push boundaries on texture, format, and indulgence
• Turn trends into products people actually want to eat, not just talk about

Bring Ideas to Life (Properly)

• Own projects end-to-end, from kitchen concept to full-scale production
• Balance creativity with commercial reality without killing the magic
• Move fast, make decisions, and keep momentum high

Work Cross-Functionally Without Losing the Vision

• Collaborate with Marketing, Technical, Ops, and Sales, but stay the product champion
• Work with licensors to translate brands into genuinely great confectionery
• Keep everyone aligned without letting the product get diluted

Obsess Over the Detail

• Ensure specs, compliance, and quality standards are right, every time
• Lead factory trials and refine products until they’re exactly as intended
• Protect the integrity of the product through scale-up

Sell the Idea

• Present concepts with energy and conviction
• Turn feedback into better products, not watered-down ones

• Proven experience in confectionery, chocolate, or closely related food categories (this is essential)
• A genuine passion for sweets, chocolate, and product experience — not just process
• Strong commercial awareness alongside creative instinct
• Someone who can move between kitchen, factory, and customer seamlessly
• Comfortable owning decisions and being accountable for results

• You’ll create products people genuinely love, not just manage timelines
• A rare mix of creative freedom and real ownership
• Work on both original innovation and licensed brands
• Fast-moving, hands-on environment where ideas actually get made

If you’ve ever walked down a confectionery aisle and thought “I could make that better” we want to hear from you!

Extra information

Status

Open

Education Level

Secondary School

Location

Birdham

Type of Contract

Full-time jobs

Published at

03-05-2026

Full UK/EU driving license preferred

No

Car Preferred

No

Must be eligible to work in the EU

No

Cover Letter Required

No

Languages

English