Product Development Manager - Pet Food

Wellness Pet Supplies - Burlington, MA

Full-time - Mid Level

Burlington, MA

Sporting Goods, Hobby, Musical Instrument, Book, and Miscellaneous Retailers

About the position

The Product Development Manager - Pet Food at the Wellness Pet Company is a pivotal role based in Burlington, MA, responsible for leading the development of new pet food products. This position reports to the Senior Manager of Product Development and oversees a team of two employees. The manager will be instrumental in supporting new product development initiatives, focusing on various aspects of product formulation, including recipe development, ingredient research, validation, and performance evaluation. The role requires a strong understanding of the pet food industry, particularly in areas such as AAFCO regulations and animal nutrition, to ensure that all products meet the highest standards of quality and safety. In this role, the Product Development Manager will create development plans based on concepts provided by the business and will manage timelines in collaboration with the Project Management team to ensure that projects are executed on time and within budget. The manager will also be responsible for communicating updates and milestones to senior leadership, providing leadership throughout the development process, and ensuring that all technical aspects of product development are thoroughly addressed. This includes investigating new ingredients, evaluating product performance, and overseeing all phases of the development process. Additionally, the manager will provide real-time technical support to both internal and external partners, contributing to product change requests and project planning. The role also emphasizes innovation, requiring the manager to integrate technical expertise with creativity to explore new technologies and feasibility for product development. The ideal candidate will possess strong leadership skills, emotional intelligence, and the ability to manage a high-performance team while maintaining a consumer-focused approach to product development.

Responsibilities

• Manage a team of 2 employees in the Product Development department.
• Lead new product development initiatives, including recipe development and ingredient research.
• Create development plans based on business concepts and manage timelines for execution.
• Communicate updates and milestones to senior leadership.
• Provide leadership for all aspects of product development, including product evaluation and processing performance.
• Offer real-time technical support to internal and external partners.
• Support product change requests and contribute to project planning and risk assessment.
• Integrate technical strengths with creativity in new product development and process design.
• Lead strategic innovation sessions and explore new technology feasibility.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in food science, food engineering, meat science, process engineering, or a related discipline.
• 5-7 years of relevant experience in pet food development with a focus on project management.
• Experience managing people and leading a high-performance team.
• Ability to take projects from idea generation to commercialization, articulating the new product development process.
• Understanding of food manufacturing processes and the conversion of raw materials to finished products.
• Strong communication and influencing skills, especially for non-technical audiences.
• High degree of emotional intelligence and strong leadership skills.
• Strong business acumen and ability to work with ambiguity.
• Excellent time management and prioritization skills.
• Adaptable and experienced in coaching and mentoring.

Nice-to-haves

• Experience in a hybrid work environment.
• Familiarity with sustainable practices in product development.

Benefits

• Comprehensive benefits package supporting health, pets, and professional development.
• Equal opportunity workplace celebrating diversity.