Product Research and Development Manager

Savannah Bee Company - Savannah, GA

Full-time - Mid Level

Savannah, GA

Food Manufacturing

About the position

Savannah Bee Company is seeking a Product Research and Development Manager to oversee all aspects of product development and enhancement. This role is crucial in ensuring that the company’s product offerings align with its mission of sustainability and quality. The manager will be responsible for creating and implementing a stage gate process for new product development, guiding products from initial concept through to market launch. This includes evaluating current products for potential improvements in packaging, performance, and overall customer satisfaction. The position requires a deep understanding of customer feedback, competitive analysis, and market trends to inform product strategies and pricing. The Product Research and Development Manager will collaborate closely with various departments, including customer experience, finance, operations, marketing, and sales, to ensure that product innovations are seamlessly integrated into the company’s offerings. This role also involves managing the innovation budget, monitoring expenditures, and providing regular financial reports to senior leadership. The manager will be expected to stay informed about industry trends, emerging technologies, and sustainability practices to identify opportunities for new product development. In addition to product development, the manager will ensure compliance with industry regulations and quality standards, addressing any issues related to product safety and regulatory compliance. The ideal candidate will possess strong project management skills, a passion for sustainability, and the ability to communicate effectively with various stakeholders. This position reports directly to the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) and is based in Savannah, GA.

Responsibilities

• Review and evaluate current product mix to determine opportunities to enhance, expand or discontinue.
• Work with customer experience, retail and other channels to gain understanding of customer feedback on products that can guide changes or improvements.
• Evaluate and understand product margins and sales performance.
• Evaluate and understand competitive landscape to help guide pricing strategies.
• Bring to life the strategy and process of product development from start to finish, from ideation and concept testing to formulation and commercialization.
• Oversee the creation of product prototypes, conduct consumer testing and manage the launch of new products.
• Lead the execution of product and packaging projects including concept development, feasibility validation, product and packaging R&D.
• Research and understand current market trends to assist in product ideation.
• Work with supply chain to ensure we are using most cost-effective components while maintaining quality standard.
• Collaborate closely with Founder, Finance, Operations, Marketing, Creative, Production, and Sales teams to ensure seamless integration of innovation and product initiatives.
• Monitor industry trends, emerging technologies, and competitive activities with a focus on eco-friendly, sustainability and planet smart options.
• Identify opportunities for incorporating new technologies and practices into the company's product offerings through long-term planning and strategy building.
• Manage the innovation/R&D budget, ensuring efficient allocation of resources to high-impact projects.
• Monitor expenditures and provide regular financial reports.
• Collaborate with senior leadership across innovation strategies and project updates to inform on future programs.
• Understand and analyze sales data to drive decisions around both old and new products.
• Ensure development timelines stay on track and are communicated with all departments.
• Work closely with internal and external team members and agency partners to develop strong and motivating package designs for innovation product launches, updates to existing products and flow through improvements.
• Ensure all new products and processes comply with industry regulations, quality standards, and company policies.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in related field of study.
• 5+ years of relevant industry experience in CPG product development.
• Direct experience managing and launching new products including working with the full development lifecycle.
• Knowledge of research and development processes and protocols, understanding both US and EU regulations.
• Experience working with external vendors to track progress and timelines.
• Experience vendor shopping to ensure most cost-effective components.
• Strong business acumen and understanding of product costing, margins and pricing.
• Proficiency with modern working software (office, G-suite, project management software, ERP systems).
• Project management expertise - ensure executional excellence around the commercialization of new products with launches completed on strategy, on time and on budget.

Nice-to-haves

• Experience in the beauty and food product industries.
• Familiarity with eco-friendly and sustainable product development practices.

Benefits

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• AD&D insurance
• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Employee discount
• Health insurance
• Health savings account
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Retirement plan
• Vision insurance