Senior NPD Technologist

|Food & Dairy - Food & Packaging Technology|New Zealand
  • Staff parking + discounted chocolate!
  • Fixed-term role through to August 2027
  • Lead product development from concept to launch

The Company: Whittaker’s is New Zealand’s biggest chocolate manufacturer and has won New Zealand’s ‘Most Trusted Brand’ 14 times in a row.  They live by the belief that ‘best is always better’, insisting on using only the finest ingredients, the best methods, most precise machinery, and the best people to keep making good honest chocolate.

The Role: This is a senior, hands-on role leading the delivery of new and improved Whittaker’s products alongside a close-knit New Product Development team. Reporting to the NPD Manager, you’ll take ownership of the full product development lifecycle from concept through to commercialisation whilst providing technical expertise and mentorship to junior team members.
Working to defined briefs, you’ll lead formulation development, oversee lab operations and trials and ensure products meet quality, cost, and regulatory requirements. You will also collaborate cross functionally to deliver successful, innovative products aligned with business objectives.  

Tasks will include, but are not limited to:

  • Leading new and improved products through the NPD pipeline, from concept and formulation to scale-up and launch
  • Managing multiple development projects, ensuring timelines, budgets, and deliverables are met
  • Overseeing product trials, testing, and analysis
  • Developing and refining formulations to meet quality, cost, and regulatory requirements
  • Troubleshooting technical challenges during development and scale-up
  • Sourcing and selecting ingredients, maintaining strong supplier relationships
  • Creating and maintaining accurate technical documentation including recipes, BOMs, nutrition and labelling information
  • Recording, analysing, and presenting trial data and project updates to key stakeholders
  • Ensuring quality, food safety, and compliance requirements are met throughout development and post-launch
  • Staying up to date with ingredient innovations and market trends
  • Providing guidance and mentorship to junior team members

This is a fixed-term position through to August 2027 due to a secondment within the team.
It will be an on-site role, working 8.00am to 4.30pm Monday to Friday, with some flexibility required to be available for trials conducted outside of production schedules.
 
 
You, the Candidate: The ideal candidate for this role is an experienced NPD professional with a passion for innovation and a proven ability to lead product development projects in a fast-paced FMCG environment.

 The ideal candidate will bring the following skills and attributes:

  • A degree in Food Technology, Food Science, or similar
  • 3+ years’ experience in a new product development within food or beverage sectors
  • Strong knowledge and practical application of food legislation, HACCP, and allergen management
  • Ability to manage multiple projects and deliver to deadlines and budgets
  • High attention to detail with strong documentation and data analysis capabilities
  • Strong interpersonal skills and an ability to influence stakeholders
  • A methodical approach with a high level of initiative and self-motivation

 
Apply: To apply for this role, please select the relevant ‘Apply’ button.

Alternatively, please contact Maya Carpenter-Salvador on maya@trs.co.nz with a copy of your CV. To be eligible for this role, you must hold current working rights in NZ.
You must also be willing to undertake and return a satisfactory Ministry of Justice Criminal History check and undergo a pre-employment medical including a Drug & Alcohol Screening.