Senior NPD & Innovation Manager

On-site | Leadership | Full Time | Hybrid

Paddock Wood, Kent (with occasional UK, EU and US travel)

Help Build One of the UK's Most Exciting Contract Manufacturing Businesses

Zendlabs is looking for an exceptional NPD Specialist to help build one of the UK's fastest-growing contract manufacturing businesses.

This isn't a traditional NPD role. This is an opportunity to work with ambitious health, wellness and sports nutrition brands, taking products from concept through to launch whilst helping shape the future of a business built around quality, innovation and customer experience.

You’ll work directly with founders, brand owners and internal teams to bring new products to life, solve technical challenges and deliver an exceptional customer experience.

If you love products, innovation and building relationships, you’ll love this role.

What You'll Be Responsible For

• Own New Product Development
• Manage customer projects from concept through to launch.
• Develop new powder formulations across sports nutrition, wellness and functional health products.
• Work closely with customers on ingredients, claims, flavour profiles and formats.
• Coordinate artwork approvals, specifications and technical documentation.
• Support continuous product innovation and line extensions.

Customer Success & Relationship Management

Build long-term relationships with customers and brand founders.

Lead onboarding and product launches.

Deliver an exceptional customer experience that drives retention, referrals and advocacy.

Technical & Regulatory Leadership

Work alongside Manufacturing to ensure products meet regulatory requirements.

Support formulation development, stability and specification management.

Manage change controls and continuous improvement projects.

Help maintain world‑class quality standards across the facility.

Cross‑Functional Project Management

Work closely with: Procurement, Operations, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Commercial to ensure projects are delivered on time and in full.

Drive Innovation

Identify emerging ingredients, formats and market trends.

Support future product categories and technologies.

Attend exhibitions and supplier events.

Help shape the future direction of Zendlabs.

What We're Looking For

• Experience within sports nutrition, supplements, functional foods or health and wellness products.
• Proven experience in NPD, formulation or technical roles.
• Strong understanding of ingredients, formulations and manufacturing processes.
• Experience managing multiple projects simultaneously.
• Commercial awareness and a customer‑first mentality.
• Exceptional communication and organisational skills.
• Naturally curious with a passion for innovation and continuous improvement.

The Type of Person Who Will Thrive Here

• You love products and innovation.
• You enjoy solving problems and turning ideas into reality.
• You are equally comfortable discussing formulations with customers, working with Quality or spending time on the production floor.
• You are curious, proactive and commercially minded.
• You thrive in fast‑moving environments with plenty of autonomy.
• You want to build something genuinely special rather than simply maintain the status quo.

Why Join Zendlabs?

• Help shape one of the UK's fastest‑growing contract manufacturing businesses.
• Work with exciting health, wellness and sports nutrition brands.
• Influence innovation, systems and customer experience.
• Be part of a passionate and ambitious team.
• Opportunity to grow with the business and build a team around you.
• Health Care, Optical & Hearing
• Salary sacrifice, Retail & Health discounts.
• Competitive Salary (£60,000 to £65,000 DOE), Bonus and Exceptional Long‑Term Career Opportunity.

Career Path & Next Steps

• Year 1
• Establish and lead the NPD function.
• Deliver world‑class customer onboarding and product launches.
• Help shape the innovation roadmap.

Years 2‑3

Build and develop an NPD team.

Lead future product categories and technologies.

Become a key member of the wider leadership team.

Next Step: Head of Innovation

Responsible for innovation strategy, product pipeline, technical leadership and long‑term growth of Zendlabs.

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