The Bay Tree

Full Time 37.5hours (8am-4pm Mon-Fri) This role is based at Lee Mill (near Plymouth, Devon) The Bay Tree are seeking a creative and highly organised individual with a passion for experimenting with ingredients to produce extraordinary products of the highest quality. The NPD assistant is responsible for developing new products from concept to launch; they must be creative, methodical, accurate, and have an eye for detail. Products that are manufactured by The Bay Tree include high quality preserves, chutneys, condiments and sauces. Reporting directly to the NPD Manager, the NPD Assistant will need to work within the office, the development lab, and the factory. Effective communication is key to this role; the NPD assistant will need to communicate with Technical, Production, Purchasing, Sales, and IT to ensure that new developments meet customer requirements and are launched successfully within the agreed timeframes. Key responsibilities: Coordinating the approval of new ingredients/packaging. Completing costings and production implication reviews for new products. Preparing samples within the NPD kitchen for internal/customer approval. Communicating with all other departments to ensure that new products are practical for production, comply with the HACCP plan & that they meet the customers requirements. To set new products up on Sage and continue to monitor them whilst they are on probation. To organise and supervise factory trials, prepare samples for due diligence, and report progress to all departments. To maintain and add to the existing database of recipes. Work with Technical to provide customers with accurate product information (specifications and label declarations). Communicate with suppliers to discover new/ improved ingredients. Strong problem-solving and analytical skills are required to support production when issues arise. To constantly communicate with the Technical/Production team on many factors, including product quality and food safety. To support the Technical team whenever staff members are absent. To undertake any other duties as may be required within the scope of the post. Essential requirements: A true passion for food. Must be able to cook and implement improvements to products. Proficient in the use of Microsoft Office packages, including Outlook, Excel, and Word. Excellent written and verbal communication skills. Strong Time Management skills (prioritising, managing workload, meeting deadlines). A thorough understanding of Food Safety, Food Hygiene, and labelling requirements (Training for this can be provided). Desirable requirements: Experience of working within a catering or food manufacturing environment. Understanding of basic Health & Safety. A Food Hygiene Qualification. Understanding of HACCP. JBRP1_UKTJ