NPD & Innovations Lead

Job title: NPD & Innovations Lead

Location: Trafford Park Factory, on-site

Type: full time, permanent

Who we are and what we do:

LIPTON Teas & Infusions is the world’s leading tea business, home to iconic, purpose‑driven brands like Lipton, Pukka, Tazo, T2, Lyons and PG Tips.

We craft great teas for every occasion, to bring joy and inspire a healthier lifestyle. Guided by our values of people first, ownership, passion for excellence, and consumer and customer centricity, we create long‑term value for our people, trade partners, suppliers, and the communities where we operate.

If you’re a diverse thinker who takes personal ownership to connect ideas and make impactful things happen, someone who shares our values around humanity and courage and someone who enjoys a good cup of tea (on the house!), then we could be a good match! 🍃✨

Your role:

As NDP & Innovations Lead, you’ll lead the factory implementation of new products, product changes and packaging innovation, acting as the primary Trafford Park interface with Marketing, Commercial and Research & Innovation.

You’ll turn approved briefs into safe, legally compliant, manufacturable and on-time launches through decisive technical leadership and disciplined cross-functional delivery.

This is an experienced, hands-on role with independent ownership of assigned projects, alongside defined technical Quality workstreams delegated by the Quality Manager. You’ll report to the Quality Manager and own site project coordination and assigned deliverables.

Your key responsibilities:

NPD, innovation and project delivery

• Own the integrated site NPD/EPD, renovation and packaging-change plan, leading project reviews, critical-path actions, risk escalation and timely handover to Operations.
• Challenge weak briefs, unrealistic timelines and technical assumptions, and coordinate site feasibility, stage-gate evidence, trials, first production and post-launch performance.
• Provide accurate, concise updates to Marketing, R&I and site leadership on milestones, risks, costs and decisions required.

Specifications, legality and change control

• Coordinate accurate, approved product, raw-material and packaging specifications, ensuring controlled technical records, appropriate validation evidence and effective change management.
• Drive technical checks of artwork, pack copy, ingredients, allergens, claims, coding, shelf life and UK/export-market requirements with authorised Regulatory and Quality approvers.
• Assess the technical impact of changes to ingredients, suppliers, packaging, processes or intended markets, preventing implementation where compliance risks remain unresolved.

Packaging development and factory trials

• Lead the site technical implementation of packaging formats and materials, partnering with Packaging Development, Procurement and suppliers.
• Define trial protocols, acceptance criteria and sampling plans, assessing runnability, pack integrity, coding, material compatibility, defects and operational performance.
• Coordinate line readiness, resources, process verification and documented trial outcomes, driving corrective actions before routine manufacture.

Master data, launch costs and waste

• Ensure SAP material data, BOMs, routings and production versions align with approved specifications and packaging configurations before use.
• Control technical transitions, obsolescence and first/last-use instructions, challenging trial consumption, yield losses, scrap and potential write-offs.

Quality and technical improvement

• Independently lead assigned product and packaging investigations, supplier technical issues, non-conformances, CAPA and improvement projects through to verified closure.
• Support audits, customer technical requests, risk assessments and documentation improvements within the scope agreed with the Quality Manager.
• Challenge launch readiness and recommend NO-GO where appropriate, while working within the authorised product-release, regulatory and launch approval process.

Success in this role means delivering projects to agreed timings, ensuring technical and regulatory approvals are complete before launch, achieving right-first-time trials and stable first manufacture, maintaining accurate specifications and SAP data, delivering packaging performance, controlling trial waste, and closing investigations and corrective actions effectively.

What we are looking for:

We’re looking for someone with:

• Proven experience independently delivering NPD, EPD or packaging projects through factory trials and launch within food, beverage or regulated FMCG manufacturing.
• A strong technical Quality foundation across food safety, HACCP, specifications, allergens, labelling, packaging compliance and change control.
• Practical packaging and manufacturing knowledge, including material performance, artwork changes, supplier interfaces and factory-scale troubleshooting.
• Strong communication and influencing skills, with the confidence to work effectively with Marketing, R&I, suppliers and factory leadership.
• Commercial awareness, strong organisation skills and the ability to manage competing deadlines.
• Experience with ERP/BOM controls, ideally SAP, as well as data analysis, technical reporting and structured root-cause investigation.
• A Degree, HNC or HND in Food Science, Food Technology, Packaging, Manufacturing or a related field, or equivalent relevant experience.

HACCP, auditing or project-management qualifications would be advantageous. Experience within tea, herbal infusions, organic products, high-volume packing or export markets would also be beneficial.

What’s in it for you:

• A hands-on role where you’ll have real ownership of NPD, EPD and packaging projects from factory feasibility through to launch.
• The opportunity to work cross-functionally with Marketing, Commercial, R&I, Operations, Procurement and external suppliers.
• High visibility across the Trafford Park site, with the chance to influence key technical and launch decisions.
• A varied role combining innovation, packaging, Quality and manufacturing, where you can see the direct impact of your work on products reaching the market.
• The opportunity to build on your technical expertise while leading projects independently and contributing to continuous improvement across the site.

What to expect from us:

We know that the whole recruitment process can be stressful, so we promise to make it as straightforward as possible. Our process is usually 2-3 stages (depending on the seniority of the role) and we are aiming to review every CV within 2 weeks. 

We are an organization committed to equity, inclusion and diversity to drive our business results and create a better future, every day, for our employees, global consumers, partners, and communities. We believe a diverse workforce allows us to match our growth ambitions and drive inclusion across the business. We are interested in every individual bringing their whole self to work and this includes you!