NPD Project Manager - Food in Innsbruck

Salary:

70,000 – 100,000 EUR (Dependent on experience) The Role

We are seeking a commercially minded NPD Project Manager to lead the development and delivery of new food products, menu concepts and operational innovations across a multi-site food business. The role will manage the end-to-end innovation process, from identifying market trends and developing concepts through to testing, launch and performance evaluation. A key responsibility will be to establish a structured, scalable NPD process that supports consistent implementation across multiple locations. Working closely with culinary, operations, procurement, supply chain, marketing and site leadership teams, the successful candidate will ensure innovations are customer-focused, commercially viable, operationally practical and aligned with business objectives. Key Responsibilities

Innovation & Project Management: Develop and implement a structured NPD framework covering ideation, concept evaluation, development, testing, approval and launch. Manage multiple projects, timelines, budgets, risks and stakeholders, ensuring consistent delivery across sites. Product & Menu Development: Lead the development of new dishes, products, menu concepts and food experiences, collaborating with chefs and operational teams to prototype, test and refine concepts. Testing & Implementation: Coordinate pilot programmes, gather customer and operational feedback, refine concepts and oversee multi-site rollouts, ensuring consistency, quality and operational readiness. Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work with procurement, supply chain, marketing, finance and operations to ensure product feasibility, reliable sourcing, cost efficiency and alignment with commercial priorities. Commercial Performance: Develop business cases, assess food costs and margins, monitor post-launch performance and identify opportunities to improve sales, profitability and customer experience. Quality & Continuous Improvement: Ensure compliance with applicable food safety, allergen and regulatory requirements, while using performance data and lessons learned to improve products, processes and future innovation initiatives. Candidate Profile

Experience & Knowledge

Proven experience in NPD, food innovation, product development, menu development or food-related project management. Track record of delivering projects from concept through testing and launch, ideally within a multi-site foodservice, hospitality, FMCG or food manufacturing environment. Experience managing cross-functional projects and implementing structured development processes; knowledge of stage-gate methodologies is advantageous. Understanding of food trends, customer insights, food costing, margins, supply chain requirements and food safety standards. Skills & Attributes

Strong project management, organisational and prioritisation skills. Creative, commercially aware and able to translate customer insights into practical innovations. Excellent stakeholder management, communication and influencing skills. Analytical and data-driven, with a focus on performance measurement and continuous improvement. Collaborative, proactive and adaptable, balancing innovation with commercial objectives and operational practicality. Fluency in German Holds right to live and work in Austria Measures of Success

Effective implementation of a scalable NPD process. Successful delivery and rollout of new products and menu concepts across multiple sites. Achievement of agreed commercial, cost and performance targets. Strong stakeholder engagement, operational adoption and continuous improvement. The Opportunity

An opportunity to shape food innovation within a multi-site business, turning creative ideas into commercially successful products, enhanced customer experiences and sustainable business growth.

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