Position Responsibilities:

Primary Job Responsibilities:

Lead and participate in New Product Development (NPD), from ideation to launch.
Manage multiple product development projects concurrently, overseeing timelines, resources and budgets effectively.
Collaborate closely with the regional product team to align strategies, share insights, and contribute to the overall success of the regional product portfolio.
Ensure local product development efforts align with regional standards and framework.
Create, enhance and localize the product menu to fill a niche in the competitive F&B market.
Develop localized beverages and/or food products based on market trends, sales data, operational effectiveness and customer demographics.
Establish costing information for new and revised formulations.
Assist in the preparation of beverage and food tasting sessions and continuously iterate rapidly.
Conduct comprehensive market and consumer research to identify emerging trends, technologies and opportunities for new product development.
Gather, analyze and maintain product, flavor, market and technology trend information, and prepare feasibility reports to ensure products remain viable and competitive.

Secondary Job Responsibilities:

Work collectively with internal teams, e.g., Operations, QA/QC, Marketing and Supply Chain, throughout the product development process to ensure successful product launches.
Provide regular updates to the regional team on local market dynamics and opportunities.
Coordinate with cross-functional teams to ensure the successful execution of product launches.
Identify and evaluate potential suppliers, partners and external resources to support research and development initiatives.
Communicate regularly and build good rapport with vendors.
Perform product stability testing, shelf-life evaluations and any other required tests.
Ensure all products comply with food safety standards and regulations.
Conduct investigations and propose solutions to address product complaints or feedback.
Implement and oversee quality control measures throughout the product development process.
Maintain accurate documentation of experiments, procedures and results to facilitate knowledge sharing and intellectual property protection.
Perform other ad hoc tasks as assigned by the superior or management from time to time.
Foster collaboration with the regional product team to share best practices and insights.
Be responsible for maintaining product SOPs.

Qualifications & Experience:

Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Food Technology, Nutrition, Culinary Arts or a related scientific discipline.
Professional barista/sensory certifications (e.g., Specialty Coffee Association) or advanced culinary certifications are highly preferred.
Years of Experience: Generally requires 3 to 5+ years of experience in F&B research and development, product management or new product development (NPD).
Industry Focus: Proven experience within a multi-outlet cafe chain, Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) or F&B retail environment.
Niche Domain Knowledge: A strong background specifically in coffee, tea, RTD (ready-to-drink) beverages or dairy/syrup formulations is standard.
Ability to create digital Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) that retail baristas can easily execute during rush periods without slowing down throughput.
Ability to conceptualize and execute new methods of development.
Possess good sensory skills for product benchmarking and development.
Have a strong interest in and knowledge of ingredient formulation and development.
Computer literate.
Proficient in Microsoft Office, Excel and other relevant software and applications.
Good command of written and spoken English; proficiency in other languages will be an added advantage.
Good interpersonal skills and the ability to communicate effectively and responsively at all levels, internally and externally.
Excellent problem-solving skills and the ability to think creatively to develop new and improved products.
Ability to work independently, prioritize tasks and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
Strong attention to detail, accuracy and documentation practices.

a Necessity, not a Luxury

Assistant Manager, Product R&D (MYSG)