Senior Technical & Innovation Leader – End-to-End Product Development

Location: Lowestoft (Hybrid – 3 days per week)
Salary: £70,000 – £90,000 + Car Allowance + up to 25% Bonus
Segment: SPDM | End-to-End Product & Packaging Innovation
Are you a Senior Technical & Innovation Leader ready to shape consumer-led product strategy at scale?
Do you thrive in end-to-end product development within complex, global environments?
Want real influence over innovation, margin, and operational excellence?
We are partnering with a leading international food manufacturer to appoint a Senior Technical & Innovation Leader to drive end-to-end product and packaging development across a strategically critical portfolio.
This is a high-impact leadership role with visibility at senior level and genuine ownership of innovation outcomes.


The Role: Senior Technical & Innovation Leader

As Senior Technical & Innovation Leader – End-to-End Product Development, you will provide functional, design, operational, and people leadership across product and packaging development.
You will work in close partnership with Marketing, Supply Chain, Finance, and Manufacturing, translating consumer insight into technically robust, commercially viable solutions.
Key Responsibilities

Functional Leadership*Shape and influence portfolio-level innovation strategy
*Build and validate innovation pipelines aligned to growth targets
*Ensure full regulatory and internal policy compliance
*Identify cost-saving and simplification opportunities
*Deliver excellent technical execution and knowledge capture
*Influence supply chain decisions impacting product claims and attributes
*Act as a trusted technical and commercial partner
*Drive continuous improvement in ways of working
Design & Consumer Leadership*Translate consumer insights into clear product and quality attributes
*Own product and packaging strategies across multiple markets
*Apply deep understanding of technologies and supply chains
*Deliver differentiated products with compelling claims
Operational Leadership*Deliver technical programmes on time, in full, and within budget
*Implement robust contingency and risk-mitigation plans
*Develop R&D capability, tools, and facilities
*Share best practice across geographically dispersed teams
People Leadership*Build a high-performance, inclusive technical culture
*Develop future leaders and critical technical capability
*Lead and engage teams across multiple locations
*Build strong internal and external leadership networks
Governance & Decision Making*Provide high-quality input into stage-gate governance
*Deploy resources effectively against business priorities
*Partner with manufacturing and sourcing on key decisions
*Balance technical risk, cost, and commercial opportunity
About You

We are looking for a credible Senior Technical & Innovation Leader with a strong track record in end-to-end product and packaging development within regulated environments.
You will bring:
*Strong understanding of consumer needs and drivers of liking
*Proven ability to translate consumer attributes into supply chain requirements
*Deep technical knowledge of food and packaging supply chains
*Experience leading complex, multi-market innovation programmes
*Confidence influencing senior stakeholders in matrix environments
*A proactive mindset toward manufacturing efficiency and cost optimisation
*Demonstrated people leadership across multiple sites
*Strong commercial awareness and decision-making capability
Core Capabilities*Business & Commercial Acumen – budget ownership, ROI, risk management
*Coaching & Talent Development – developing future technical leaders
*Decision Making – structured, data-led, commercially balanced
*Matrix Leadership – influencing across functions and geographies
*Technical Expertise – design for manufacture, cost and margin optimisation, consumer-led innovation
Culture & Values

This organisation is known for:
*Pride in brands and product quality
*Cost consciousness and simplicity
*Pace, accountability, and ownership
*Entrepreneurial thinking and collaboration
*Continuous improvement and high standards
Why Apply?

This is a rare opportunity to step into a Senior Technical & Innovation Leader role with genuine strategic influence inside a high-profile global organisation.
Apply now for a confidential discussion and full role briefing.