Product Development Manager

Job Summary The Product Development Manager is responsible for leading the development and execution of new bakery products and line extensions to support innovation and rotating pipeline initiatives. This role blends hands-on bench formulation with commercialization support, plant start-up execution, and in-market performance optimization. The ideal candidate brings strong bakery formulation expertise, operational awareness, and the ability to translate customer and consumer needs into scalable, high-quality products. This position is highly hands-on and plant-facing, requiring deep technical knowledge of baking processes, ingredients, and equipment, along with strong project management and cross-functional leadership skills. All while adhering to and supporting the organization's Vision, Mission, and Values Responsibilities Product Development & Innovation Translate customer ideation concepts and briefs into structured development plans, including timelines, formulation strategy, and commercialization assessment. Lead formulation and development of new bakery products from concept through commercialization. Develop line extensions and pipeline offerings aligned with strategic innovation goals. Create and refine bench prototypes, ensuring scalability and manufacturability. Conduct hands-on lab work including mixing, baking, scaling, and troubleshooting formulas. Maintain accurate and detailed documentation of all formulation work, trials, and revisions. Commercialization & Plant Support Partner with Operations, Quality, and Supply Chain to scale formulas from bench to plant. Participate in plant trials, commercialization runs, and start-up support. Troubleshoot formulation or process challenges during scale-up. Establish and validate product specification parameters including texture, moisture, weight, and sensory attributes. Ensure compliance with food safety and quality standards. Sample & Customer Support Fulfill internal and external sample requests in a timely manner. Prepare customer-ready samples that reflect plant capabilities and quality standards. Support presentations and customer engagements with technical insights as needed. Product Optimization Monitor product performance post-launch to identify optimization opportunities. Partner with cross-functional teams to improve quality, shelf-life, cost, or guest experience. Conduct competitive benchmarking and continuous improvement initiatives. Laboratory Operations Support Support the Principal Food Scientist with daily lab activities and prioritization. Assist with raw material testing, supplier evaluations, and ingredient functionality studies. Maintain lab organization, ingredient inventory, and adherence to safety protocols. Qualifications And Skills Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Bakery Science, or related field (required). 5+ years of bakery product development experience (commercial bakery preferred). Strong knowledge of bakery ingredient functionality (flours, sweeteners, fats, emulsifiers, enzymes, leavening systems, inclusions). Strong cross-functional communication and influence skills. Experience with plant commercialization and scale-up. Demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects in a fast-paced innovation environment. Strong documentation, organizational, and communication skills. Hands-on bench development experience required. WORK CONDITIONS This job operates in a production office environment. The employee is occasionally exposed to facility elements such as heat, cold, flour dust, PPE required. Flexible schedule required to support production trials, off-shift runs, and customer launches. EEO Statement Crown Bakeries is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to providing a work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment. It is our policy to recruit, hire, train and promote individuals without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or any other characteristic protected by law. We prohibit any such discrimination or harassment in our workplace and strive to foster a diverse and inclusive workforce. This EEO policy applies to all aspects of employment, including recruitment, hiring, training, promotion, compensation, benefits and other terms and conditions of employment.