Product Development Manager

Job Description

Job Description

Description

At Pacific Seafood, we do more than just provide the world with the healthiest proteins on the planet. We are a family-owned, excellence-driven organization committed to being the brand of choice in the marketplace and the employer of choice in the community. We believe in servant leadership, investing in our team members’ personal and professional growth, and rewarding performance. We live by the core values of our Diamond Philosophy: Teamwork, Productivity, Quality, and Excellence—which means consistently doing your best and always striving to do better.

Summary:
The Product Development Manager at Pacific Seafood is responsible for leading the Innovation team in product ideation, feasibility research and new product development. Additionally, this role will offer culinary support for the needs of Pacific Seafood senior leadership. Effective time management and the ability to prioritize based on urgency and importance are essential for this role. Priorities will be determined by the needs of the business and communicated by Pacific Seafoods' senior leadership. This position is idea for someone who is customer focused, has strong interpersonal skills, is a strategic thinker and has a passion for the world's healthiest protein.

Key Responsibilities

1. Product Development  

• In partnership with Innovation Team and Sales leadership, manages new product development initiatives to meet growth based customer needs and market trends.
• Manages the product development process, including idea conception, feasibility research, creation of new food products, ingredient sourcing and recipe creation, including operational production process.
• Creates innovative value-added items to generate revenue, in line with market trends and Pacific Seafood guidelines 
• Assesses financial and technical feasibility, estimates final product cost, price and margins.
• Establishes and maintains relationships with domestic and international research and development vendors to ensure the Company gets the best quality ingredients, products and services at competitive pricing. 
• Aids in developing the manufacturing strategy and distribution channels for new products. 
• Identifies and evaluates new vendors or suppliers as needed.
• Collaborates with the Manufacturing leaders on new projects, focusing on recipe buildout, nutritional requirements, ingredient limitations and efficient processes.
• Partners with the Manufacturing/Processing leadership to ensure seamless integration of new products into manufacturing processes. 
• Oversees the management of and access to the Chef/Resource kitchen, including the kitchen calendar. 
• Uses the Decision-Making Diamond to ensure all Innovation products support Pacific Seafoods' reputation, are profitable, can be executed and are filling a customer/consumer need. 
• Maintains adherence to processes and procedures related product development, including communication of obstacles, barriers or guardrails across the company. 

2. Sales Support  

• Manages and supports sales-driving activities tied to ideation, R&D, and implementation on Innovation products. 
• Lead and oversee the sampling process through Sales distribution channels for Innovation products, including feedback collection. 

3. Research  

• In collaboration with marketing, conducts market research and competitive analysis to identify opportunities for Innovation. 
• Lead and manage culinary Research & Development efforts, including: 
  • Conducting and facilitating culinary components of customer meetings and presentations. 
  • Organizing and overseeing cuttings 
  • Executing comprehensive product evaluations to ensure high-quality and innovative product offerings.
• Stays current with technology, emerging trends and regulatory requirements to inform product strategy and roadmap. 

4. Other Responsibilities 

• Collaborates with Creative Services to support training videos and photo shoots 
• Promotes, practices and preaches safe food handling standards through training, education, day to day management, identifying and resolving potential food safety hazards and working with the VCQ Teams. 
• Assists with product showcase events, food shows, cooking demos and other culinary related events.

Additional responsibilities may be assigned as deemed necessary to support the overall goals and objectives of the position.  

What you bring to Pacific Seafood

Required:

• Associate’s degree in culinary arts, Food Science, Business Management, or a related field. 
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in product development, culinary R&D, or a related role, with a proven track record of successful project management. 
• Strong knowledge of culinary trends, food safety regulations, and nutritional requirements. 
• Excellent organizational and project management skills, with the ability to handle multiple tasks and deadlines efficiently. 
• Proven experience in managing teams and resources, with strong leadership and interpersonal skills. 
• Demonstrated ability to develop and maintain relationships with key accounts and stakeholders. 
• Proficiency in using Microsoft Office Suite and project management software. 
• Must be able to travel up to 10% of the time. 

Preferred:

• Seafood/protein work experience. 
• Bachelor's degree in culinary arts, Food Science, Business Management, or a related field. 
• Familiarity with market reporting and data analysis tools. 

Physical Requirements
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by a team member to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. While performing the duties of this job, the team member: 

• Must be available to work Monday–Friday during regular working hours, with occasional weekend duties. 
• Ability to maintain a stationary position 80% of the time, with intermittent walking, standing, bending, reaching, and/or crawling. 
• Ability to move and transport documents, equipment, or other items weighing up to 50 pounds across various locations for different team members, departments, and events. 
• Capable of occasional travel as required by duties, demonstrating efficiency and effectiveness in diverse locations. 
• Capable of operating a computer and other office productivity machinery, including a calculator, copy machine, and printer. 
• Capable of frequently communicating with team members and stakeholders, accurately conveying detailed or important spoken instructions. 
• Capable of perceiving visuals for activities such as preparing and analyzing data and figures, transcribing, viewing a computer screen, and engaging in extensive reading. 

Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this job.

Working Conditions

The working environment characteristics described here are representative of those a team member encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. While performing the duties of this job, the team member is exposed to: 

• Traditional office environment 
• Standard office equipment (computers, printers, phones, etc.) 
• Well-illuminated environment 
• Quiet to moderate noise level 
• Occasional travel via car or plane to regional facilities, events, etc. 
• Occasional subtle and mild scents related to the production facility 
• Occasional access to the warehouse facility 

Benefits

Total Compensation

At Pacific Seafood your base wage is only a portion of your overall compensation package. We invest in our Team Members through a comprehensive and attractive total rewards package, including but not limited to:

• Health insurance benefits options, including medical, prescription, vision, dental, basic group life and short term disability.
• Flexible spending accounts for health flex and dependent care expenses
• 401(k) Retirement Plan options with generous annual company profit sharing match
• Paid time off for all regular FT team members, to include sick days, holiday pay, vacation, and personal time
• Employee Assistance Program- Confidential professional counseling, financial, and legal assistance provided at no charge to Team Members and immediate family members
• Product purchase program

Pacific Seafood is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.