Senior Group Project Manager R&D UK&I
Job Location: Alfreton, Derbyshire
Company Description
Ferrero is a family-owned company with a truly progressive and global outlook and iconic brands such as Nutella®, Tic Tac®, Ferrero Rocher®, Raffaello®, Kinder Bueno® and Kinder Surprise®. As the love for our brands continues to grow, so too does our global reach. Represented in more than 50 countries, with products sold in more than 170, the Ferrero Group is loved by generations around the world. The secret to our global success? 38,767 dedicated employees who celebrate care and quality to craft a business, careers and brands we are proud of. Join us, and you could be one of them.
Diversity Statement
Ferrero is committed to building a diverse and inclusive culture in which all employees feel welcomed and appreciated and have the same opportunities. We believe all of our people are equally talented in their own way. In nurturing the curiosity and natural abilities of our employees, we provide them, generation after generation, the means to succeed personally and professionally, enabling them to craft their journey at Ferrero. The diversity of our talents is what makes our work environment multicultural, innovative and highly rewarding.
About the Role:
Ferrero is seeking a Senior R&D Project Manager for the UK&I region, reporting to the Head of R&D UK&I. This role involves overseeing New Product Development across the Alfreton and Halstead industrial plants for Thorntons and Eat Natural brands. Responsibilities include ensuring the successful delivery of all developments within assigned categories, aligning products with category and product strategies. Additionally, managing budgets in line with the category and collaborating on international category projects with central DTC/Soremartec stakeholders.
Main Responsibilities:
This role as Project Manager encompasses a multifaceted spectrum of responsibilities within Category Improvement Projects Management. Acting as a project manager, it oversees crucial Category projects and their industrialisation. Providing updates and performance insights to internal stakeholders such as Global Category and Industrial departments is a key facet. Collaborating with Packaging Category Managers, it drives the development of Category packaging projects and contributes to the Category's industrial development in line with the portfolio strategy
Within Category Innovation, the role spearheads the development and technical innovation initiatives. It engages with Ferrero Engineering's technical innovation and design functions to analyse hypotheses and proposals, including feasibility studies.
Responsible for delivering New Product Development (NPD) projects from inception to launch, it maintains accountability for project timelines, expenditure, resource coordination, and product cost estimations.
This position supervises and collaborates on main workflow systems like PDP and WDT, ensuring their correct and timely completion while complying with established guidelines. Furthermore, it provides support to the Head of R&D on various fronts, including local recipe approvals, internal meetings preceding project gates, and intervening in pre-brief steps to streamline evaluations and information gathering necessary for formal briefs.
This role encompasses overseeing a team while establishing a management structure aligned with Group values, emphasizing motivation, competence development, and empowerment. It involves recruiting, managing, motivating, coaching, and fostering the development of the team members.
Who we are looking for:
Ferrero is searching for an individual with a diverse skill set to fulfill the role as project manager. The ideal candidate should possess experience in R&D change/transformation projects, familiarity with various technology solutions, and a proven track record in managing teams.
Adaptability and innovation in their approach to work are highly valued traits. Effective communication skills, both verbal and written, across different audiences are essential. Proficiency in Excel, PowerPoint, and report writing is required, alongside robust expertise in Product Development and Product Management aligned with brand strategies.
Strong project management abilities and a degree level qualification or equivalent, along with CIM qualification or its equivalent, are preferred credentials for this position.
How to be successful in the role and at Ferrero:
Consumers, quality and care are at the heart of everything we do. So, to be successful at Ferrero, you’ll need to be just as consumer and product centric as we are - dedicated to crafting brilliant results for consumers around the world.