Product Innovations Manager - AGROPAL West Africa Limited
AGROPAL West Africa Limited
- Eastern Region
- Permanent
- Full-time
- Reports to: Managing Director
- Department: Research and New Product Development
- Employment Status: Full-time
- Work Location: Akuse,
- Employment Start Date: September 2025
- Lead in the establishment of the Research and New Product Development Department.
- Identify and lead the development of new products within the dried fruits category, including flavour variants, textures, blends, and functional snacks.
- Identify and lead the development of new products outside of the dried fruits category but require the use of dehydration or drying machinery.
- Conduct R&D trials in collaboration with production and quality teams to test prototypes, shelf life, and sensory characteristics.
- Evaluate alternative innovative uses of the company’s by-products.
- Conduct initial market research and competitive analysis to identify market opportunities and potential threats for new product ideas
- Analyze global dried fruit and healthy snack trends to inform product strategy.
- Collaborate with the marketing team to gather feedback from buyers, customers, and trade shows.
- Benchmark AGROPAL’s offerings against local and international competitors.
- Lead the design of functional, attractive, and sustainable packaging formats.
- Collaborate with graphic designers and external partners on packaging artwork that complies with international standards.
- Ensure innovations align with brand values and improve shelf visibility.
- Work closely with the QA team to ensure new products meet international food safety standards (e.g., HACCP, BRCGS, IFS and FDA requirements).
- Coordinate nutritional analysis and labelling compliance with international standards.
- Collaborate with operations and marketing to bring new products from concept to market.
- Prepare innovation roadmaps and business cases for new product lines.
- Monitor post-launch product performance and customer feedback for continuous improvement.
- Carry out any other duties assigned by the Managing Director
- Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Food Science, Food Technology, Product Development, or a related field.
- At least 5 years of experience in food product development, preferably in fruits, snacks, or natural foods.
- Strong understanding of food R&D, processing technologies, and quality systems.
- Innovative thinker with a strong commercial mindset
- Proven experience in commercialising new products for export or consumer markets.
JobSearch Ghana