NPD & Innovation Manager
Product \& Innovation Manager
Location: Flexible / Hybrid
Reporting to: Head of Technical, NPD \& Compliance
About Us
At Pets, we’re passionate about making lives better for pets and the people who love them. From nutrition to accessories, we’re committed to developing high\-quality, innovative own\-brand products that deliver real value and make pet care simpler, better, and more rewarding.
We’re now looking for a Product \& Innovation Manager to help shape the future of our product range.
The Role
This is an exciting opportunity to bring creativity, insight, and commercial thinking together. As part of our Technical \& Product Process team, you’ll translate trends and customer needs into standout products that enhance our own\-brand proposition.
You’ll work collaboratively across our Product, Trading, Merchandising, and Supply teams—alongside our suppliers—to turn ideas into reality, ensuring our products are not only innovative but easy for customers to shop and love.
What you’ll be doing
- Identify emerging pet care trends and turn them into exciting new product opportunities
- Lead end\-to\-end product development, from concept through to launch
- Partner closely with suppliers to deliver NPD on time and to the highest standard
- Ensure smooth progression through stage gate processes and critical path timelines
- Conduct competitor benchmarking and gap analysis to keep us ahead of the market
- Ensure products meet both customer expectations and commercial targets
- Support product testing, including palatability and consumer feedback
- Work with internal teams to deliver a clear, compelling range proposition
- Stay up to date with industry trends, innovation and regulatory changes
- Support onboarding and development of new supplier partnerships
- Proven experience (5\+ years) in product development
- Strong understanding of end\-to\-end product lifecycle—from raw materials to shelf
- Experience working with suppliers and managing development processes
- Knowledge of food/product safety standards (e.g. HACCP)
- Strong commercial awareness and ability to balance cost and quality
- A creative mindset with a passion for innovation and improving pet products
- Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills
- Highly organised, with the ability to manage multiple projects
- Proactive and solutions\-focused mindset
- Strong attention to detail and ability to anticipate challenges
- Confident presenting ideas and influencing decisions
- A true team player who thrives in a collaborative environment
- Be part of a business that genuinely cares about pets and their wellbeing
- Play a key role in shaping innovative products loved by millions of customers
- Work in a collaborative, supportive environment where your ideas matter
- Opportunity to make a visible impact across our stores and online
If you’re passionate about product innovation and want to help create products that pets (and their owners) love, we’d love to hear from you.
*Pets just see people. They aren’t biased and they don’t discriminate. We take our inspiration from pets, and we value and respect difference in all its forms. Our aim is to reflect the diversity of the communities we operate in, and every colleague can help us achieve this. We encourage our people to be themselves so even if your skills and experience don’t perfectly align, if you think you can make a unique contribution through your values and behaviours, we want to hear from you!*
*\#LI\-DNI*
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