New Product Development & Innovations Project Manager | FMCG | Manufacturing at National Brand Limited

• We are seeking a seasoned Project Manager to lead cross-functional New Product Development (NPD) and innovation projects across multiple manufacturing sites. 
• This role sits at the centre of Marketing, R&D, Supply Chain and Manufacturing, ensuring projects move from concept to launch with discipline, commercial focus and operational precision. This role requires a structured project leader who understands factory environments, product lifecycles, and governance in a regulated FMCG setting. 
• Reporting directly to the Marketing Executive, you will take full accountability for project planning, milestone governance, risk management and post-launch tracking across national manufacturing sites. 

Key Areas of Impact:

• Define and scope projects in alignment with commercial and operational objectives
• Develop and manage detailed milestone plans across multi-disciplinary teams
• Drive day-to-day project governance and cross-functional alignment
• Identify and mitigate risks early, escalating appropriately
• Own decision-gate readiness and presentation support
• Monitor compliance to timelines and escalate delivery risks
• Manage the 18-month innovation calendar and site-level project pipelines
• Oversee project documentation governance via SharePoint and MS Project
• Facilitate structured project meetings with documented outcomes
• Conduct post-launch reviews and track performance for three months post go-live
• You will also coordinate sensory testing processes, liaising with internal development teams and external suppliers to ensure formulation validation and structured feedback loops. 

Environment & Complexity

• Multi-site manufacturing exposure (Durban, Isando, Rosslyn)
• FMCG / Food Services environment
• Cross-functional stakeholder management
• Structured governance framework with decision gates
• Innovation pipeline management

What It Takes to Succeed:

Experience that set you up for success:                       

• A commercially aware, operationally grounded Project Manager who:
• Has at least 5 years’ experience in FMCG, Food and Beverage Services or Manufacturing
• Understands factory constraints and production realities
• Can hold structure without creating bureaucracy
• Is comfortable reporting at the Executive level
• Has strong analytical and reporting capability
• Manages multiple concurrent projects with discipline
• Drives accountability across teams
• This individual must bring maturity, credibility and the ability to influence across technical and commercial stakeholders. 

Qualifications & Certifications that will contribute to your success:

• 3-year Degree in Project Management or Industrial Engineering
• Postgraduate qualification advantageous 

Additional Requirements that will enhance your impact for success:

• Advanced MS Project capability
• Strong SharePoint governance management
• Structured milestone planning and risk tracking
• High-level business report writing
• Valid driver’s licence
• Willingness to travel to national manufacturing sites 

Deadline:30th March,2026