Manager, Product Development - Food
Golden Hippo is a young, growing digital marketing company committed to helping everyone live their healthiest life. We create cutting edge health, wellness, and beauty products and work tirelessly to get them into the hands of the people who need them most - our customers. We're growing fast, but our core values remain the same as when we were founded in 2010.
Golden Hippo is currently looking for a Manager, Product Development who will lead and manage the design, development and execution of new food product opportunities for one of our very successful health and wellness brands.
HERE IS WHAT WE OFFER YOU
At Golden Hippo you have a chance to make an impact. You will have the opportunity to be creative, take initiative and grow. A career at Golden Hippo is more than just a job. It's the chance to work among friends every day, to work and play hard, and to see the results of your work firsthand. We work in a lively, laid back work environment with a fully stocked kitchen for our employees to use. We also offer:
- Competitive salary (DOE)
- Employer-paid benefits (medical, dental, vision, life)
- Matching 401K plan
- In-office CrossFit gym with professional coaches
- Yoga and meditation breaks
- Casual, "no dress code" atmosphere and an open office space
- Highly interactive work with a talented, passionate team
- UNLIMITED room for growth and results-based pay increases
WHAT YOUR DAY IS LIKE
- Gather input from a variety of internal and external sources to define product concepts.
- Guide product definition, planning and implementation efforts.
- Lead development and launch of new food product brand: research, conceive, develop and refine prototypes to achieve sensory, nutrition and cost parameters, collaborate on commercialization and process flow.
- Utilize knowledge of food nutrition and food industry requirements, user and competitive research, trend analysis across all phases of the product development life cycle.
- Work cross-functionally to execute product development plans.
- Responsible for project timelines (including Packaging) & keeping the process moving, ensuring all key milestones are met.
- Proactively follow up with vendors on project statuses, manage product development timeline, communicate any changes, additional details and/or risks.
- Source raw ingredient and manufacturing suppliers.
- Negotiate costs based on knowledge of production processes and raw materials.Manage the development of new products, ensuring compliance with all testing requirements needed as set by Regulatory and Quality Assurance.
- Manage the modification and further innovation of existing products.
- Oversee suppliers including: sample and product information requests, specification development, and communication of product changes to address safety, performance or regulatory issues.
- Support product reformulations to address quality or cost concerns.
- Generate label copy for new products including nutritional claims and support for USDA label approval.
BEST CANDIDATES WILL HAVE
- Bachelor's degree
- 5+ years of proven success as a food product developer, R&D chef, or food scientist
- Experience leading new product development and leading cross functional teams
- Experience in product development with organic food
- Knowledge of lectin free diets such as plant paradox diet
- Excellent leadership and interpersonal skills
- Excellent communication (written and verbal) and people skills, attention to detail, ability to work with & lead teams
- Strong creative and technical orientation, able to both identify and imagine the possibilities and bring compelling, safe, high quality food products to market
- Successfully analyzed problems which require an in-depth understanding of regulations in the food industry, food manufacturing and nutrition or health sciences
- Demonstrated ability to work effectively in a fast-paced environment
- Excellent project management and organizational skills
Golden Hippo is always looking for smart, driven self-starters who are excited to build a place for themselves in one of the most fun, exciting companies in Los Angeles. If you thrive on community and communication, learning from your failures, and embracing the unexpected, Golden Hippo just might be the place for you.