New Product Specialist

Dreyer's Grand Ice Cream•Laurel, MD

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The New Product Specialist ensures projects are executed on time and within approved capital and operating budgets while meeting cost-savings targets. The role is responsible for successful development, implementation, and commercialization of new products and improvement projects within the factory. As the site subject matter expert on technical processes and products, the specialist supports technical standards and builds employee knowledge and skills. The specialist coordinates product and process renovation projects, facilitates factory trials and start-ups, provides project work direction, and keeps stakeholders informed about project status, risks, mitigation activities, decisions, successes, and lessons learned. The role contributes technical expertise from the beginning of improvement and new-product development projects, evaluates concepts for product quality and cost improvements, and supervises factory testing of renovated or new products and processes. Working across functional groups, the specialist leads cross-functional teams, develops and tracks implementation plans, monitors progress against timelines, escalates issues as needed, and owns project results during the first year. The position also works with the site team to determine capacity and capital requirements, develops and manages project capital, and builds internal technical capability through training, coaching, and progressive skill-building experiences. The work takes place in a fast-paced manufacturing environment. Employees regularly work around others, in wet or humid and noisy areas, and near mechanical, electrical, and pressurized equipment. Parts of the facility are cold and require cold-protective PPE; the role may involve extended periods standing, walking, lifting, bending, reaching, and repetitive hand and arm movements. Employees must follow food-safety and hygiene practices and may be exposed to nuts and other allergens.

Requirements

Must consistently demonstrate the company’s core values and desired behaviors.
Must follow company policies and comply with safety, quality, GMP, regulatory, environmental, and food-safety requirements.
Must be legally authorized to work in the United States now and in the future; visa sponsorship and immigration support are not available.
Must be able to work in a fast-paced manufacturing environment with cold areas, wet or humid conditions, high noise, and nearby mechanical, electrical, and pressurized equipment.
Must be able to use cold-protective PPE and follow food-safety hygiene requirements, including protective-gear practices.
The role may require prolonged standing, walking in refrigerated areas, lifting, frequent bending and reaching, and repetitive hand and arm movements.

Responsibilities

Coordinate and manage existing product and process renovation projects.
Maintain technical product and process standards and provide site technical support.
Keep stakeholders updated on project status, risks, mitigation activities, decision points, successes, and lessons learned.
Facilitate plant trials and start-ups for assigned projects.
Provide project work direction, including scheduling and assigning work, and review projects against technical and process specifications.
Build employees’ technical capabilities through training materials, coaching, and progressive skill-building experiences.
Provide technical expertise at the outset of improvement projects and activities across functional streams.
Recommend and evaluate processing and product-formulation concepts to improve quality and reduce production and formulation costs.
Contribute technical expertise to new-product development projects as part of the NPDI process.
Organize and supervise factory testing of renovated or new products and processes.
Work with Quality, Safety, Cost, TAG, R&D, and other functional groups to focus resources and deliver assigned project results.
Own project results for the first year and support successful project start-up and ongoing results against defined criteria.
Work with the site team to determine capacity and capital requirements for new-product initiatives.
Develop and manage capital associated with assigned projects.
Lead cross-functional teams to establish and achieve project success.
Develop and track project implementation plans, measure progress against timelines, and escalate as necessary.
Follow production plans and instructions, meet production targets, report issues promptly, and use materials responsibly.
Maintain an organized and efficient workstation; follow standard operating procedures and identify opportunities to improve processes, reduce waste, and increase efficiency.
Follow GMPs and food-safety procedures, complete quality checks, testing, and documentation, and stop and escalate quality concerns.
Follow safety, environmental, hygiene, sanitation, and allergen-control requirements; participate in audits, inspections, and quality-improvement efforts.
Support team communication, training, attendance, punctuality, and teamwork expectations; report hazards, near misses, and unsafe behaviors.
Operate equipment responsibly, minimize waste, recycle as required, and use resources efficiently.