Product Development

PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT FMCG  RECRUITMENT SPECIALISTS

Are you seeking exceptional talent in Product Development for your organisation? Lime Talent specialises in connecting you with top-quality candidates across various roles within this field. Whether you are in need of an experienced Senior Product Developer or a Product Development Manager, we have access to a diverse pool of skilled professionals. Based in London, we offer expert guidance in recruiting for Product Development positions within the FMCG sector across the UK and internationally.

We understand the critical importance of finding candidates who not only possess the necessary technical skills, but also align with your organisational culture and values. Our team excels in identifying individuals who demonstrate self-motivation, strong functional expertise, and a commitment to driving product development. We are dedicated to connecting you with candidates who possess the precise competencies needed to excel in these pivotal roles within your organisation.

Why Use Us?

Established in 2013, we excel in sourcing talent for a broad spectrum of Product Development roles, serving both blue-chip organisations and fast-rising challenger brands in the FMCG sector. Our team comprises dedicated recruitment specialists, ensuring close collaboration with individuals who deeply understand the unique needs of your specific requirements.

You can see some of our clients below

Within Product Development FMCG we cover the following sub categories:

Food & Drink

Alcoholic Drinks

Health, Beauty & Personal Care

Consumer Products

Direct to Consumer & Subscription

What our clients say

  • “Lime Talent are responsive, flexible, honest and therefore very easy to work with. When I need support for trickier roles, then Lime are my first port of call and I always recommend them as they strike a good balance of challenge/blue chip from their network.”

    UK Country Manager | Tony’s Chocolonely

  • “Lime Talent have been a fantastic partner to me as I’ve built out the UK & Europe team for Who Gives a Crap. Their ability to get a quick understanding of our business, the needs I had for the roles and the calibre of Lime’s candidate pool has been invaluable. It’s allowed us to move quickly to build out a team from scratch, hiring roles across a range of functions including commercial, marketing, strategy & insights. I simply wouldn’t have been able to do this without Lime’s support & expertise!”

    MD UK & Europe | Who gives a crap

  • “Lime Talent have remained our trusted partners for the last 5 years. Most of our hires have come through Lime with the team clearly identifying the talent that have made the business successful so far. The candidates we receive are incredibly well filtered and we know before we meet them, that they will have the requisite calibre to succeed.”

    Managing Director | Itsu

  • “Lime Talent demonstrate a high degree of honesty and openness about the risks and considerations of placing specific people and you are continually assured they take a long-term approach to working with Ferrero. Highly recommended.”

    Customer Development Director | Ferrero

  • “Lime Talent made the process as easy as possible by providing well-screened candidates along with regular updates. They also provided clear guidance on the recruitment landscape that helped us position our role as attractive to candidates with the relevant skill set.”

    Marketing Manager | Windmill Organics

  • “Lime did a good job for us and I’ve enjoyed working with them on roles. Moved quickly and have been communicative, understanding our requirements on limited information.”

    CEO | Hackney Gelato

  • “The best recruitment business I’ve worked with. Highly recommended.”

    Founder | Holy Moly

DIRECTOR

Paul Jackson is co-founder of Lime Talent. He started his career in 2004 and has extensive experience placing senior Supply Chain, Buying, Technical and NPD candidates with some of the world’s leading consumer goods brands and exciting high growth startups.

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    Client Portfolio

    • Tony's Chocolonely
      Track Record
      We started working with Tony’s in 2018 to assist with their UK launch securing them:
      - UKI Head of Marketing
      - UK Head of Sales
      - UK Operations & Finance Manager
      Feedback
      “I used Lime Talent in the very early days of our UK launch with the team helping me hire my (now) UK leadership team who are all still with us since 2018. "
      Feedback
      "Lime Talent are responsive, flexible, honest and therefore very easy to work with. When I need support for trickier roles, then Lime are my first port of call and I always recommend them as they strike a good balance of challenge/blue chip from their network.” UK Country Manager
    • Danone
      Track Record
      Preferred supplier for roles within commercial and supply chain functions
    • who gives a crap
      Track Record
      Helping to build their EU team with roles including:
      - EU Head of Consumer
      - EU Head of Commercial
      - As well as various other roles
      Feedback
      “Lime Talent have been a fantastic partner to me as I've built out the UK & Europe team for Who Gives a Crap. Their ability to get a quick understanding of our business, the needs I had for the roles and the calibre of Lime's candidate pool has been invaluable. "
      Feedback
      "It's allowed us to move quickly to build out a team from scratch, hiring roles across a range of functions including commercial, marketing, strategy & insights. I simply wouldn't have been able to do this without Lime's support & expertise!" MD UK & Europe
    • L'Oreal
      Track Record
      Various projects from Manager to Director level within functions such as
      - eCommerce
      - Market Intelligence
      - Revenue Growth
      - Category Strategy
      - Business & Data analysis

    FAQ Section

    What does a Product Development professional do in an FMCG or consumer goods business?

    Product Development professionals lead the creation and launch of new products, from initial concept through to retailer-ready execution. In FMCG and consumer goods businesses, this typically includes formulation, costings, supplier collaboration, packaging development, technical validation and commercial viability assessment.

    They work cross-functionally with marketing, supply chain, procurement and commercial teams to ensure innovation is delivered on time, on cost and in line with brand strategy.

    What is the difference between Product Development and Technical roles in FMCG?

    Product Development (often referred to as NPD – New Product Development) focuses on innovation, reformulation and bringing new products to market. Technical roles focus on compliance, quality assurance, regulatory standards, food safety and product integrity.

    In growth-stage businesses, these responsibilities may overlap. As organisations scale, Product Development and Technical functions typically become more specialised and structured.

    What salary does a Product Development professional earn in the UK FMCG sector?

    Typical UK salary ranges are:

    • Product Development / NPD Manager: £45,000–£65,000 + bonus
    • Senior NPD Manager / Innovation Lead: £65,000–£90,000 + bonus
    • Head of Product Development / Innovation Director: £90,000–£130,000 + bonus + LTIP

    Compensation varies depending on category complexity, regulatory requirements, team structure, international exposure and the scale of the innovation pipeline. To provide an accurate market benchmark, it’s important to understand the specific technical scope and commercial responsibility of the role.

    Lime Talent also provides tailored FMCG salary benchmarking support to help businesses structure competitive and strategically aligned reward packages.

    What skills and experience do FMCG businesses look for in Product Development hires?

    Employers typically look for:

    • Proven experience launching products into UK retail or international markets
    • Strong understanding of formulation, ingredient functionality and cost engineering
    • Knowledge of regulatory and compliance requirements (particularly in food, health or beauty)
    • Supplier and co-manufacturer management
    • Commercial awareness of margin targets and cost-to-serve
    • Ability to manage multiple innovation projects simultaneously

    At more senior levels, experience building innovation pipelines and leading cross-functional delivery becomes critical.

    When should a growing consumer brand hire dedicated Product Development leadership?

    Common triggers include:

    • Accelerating innovation pipelines
    • Expanding into new categories or formats
    • Reformulating products to protect margin
    • Entering new retail channels or international markets
    • Preparing for retailer range reviews or investor scrutiny

    As businesses scale, structured product development processes become essential to managing risk, protecting brand reputation and ensuring consistent delivery.

    How does Product Development structure evolve as a business grows?

    In early-stage brands, founders or small teams may manage innovation directly. As revenue and SKU count increase, dedicated NPD Managers are appointed to oversee formulation and launch execution.

    In larger or investor-backed organisations, this evolves into Heads of Product Development or Innovation Directors who manage pipelines, budgets, technical teams and long-term product strategy aligned to commercial growth targets.

    How do Lime Talent recruit Product Development and NPD professionals?

    Lime Talent specialises in FMCG and consumer brand recruitment, supporting businesses at growth-stage, investor-backed and established levels.

    Our approach includes targeted market mapping across innovation and technical talent, competency-based assessment, technical capability review and salary benchmarking to ensure strong alignment between commercial objectives and product execution capability.

    Why do growth-stage and investor-backed brands partner with Lime Talent for Product Development recruitment?

    As innovation pipelines scale, the cost of delay or regulatory error increases significantly. We understand the commercial and operational pressures facing consumer brands, including speed to market, margin protection and technical compliance.

    This allows us to identify candidates who can balance creativity with operational discipline and deliver innovation that supports sustainable growth.

    How long does it take to hire a Product Development professional?

    Most searches take 4–8 weeks depending on technical specialism, category complexity and seniority. Senior innovation leadership roles may require a longer search to ensure strong strategic and cultural alignment.

    Can Lime Talent support interim Product Development or NPD hires?

    Yes. We regularly place interim NPD Managers, Technical Leads and Innovation Consultants, particularly during periods of accelerated product launches, reformulation projects, retailer resets or team transitions.