About this role
Head of Product Development and Diversification
Job Type Full Time Qualification MBA/MSc/MA Experience 8 - 10 years Location Nairobi Job Field Agriculture / Agro-Allied
Position Scope Reporting to the Group General Manager-Research, Development and Innovation, the successful candidate will be responsible for leading KTDA’s strategy for new product development, research, and diversification to reduce over-reliance on bulk orthodox and black CTC tea. The Head of NPD will drive development of new value-added tea products, alternative beverages, and non-tea products to improve farmer earnings, expand market access, and position KTDA as a global leader in diversified agricultural products.
Duties and Responsibilities Developing and implementing KTDA’s New Product Development research and Diversification strategy aligned to corporate goals and Tea Industry Act; Leading the NPD Research, and Diversification teams to deliver a pipeline of commercially viable products; Providing market and consumer insights to Senior Management for investment decisions; Liaising with research institutions, Government Agencies and other related private institutions in executing NPD strategies; Participating in review and formulation of new inputs, technologies and products in KTA through research; Reviewing and recommending for adoption of specifications for key inputs, processes and equipment; Planning and coordinating New Product Development projects/strategic initiatives; Identifying training tools to enhance employee performance and skill development; Documenting all phases of new product development; Monitoring, evaluating New Product Development projects and ensuring effective utilization of resources; Identifying market trends, consumer needs, and white spaces in tea, herbal infusions, nutraceuticals, cosmetics, and other agricultural value chains; Overseeing concept development, product formulation, pilot testing, sensory evaluation, and commercial launch of new KTDA products; Managing end-to-end process: ideation → R&D → regulatory approval → branding → market testing → scale-up; Ensuring all new products meet Tea Board, KEBS, FDA, EU, and other export market standards; Leading product, market, and agronomic research in partnership with TRFK, universities, and private labs; Driving research innovation in processing technologies, packaging, shelf-life extension, and sustainability in collaborations with relevant SBUs; Coordinating KTDA’s product tests at the lab and manage associated budget and ensuring IP protection through patents and trademarks with KIPI; Supporting factories in adoption of new processing lines for diversified products; Disseminating NPD research findings to the end users; Exploring and launching diversification into allied products: specialty teas, ready-to-drink, tea extracts, tea-based foods, bio-products, and carbon/tea by-products; Building business cases for new ventures and JV partnerships; Working with Marketing, Sales, and Factory Operations to ensure smooth handover from R&D to commercialization; Tracking product P&L and ensuring ROI targets are met; Preparing timely and accurate report and distributing to appropriate users
Qualifications / Skills / Experience Education: Master’s degree in Food Science, Food Technology, Agricultural Economics, Chemistry, or Business. Professional: Membership to relevant professional body e.g. KIFST, ICPAK. Experience: Minimum 8-10 years’ experience, with at least 5 years in a senior NPD/R&D leadership role in FMCG, beverages, or agro-processing. Tea industry experience preferred. Proven track record of launching at least 3 successful new products in the last 5 years. Technical: Deep knowledge of tea chemistry, product formulation, sensory science, food safety and regulatory affairs. Strategic: Market research, trend forecasting, business modeling, and portfolio management. Leadership: Team management, cross-functional collaboration, project management, budget oversight. Commercial: Brand positioning, pricing strategy, and go-to-market planning. Data-driven decision making, innovation mindset, strong presentation and negotiation skills.
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