Innovation Manager

Location: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Employment Type: Full-Time

Department: Innovation and product development

About the Company

Reporting directly to the top management, this role will collaborate extensively across the MENAP region to drive innovation and product development.

The position will coordinate the activities of the NPD Lab, which brings together cross-functional teams including Marketing, Operations, Supply Chain, and Food Safety. It will also engage external stakeholders, such as suppliers, chefs, food bloggers, and other third-party experts, as needed to support the development and launch of new products.

About the Role

The New Product Development (NPD) Manager – Food Innovation is responsible for leading the creation, testing, and launch of innovative food products across the entire menu, tailored to the Saudi and broader regional markets. This includes both new product introductions and the revamp of existing offerings to ensure continued relevance, excitement, and alignment with evolving consumer preferences.

This role ensures that all developments are consistent with brand strategy, operational capabilities, and market dynamics. It requires close collaboration with culinary, marketing, supply chain, and operations teams to deliver high-quality, cost-effective, and scalable food solutions.

The NPD Manager will also manage the in-house NPD Lab, serving as the innovation engine for product ideation, prototyping, and testing.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end development of new food and beverage items, not limited to pizza, ensuring innovation, differentiation, and operational feasibility.
• Conduct market research and competitive analysis to identify trends and opportunities.
• Rework and optimize existing menu items, improving quality, cost-efficiency, and appeal.
• Monitor and analyze food trends, consumer behavior, and competitive activity, leveraging social media, food influencers, and digital insights to inspire innovation.
• Maintain an active radar on regional and global markets to identify potential cross-market opportunities, trends, or product transfers that can be adapted locally.
• Ensure all new and revamped products are culturally relevant and resonate with consumers in Saudi Arabia and other MENAP markets.
• Oversee the day-to-day operations of the NPD Lab, including recipe testing, ingredient validation, documentation, and sensory evaluation processes.
• Work cross-functionally with internal stakeholders to validate product concepts from culinary, supply chain, marketing, and operations perspectives.
• Ensure compliance with local food safety regulations and quality standards
• Maintain an innovation pipeline and support the development of annual and seasonal food calendars in collaboration with the marketing team.
• Gather feedback from store teams and customers to refine and improve product offers. Be the custodian and apply the NPD processes.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Culinary Arts, Business Administration, or related field.
• 5+ years of experience in product development, preferably in QSR or pizza-focused food service.
• Strong project management and analytical skills.
• Deep understanding of Country's consumer behavior and food culture.
• Proven ability to manage cross-functional projects and deliver results.
• Excellent communication, analytical, and organizational skills.
• Arabic language proficiency is a plus.