Nestlé UK & Ireland 

Nestlé Product Technology Centre 

R&D Business Improvement Project Manager 

Salary Range £70,000-£75,000 (depending on experience) 

  Some of our other fantastic benefits  

• 17 % car allowance  

• Potential, discretionary annual bonus  

• Generous pension scheme – up to 12% contribution from Nestle  

• 12 flexible days on top of 25-day holiday entitlement  

• 2 paid volunteering days  

 At Nestlé we are proud to support and provide equality of opportunity that supports employees to effectively blend their work life and commitments through hybrid and flexible working arrangements, so speak to us to understand what this could look like for you.  

Being a R&D Business Improvement– Project Manager, in the world’s largest food manufacturer, is a highly valued position to hold. It’s a role where you will be accountable for driving & delivering complex programmes and Idea 2 Launch projects. Key focuses will be developing and driving improvements in new and existing products within the Confectionery & Snacking business, ensuring timeliness, cost and quality are met. Reporting to Head of Portfolio, PMO and Finance and joining a team of experienced project managers, this is an exciting key specialist role to ensure priority programmes and projects are delivered to the satisfaction of our senior stakeholders and consumers. 

 Championing diversity and inclusion is so important to us; when we embrace different perspectives and give everyone the chance to be the best they can be, we can think in new, creative ways that grow and enhance our business.    

A bit about us 

NPTC Confectionery York is Nestlé’s leading centre for confectionery Research & Development, working in partnership with 3 development centres in Chile, China and Ivory Coast. In York we are a team of 170 amazing people from over 30 nationalities and a variety of academia. We have a strong focus on inclusion and belonging, an active Wellness program and we support 50 factories globally. Our objective is to provide ideas, technical innovation and scientific support (for product, process and technology) to continually improve and grow the confectionery business. 

Your Impact  

We’re looking for a R&D Business Improvement– Project Manager to work in our NPTC in York. You will lead & efficiently deliver global Confectionery & Snacking priority programmes and projects, including defining the roles and responsibilities required for each project across different markets within a matrix organisation. Through effective planning you will ensure all resources are available and manage project stakeholders through vertical and horizontal communication. 

You will also; 

• Demonstrate leadership to drive & deliver programme and project scopes through proactive and open communication with internal and external senior stakeholders 

• Identify and engage with senior stakeholders creating synergies through effective networking, business partners and external partners 

• Enable results through others with or without authority in a matrix-like organisation 

• Lead cross-functional programme and project teams 

• Communicate effectively at all levels of the organisation ensuring all relevant stakeholders are continuously informed of programme/project status, risks, issues and action plans 

Your ingredients for success 

• Being an experienced project or programme manager with a proven track record of delivering multiple complex projects to successful outcomes (business value).  

• Sound knowledge of Programme Management, Project Management preferably having gained PMP Certification, Prince2, DMAIC Green Belt or DMAIC Black Belt. 

• Experience collaborating with complex, senior stakeholder groups (Market, Zone, SBU and R&D) 

• A demonstrated ability (comfort and courage) to led cross-functional teams & stakeholders through ambiguity, translating complexity into action 

• Your outstanding collaboration and communication skills will make you highly effective in knowledge sharing as well as building effective relationships with key senior stakeholders. 

• Product launch project management experience is a must have requirement of this role – ideally in FMCG. 

• Excellent leadership and facilitation skills will enable you to lead the team to success whilst supporting them in times of issue management. 

• You will also have a strong desire for continuous improvement, an ability to provide strong technical guidance to team members and have applied different problem-solving techniques. 

• With your ability to analyse and then communicate complex information through presentations your confidence in developing good practice will be shared across the global NPTC network. 

• Relevant Science or Engineering Degree would be desirable 

What you need to know 

Advert posting date: 23/07/2026 
Advert closing date: 06/08/2026 

We will be considering candidates as they apply and we will occasionally close job advertisements early in the event we receive sufficient applicants, so please don’t delay in submitting your application.  

 At Nestlé, inclusion and diversity fuel innovation and help people thrive. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and can provide adjustments throughout the application process.  

 To find out more about Nestle’s commitment to DEI: Nestlé's Commitment to a Diverse and Inclusive Workplace