Head of Product Development and Diversification at Kenya Tea Development Agency (MS) Ltd

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.