Product Development Manager

Job Description: Product & Packaging Development Manager FMCG

Note : As part of your application, please share one coffee or beverage product you admire. Tell us why it works, what you would improve, and the consumer insight behind it. Applications without this will not be considered.

About the Company

Third Wave Coffee is one of India's fastest-growing caf brands, built on deep consumer love for coffee, craft, and experience. As we expand beyond cafs, we are building a differentiated FMCG business that brings our brand philosophy into homes, offices, and everyday consumption moments.

About the Business Vertical

Third Wave Coffee is building an FMCG business within a brand known for caf love.

We bring strong brand equity. We bring strong ambition.

We are now looking for a product leader who can turn consumer insight into winning formats, propositions, and SKUs. This role is for someone who brings a clear product thesis, not someone who waits for briefs to be written.

About the Role

You will be responsible for building and scaling a future-ready FMCG product portfolio for Third Wave Coffee.

This role goes far beyond launching SKUs. You will build a product systemone that consistently identifies white spaces, solves real consumer tensions, and scales profitably over time.

You will be the consumer's voice, even when it is inconvenient, and your decisions will directly influence:

• Categories we enter
• How we differentiate versus competition
• How fast and profitably we scale

Key Responsibilities

• Identify white spaces through consumer insight, market trends, and competitive analysis
• Lead market sizing, opportunity framing, and business case creation
• Conduct consumer immersion, concept testing, and validation
• Drive product, format, packaging, and proposition design
• Own competitive benchmarking and differentiation strategy
• Work closely with internal and external stakeholders to ensure on-time delivery
• Lead launch readiness and drive post-launch learning loops to improve future launches
• Build a repeatable, scalable product development framework for the FMCG business.

Who is an Ideal Candidate

• 35 years of experience in Product & Packaging Development (business-side) within the FMCG industry
• Experience in discretionary categories preferred (but not mandatory)
• Strong exposure to consumer research, testing methodologies, and insight generation
• Proven track record of delivering products within defined timelines
• Comfortable operating in ambiguous, zero-to-one environments
• Demonstrates ownership mindset and entrepreneurial thinking.

Key Skills & Competencies

• Product & Brand Development
• Consumer Insight & Testing
• Entrepreneurial & First-Principles Thinking
• Stakeholder Management (cross-functional & external)
• High Bias for Action
• Strong Ownership & Accountability