National Brands Limited (NBL), a leading subsidiary of AVI Limited, is one of South Africa’s top FMCG companies with iconic brands like Willards, Bakers, Five Roses, and House of Coffees. For over 170 years, NBL has been a key player in the South African food sector, expanding its reach across Southern Africa and delivering high-quality products that impact daily lives. 

At NBL, we embrace a culture of high standards, teamwork, and accountability. Our employees are driven by excellence and innovation, always prioritising customer satisfaction. We celebrate our South African roots and foster a workplace where collaboration thrives.

We are seeking a seasoned Project Manager to lead cross-functional New Product Development (NPD) and innovation projects across multiple manufacturing sites. 

This role sits at the centre of Marketing, R&D, Supply Chain and Manufacturing, ensuring projects move from concept to launch with discipline, commercial focus and operational precision. This role requires a structured project leader who understands factory environments, product lifecycles, and governance in a regulated FMCG setting. 

Reporting directly to the Marketing Executive, you will take full accountability for project planning, milestone governance, risk management and post-launch tracking across national manufacturing sites. 

Key Areas of Impact:

• Define and scope projects in alignment with commercial and operational objectives
• Develop and manage detailed milestone plans across multi-disciplinary teams
• Drive day-to-day project governance and cross-functional alignment
• Identify and mitigate risks early, escalating appropriately
• Own decision-gate readiness and presentation support
• Monitor compliance to timelines and escalate delivery risks
• Manage the 18-month innovation calendar and site-level project pipelines
• Oversee project documentation governance via SharePoint and MS Project
• Facilitate structured project meetings with documented outcomes
• Conduct post-launch reviews and track performance for three months post go-live
• You will also coordinate sensory testing processes, liaising with internal development teams and external suppliers to ensure formulation validation and structured feedback loops. 

Environment & Complexity

• Multi-site manufacturing exposure (Durban, Isando, Rosslyn)
• FMCG / Food Services environment
• Cross-functional stakeholder management
• Structured governance framework with decision gates
• Innovation pipeline management

What It Takes to Succeed:

Experience that set you up for success:                       

• A commercially aware, operationally grounded Project Manager who:
  • Has at least 5 years’ experience in FMCG, Food and Beverage Services or Manufacturing
  • Understands factory constraints and production realities
  • Can hold structure without creating bureaucracy
  • Is comfortable reporting at the Executive level
  • Has strong analytical and reporting capability
  • Manages multiple concurrent projects with discipline
  • Drives accountability across teams
• This individual must bring maturity, credibility and the ability to influence across technical and commercial stakeholders. 

Qualifications & Certifications that will contribute to your success:

• 3-year Degree in Project Management or Industrial Engineering
• Postgraduate qualification advantageous 

Additional Requirements that will enhance your impact for success:

• Advanced MS Project capability
• Strong SharePoint governance management
• Structured milestone planning and risk tracking
• High-level business report writing
• Valid driver’s licence
• Willingness to travel to national manufacturing sites 

Why Choose NBL?

• Make an Impact: Influence daily lives through South Africa’s most iconic brands.
• Innovative Growth: Help drive continuous improvement in product development and marketing.
• Career Opportunities: Access diverse roles across world-class facilities in Isando, Rosslyn, Westmead, and Durban.
• Collaborative Culture: Thrive in a supportive, team-focused environment with AVI’s backing. 

Why This Role Matters

Innovation in FMCG succeeds when structure and pace move together. This role anchors that balance, ensuring governance, clarity and accountability guide every stage from concept through to launch and post-marketreview. 

If you can align commercial ambition with operational precision and enjoy being the steady hand behind successful product delivery, this opportunity will suit you well. 

Apply now and grow great brands with us!