Product Development & Sourcing Manager - Confectionery

Type: Full Time | Location: Onsite in Santa Ana, CA (remote possible, requires regular travel to manufacturing facilities and flavor houses) | Salary: $110,000 - $140,000

About the role

At Shameless Snacks, we’re reinventing candy — creating delicious, better-for-you treats that satisfy cravings without compromise. We’re part of eJam Inc., a fast-growing consumer products incubator specializing in direct-to-consumer brands that are transforming everyday categories. We’re looking for a Product Development & Sourcing Manager – Confectionery to lead the creation and production of our next generation of guilt-free candy. If you’ve developed gummy, chewy, or sugar-free candy products before — and you love the challenge of making them taste incredible while keeping them compliant and scalable — this is the role for you.

Responsibilities

• Lead the development, formulation, and production of better-for-you candy products (gummies, chews, etc.).
• Collaborate with flavor houses, ingredient suppliers, and contract manufacturers to bring products from concept to launch.
• Translate brand product briefs into commercially viable formulations that meet nutritional and sensory standards.
• Conduct factory visits, pilot trials, and first production runs to ensure formulation and scale-up success.
• Manage vendor relationships, ensuring quality, compliance, and cost efficiency.
• Partner with internal teams (packaging, marketing, compliance) to prepare each product for launch.
• Stay informed on ingredient innovations, flavor systems, and new technologies in confectionery.

Requirements

• 5+ years of experience in non-chocolate confectionery development, ideally gummies, chews, or sugar-free candy.
• Proven experience formulating and manufacturing products in the better-for-you or functional food category.
• Deep technical knowledge of gelatin, pectin, starch systems, sugar alcohols, and alternative sweeteners.
• Hands-on experience managing flavor development, sensory testing, and factory-scale production.
• Familiarity with FDA and international food labeling and safety standards.
• Bachelor’s degree in Food Science or related field (or equivalent experience).
• Willingness and ability to travel domestically and internationally (estimated 20–30% of time).
• Excellent communication, organization, and follow-through in high-growth environments.

Benefits

• Health, Dental, Vision
• 401k Plan
• 10% Annual Bonus
• Amazing, pet-friendly office environment
• Be part of a fast-scaling, better-for-you brand redefining candy.
• High visibility and ownership — your creations become the next products our fans love.
• Opportunity to travel, work with world-class flavor houses, and lead new innovations.