Head of Product Development – Savoury Biscuits
The Head of Product Development – Savoury Biscuits plays a central role in shaping and delivering pladis’ savoury biscuits growth agenda, leading technical activities across innovation, productivity, and business continuity. You will lead a team of R&D professionals, working with cross‑functional partners to define product development strategy and deliver the three‑year growth plan. As a key member of the leadership team, you will take ownership of the test bakery facility, site engagement activities, and site health & safety responsibilities. This role is critical to the growth of our savoury categories, combining strategic leadership with hands‑on accountability for capability, delivery, and site support. You will act as the technical expert for product development, providing guidance on major innovation projects and serving as the key R&D contact for complex site and supply chain challenges. You will build the future pipeline by identifying new ingredients, processes, and ways to strengthen the UK&I business, oversee escalations, maintain compliance, and define the forward‑looking plan for the team and pilot plant while managing KPI, prioritisation, and development.
There will be a requirement to travel to our manufacturing sites across the UK as part of this role.
Key Deliverables
Growth
* Utilizing consumer, customer and competitor knowledge develop a robust (sufficiency & readiness) innovation growth funnel for your portfolio, alongside marketing partners.
* Sponsor projects and authorise key stages within the technical change process. Oversee the end‑to‑end NPD process and highlight potential for growth.
* Build strong partnership with suppliers and constantly assess new ingredients and technology to deliver innovation to your category. Ensure strong collaboration with key suppliers to benefit pipeline creation and delivery for both growth and productivity.
* Build excellent cross‑functional partnerships to ensure successful delivery of plans, appropriate and timely resource allocation, collaborative ways of working, and seamless handovers.
* Follow market and competitor moves whilst collaborating closely with marketing and consumer insight team to have a robust understanding of consumers, consumption occasions and evolving consumer needs.
* Ensure a robust understanding of key competitor portfolios and constantly assess opportunities for improvement to the core products in your portfolio.
Value Improvement
* Actively support the creation of a cost saving programme for your portfolio and be accountable for the delivery of the projects. Establish clear requirements for product characteristics distinguishing between those that are essential for consumer delight and those that are less defining. Review and agree project charters. Make recommendations for product changes that will yield improved profitability.
Business Continuity
* Ensure that the business continuity programme is resourced and executed.
* Support the business with timely resolution of any CIM projects and offer brand technical expertise.
* Provide key technical support and direction for line transfer projects.
Quality
* Ensure new products are launched with robust specifications and quality standards, which are aligned and reviewed post launch.
* Support resolution of EDQ issues on the brands within your portfolio.
Functional Capability Building
* Lead your team and the broader UK&I R&D team by setting and exhibiting high work ethics, standards of delivery and being a visible and living example of pladis’ values and culture. Be an ambassador for R&D in the business.
* Ensure a deep understanding of your team’s capabilities and ensure clear plans are in place to upskill against the areas of technical competency required to deliver your growth, productivity and improvement pipeline.
Leadership & Team Engagement
* You will manage a team of 5–8; as a sponsor of key talent you will empower them to develop their capabilities and fulfil their personal potential while ensuring a long‑term succession plan for all key roles.
* Demonstrate effective leadership that will help the function to become a driver for innovation and collaboration. Build partnerships and work with others to meet shared objectives and help the organisation to manage ambiguity and uncertainty.
* Communicate the function’s strategy and its relationship to the organisation’s mission, vision and values; clarify the actions needed to implement it within your area of responsibility, whilst engaging those around you to commit to doing extraordinary things to achieve the organisation’s business goals.
* Demonstrate effective leadership at the R&D centre (High Wycombe) being part of the site leadership team, driving improvement & engagement of the team.
Requirements for this role
Crucial
* Degree or equivalent in Food or related science or Engineering.
* Extensive experience in a food manufacturing environment in baked products and snacks – experience in chocolate and secondary processes (e.g. creams, flavourings etc.) would be advantageous.
* Proven track record of project leadership with several product launches, some of which should have included the installation of new technology, formats, machinery or processes.
* Proven interpersonal skills and team building/motivating experience.
* Understanding of lean sigma techniques.
Preferred
* Proven experience in baked and chocolate products.
* Previous experience in a similar leadership role in a food manufacturing business.
Our Winning Traits and Behaviours
* Purpose‑Led - Energised by our promise to deliver happiness to the world with every bite.
* Agile - Ever evolving, never satisfied and never standing still.
* Collaborative - Willing to work with others for mutual success, transparent, a win‑win seeker.
* Resilient - Quick to adapt to change, fast learner and persistent in the face of setbacks.
* Positive - Self‑motivated, optimistic, courageous, and inspiring.
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