About the job
Billington Foods - Wellingborough | Competitive + Car Allowance
At Billington Foods, food is at the heart of everything we do. We are passionate about creating great products, building strong customer partnerships, and delivering innovation that helps our customers succeed.
As we continue to grow, we are looking for an experienced and ambitious Head of Development to lead our food strategy, innovation agenda, and development team.
This is a fantastic opportunity for a commercially minded food leader who thrives on turning insight into action, inspiring high-performing teams, and bringing exciting food concepts to life for our customers and for the innovation pipeline.
The Role
Reporting to the Sales & Marketing Director, you will be responsible for shaping and delivering our strategy, leading product development from concept to launch at our Wellingborough factory, ensuring we remain at the forefront of market trends and customer needs.
You’ll work closely with our Commercial, Procurement, Process development Operations, and technical teams, while also building strong relationships with key customers and industry partners.
Key Responsibilities
· Lead and deliver the company food and innovation strategy
· Oversee two key customers as their lead chef
· Manage and develop a high-performing team of development professionals
· Deliver and grow our core capabilities of Pies, Bakes & Desserts
· Drive an exciting and commercially successful NPD pipeline and portfolio
· Identify emerging food trends and translate them into winning products
· Collaborate with customers to develop innovative food solutions
· Ensure products are commercially viable, operationally deliverable, and aligned to business objectives
· Support customer presentations, innovation sessions, and strategic growth opportunities
· Champion a culture of food excellence, curiosity, and continuous improvement
About You
We’re looking for someone who combines a genuine passion for food with strong commercial and leadership capabilities.
You will ideally have:
Significant experience in food development, innovation, or category leadership within food manufacturing, foodservice or hospitality
Proven success leading teams and delivering business growth through innovation
Strong understanding of food trends, consumer insight, and market dynamics
Excellent stakeholder management and presentation skills
The ability to balance creativity with commercial and operational realities
A collaborative leadership style with a passion for developing people.
What We Offer
Car allowance
Company bonus
Pension scheme
Holiday allowance
Career development opportunities
The chance to shape the future food strategy of a growing business
Why Billington Foods?
This is more than a Head of Development role. It’s an opportunity to influence business strategy, lead a talented team, and make a tangible impact on the future direction of our food offer.
If you’re passionate about food, innovation, and leadership and want to join a business where your ideas can make a real difference we’d love to hear from you.
To apply, please submit your CV and a brief introduction outlining why you’re interested in joining Billington Foods