Alexander Steele Recruitment is partnering with a fast-growing food business to recruit a Product Developer for a 12-month fixed-term contract. This is a fantastic opportunity for a hands-on product development professional to work across end to end NPD, supporting the launch and evolution of innovative food products within a collaborative, creative environment.
Reporting into the NPD Manager, this role will suit someone who enjoys balancing creativity with structure and has a strong understanding of how to bring commercially viable food products to market.
On offer
* Salary for this role is circa £30,000
* 25 days holiday + bank holidays with the option to benefit from more!
* Hybrid working - Up to 2 days a week WFH
Key Responsibilities
* Lead product development projects from concept creation through to successful market launch
* Manage project timelines, milestones and internal workflows to ensure delivery against deadlines
* Develop and refine recipes, translating kitchen concepts into scalable, factory-ready formats
* Prepare product costings, nutritional data and technical documentation
* Brief and manage manufacturing partners during trials and production runs
* Support ingredient sourcing and supplier onboarding in collaboration with Operations
* Define and support Quality Assurance Standards for new and existing products
* Conduct product tastings, sample reviews and trial evaluations
* Contribute to packaging development by reviewing product information and specifications
* Use market and competitor insights to inform product decisions
* Identify potential risks and proactively implement solutions
Candidate Profile
* Minimum 2 years of industry experience in food product development with working knowledge of structured NPD processes
* Degree or equivalent qualification in Food Science or related subjects
* Strong organisational and project management skills
* Proactive, solutions-focused mindset with strong attention to detail
* Confident communicator, able to work effectively across internal teams and external partners
* Proficient in Microsoft Office, particularly Excel, Word and PowerPoint