Product Developer Lead

Ready to shape the future of food?

At Waitrose & Partners, we don't just sell products we craft food experiences. We are relentlessly focused on being the UK's most loved, trusted , and innovative own brand, setting the industry standard for Quality and Sustainability. We are looking for a visionary Product Developer to drive the creation of high-quality, differentiated 'Own Brand' products. This role is the commercial heart of development, demanding you balance culinary creativity with strategic retail reality.

• Salary - £62,000- £90,000 per annum based on skill and experience 

• Contract type - This is a permanent position

• Working pattern/flexible working - 35 hours per week. 

• The Partnership has adopted a hybrid working approach, meaning you'll be able to work a mixture between the office and home based upon your personal needs whilst balancing the needs of the business. 

• Location - Bracknell Head Office with up too 3 days per week in the office

• Interviews for this role are looking to be held w/c 30th March

Key responsibilities

• Develops and delivers new & improved innovative, quality focused and differentiated products, aligned to Own brand values whilst understanding and managing the commercial implications of development in the grocery environment.

• Builds , strengthens and owns the NPD relationships between Waitrose and suppliers within the projects being worked on. Ambassador of Own Brand values.

• You will work closely with the cross functional category teams in Waitrose trading, external suppliers, Customer Insight, Chef & Innovation, Own Brand & NPD programme teams, Technical & Quality, Packaging, Design & Repro, Legal, Compliance & Policy, Nutrition & Agriculture, & PR, depending on projects & according to RACI.

Essential skills/experience you’ll need

• A passion for product.

• Previous product development experience within Manufacturing or Retail.

• Experience in launching major NPD/Brand projects.

• Proven track record of high quality, commercially successful product development & supplier management. Strong creative skills in food, grocery, Horti.

• Good analysis skills and capable of analysing sales & insight data.

You can view a copy of the full job outline here

We’re the largest employee owned business in the UK and home of our cherished brands, John Lewis and Waitrose. We’re not just employees, we’re Partners, driven by our purpose to build a happier world. As we look to our future, there’s never been a more exciting time to join us.  

We’re ruthlessly focused on being brilliant at retail. We continue to innovate, adapt and diversify. Never Knowingly Undersold on price, quality and service in John Lewis and passionately serving food-lovers in Waitrose.   

As Partners we all share the responsibility of ownership and in its rewards. We use our voices to contribute to our success, working together through the good and challenging times, holding true to our behaviours and treating everyone with kindness and respect. 

We all own making the Partnership somewhere we belong. Embracing our differences and creating an environment where we’re free to be ourselves and can THRIVE. Growing ourselves individually, and as a collective. 

As Partners, we make all the difference. And, we all own it.  

Important points to note:  

It’s important to note that some of our roles are subject to pre-employment vetting (which may include DBS checks for successful candidates). If required, you’ll be informed and provided with information about vetting during the recruitment process and we encourage you to complete any vetting documents quickly to avoid delays. Any DBS checks required will be carried out by a third-party registered body and financial probity checks may also be required for some of our roles.  

We occasionally close vacancies early in the event we receive a high volume of applications, and therefore, we recommend you apply early. If you require a reasonable adjustment due to a disability which means you may need longer to complete your application please contact us as soon as possible.

We want all of our Partners to have a good work-life balance and we support flexible working. This might mean flexible or compressed hours, job sharing or shorter hour contracts, where possible. Please discuss this further with the hiring manager during your interview. 

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