NPD Developer - Concept

Zest; Derby; On-site; GBP 28,000 - 42,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

33 days leave

Refer a friend

Employee Assistance Programme

Grocery Aid support

Job summary

Zest in Derby is seeking an NPD Developer to help shape the next generation of products for the nation’s dinner tables. You’ll work with the NPD Manager on the full journey from concept to launch, tasting products with chefs and engaging with suppliers to bring ideas to market.

You will support the team through development, prepare market data forms, join supplier visits, and contribute to customer meetings while building confidence to present your own products.

Qualifications

• Degree in Food Science or Nutrition or related subject.
• Experience in NPD or product development is preferred.
• Genuine passion for food and willingness to learn.

Responsibilities

• Support the NPD team throughout development from concept to launch.
• Prepare customer documentation forms and submission sheets.
• Attend supplier visits and taste testing sessions.
• Contribute to customer meetings and help present products.

Skills

Food science degree

Attention to detail

Organizational skills

Team player

Proactive attitude

Education

Food Science/Nutrition degree

Job description

We are working with one of the UK's leading food manufacturers, a business with a formidable reputation across the chilled and bakery categories, supplying some of the biggest names on the supermarket shelf. This is a company built on scale and ambition and it is now searching for an NPD Developer to join their division and help shape the next generation of products destined for the nation's dinner tables.

This is a genuinely exciting first step or a natural next move for someone with a passion for food and a hunger to build a career in New Product Development. You will be immersed in the full journey from concept to launch, working alongside the NPD Manager, tasting products with chefs, meeting suppliers and watching an idea evolve into something that lands in millions of shopping baskets.

Day to day you will support the wider NPD team throughout the development process, helping to prepare customer documentation such as market data forms and submission sheets. You will sit in on supplier visits and taste testing sessions, contribute to customer meetings and gradually build the confidence and experience to help deliver product presentations of your own.

The right candidate will bring a genuine enthusiasm for food and the wider industry along with a proactive, team spirited attitude and a real eagerness to learn. Strong organisational skills and an eye for detail will serve you well here, as will the ability to thrive in a fast paced and dynamic environment. A degree in Food Science, Nutrition or a related subject would be ideal, and experince working in NPD.

In return you can expect 33 days of annual leave, a refer a friend scheme and access to a confidential Employee Assistance Programme along with Grocery Aid support available 365 days a year. This is a business that prides itself on promoting from within, so the opportunities for genuine career growth are real and plentiful.

Please note: We are unable to offer visa sponsorship for this position. Applicants must have the existing right to work in the UK.