Product Developer

Reed Specialist Recruitment Ltd.; Tees Valley; On-site; GBP 35,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

Reed Specialist Recruitment Ltd. is assisting a client in Middlesbrough to hire a Food Product Developer for a 6-month fixed-term contract. The role focuses on developing new products, improving existing ranges and supporting launches from concept through to production.

The candidate should have strong food development experience, customer-facing skills and a passion for food innovation, with a full UK driving licence for travel to sites and meetings as required.

Qualifications

• Experience within food product development, ideally with supermarket own-label products.
• Strong customer-facing and relationship management skills.
• Experience within a retail or FMCG product development environment.
• Passion for food and food innovation.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills.
• Strong planning, organisation and project management abilities.
• Good analytical and numerical skills.
• High attention to detail.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, including Excel, Word and PowerPoint.
• Full UK driving licence is essential

Responsibilities

• Develop products to agreed customer briefs, timelines and budgets.
• Generate innovative ideas and contribute to internal and external innovation sessions.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with customer product development teams.
• Act as a key customer contact throughout product development projects.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure product feasibility and successful delivery.
• Lead product presentations for customers and internal stakeholders.
• Support the resolution of challenges relating to scalability, manufacturing and sustainability.
• Ensure recipes meet quality, commercial and brand requirements.
• Prepare and maintain accurate NPD documentation and product records.
• Conduct product benchmarking and present findings effectively.
• Stay up to date with market insights, consumer trends and food innovation.
• Travel to manufacturing sites and customer meetings when required.

Skills

Food product development

Customer-facing

Retail/FMCG

Food innovation

Communication

Planning/Project management

Analytical/numerical

Attention to detail

MS Office

Driving licence

Tools

Excel

Word

PowerPoint

Job description

Food Product Developer (6-Month Fixed-Term Contract)

Location: Middlesbrough

Salary: £35,000 - £45,000 per annum

Contract: 6 Months

Hours: Monday to Thursday: 8:30am - 5:00pm | Friday: 8:00am - 4:00pm

Travel: Required to UK manufacturing sites and customer locations as needed (must be able to drive!)

The Opportunity

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced Food Product Developer to join a fast-paced and innovative New Product Development team on a 6-month fixed-term contract. This role is ideal for a passionate food professional who enjoys transforming ideas into commercially successful products. You will work closely with customers and internal teams to develop new products, enhance existing ranges, and support the successful launch of products from concept through to production.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop products to agreed customer briefs, timelines and budgets.
• Generate innovative ideas and contribute to internal and external innovation sessions.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with customer product development teams.
• Act as a key customer contact throughout product development projects.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure product feasibility and successful delivery.
• Lead product presentations for customers and internal stakeholders.
• Support the resolution of challenges relating to scalability, manufacturing and sustainability.
• Ensure recipes meet quality, commercial and brand requirements.
• Prepare and maintain accurate NPD documentation and product records.
• Conduct product benchmarking and present findings effectively.
• Stay up to date with market insights, consumer trends and food innovation.
• Travel to manufacturing sites and customer meetings when required.

About You

We are looking for someone who can bring both creativity and commercial awareness to product development.

Essential Skills & Experience

• Experience within food product development, ideally with supermarket own-label products.
• Strong customer-facing and relationship management skills.
• Experience within a retail or FMCG product development environment.
• Passion for food and food innovation.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills.
• Strong planning, organisation and project management abilities.
• Good analytical and numerical skills.
• High attention to detail.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, including Excel, Word and PowerPoint.
• Full UK driving licence is essential

If this looks of interest, please click apply and I will be in touch with more information.