Senior Product Development Manager

Brakes; Ashford; Hybrid; GBP 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading foodservice supplier in Ashford is seeking a Senior Product Development Manager to lead product development initiatives within the Centre of Plate team. This role emphasizes innovation in product development and strategic value-engineering to drive growth across product categories. The ideal applicant should have strong experience in the food industry and effective collaboration skills, and will manage a team to ensure project execution aligns with company standards.

Qualifications

• Proven product development experience in the food industry or similar.
• Adaptable, collaborative, and results-oriented mindset.
• Solid factory and process knowledge.

Responsibilities

• Lead product development initiatives for new product launches.
• Drive innovation and category growth through strategic value-engineering.
• Manage two direct reports: Product Development Executive and Product Manager.

Skills

Product development experience in food industry

Communication skills

Data-driven decision making

Adaptability

Job description

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Senior Product Development Manager, Ashford

Client: Brakes

Location: Ashford, United Kingdom

Job Category: Other

EU work permit required: Yes

Job Reference: 338766c97303

Job Views: 5

Posted: 12.08.2025

Expiry Date: 26.09.2025

Job Description

Sysco GB, including brands like Brakes, Fresh Direct, KFF & Medina, is seeking a Senior Product Development Manager to join the Centre of Plate team on a permanent basis. The role focuses on developing differentiated products, especially in Fresh & Independent categories.

The main responsibilities include leading product development initiatives such as new product launches, innovation, resourcing, and value-engineering across designated categories. The goal is to drive category growth through innovation and improve performance and margins via strategic value-engineering, enhancing product quality, availability, and cost competitiveness.

The role also involves supporting product placement within the supplier base, ensuring alignment with Sysco’s standards, including packaging, quality, and tiering.

This is a hybrid role, combining home working with time in the Ashford, Kent office, requiring flexibility and travel readiness.

Key Accountabilities

• Develop effective products to drive growth through innovation and category expansion.
• Lead value engineering projects to optimize products, packaging, efficiency, and routes to market, maintaining quality and volume.
• Implement product resourcing strategies supporting tendering processes.
• Ensure compliance with Sysco’s brand and packaging standards.
• Support effective collaboration between EU Hub and in-market teams.
• Drive innovation in the independent sector while maintaining relevant ranges for corporate customers.
• Contribute to building joint business plans, supplier strategies, and category strategies.
• Manage actions related to product development, value-engineering, and resourcing within supplier and category strategies.
• Collaborate with internal and external teams to ensure professional execution of NPD/EPD projects.
• Gather and share market insights to inform proposition planning.
• Maintain accurate data on product changes.
• Use internal and external data sources for fact-based decision-making.
• Source products considering global standards and lead times.
• Enhance supplier relationships through innovation and strategy alignment.
• Manage two direct reports: Product Development Executive and Product Manager.

About You

The ideal candidate will have proven product development experience in the food industry or similar, with solid factory and process knowledge. Familiarity with Sysco standards and standards compliance is desirable. You should be adaptable, collaborative, results-oriented, and data-driven, with strong communication skills. Experience in chilled food manufacturing is a plus.

Additional Information

Brakes values diversity and inclusion, fostering a culture where everyone belongs and can thrive. We are committed to supporting all applicants and making adjustments during the recruitment process if needed.

About Brakes: We are the UK’s largest foodservice supplier, dedicated to delivering high-quality food and ingredients to various sectors. Our workforce of 8,000 is passionate and growing.