Senior Product Development Specialist

Pedros Chicken; Durban; Sur place; ZAR 900 000 - 1 300 000; Plein temps

Résumé du poste

Pedros Chicken is seeking an experienced Senior Product Development Specialist to lead end-to-end product development from concept to launch. You will act as a technical and creative reference point for the team, mentoring junior members and collaborating closely with Marketing and Operations to ensure successful market rollout.

Reporting to the Deputy Head of Product Development, the role emphasizes hands-on recipe development, costing, testing and adherence to brand and regulatory standards

Qualifications

• Several years of experience in a Product Development role, preferably in food, FMCG, retail or QSR environments.
• Proven track record of taking products from concept to launch.
• Strong recipe development and food science fundamentals with costing and margin understanding.
• Excellent organisational and project management skills with ability to manage multiple projects.
• Strong communication skills across cross-functional teams.
• Experience mentoring junior colleagues on projects.

Responsabilités

• Lead development of new menu items, flavours and limited-time offers from concept through to launch.
• Develop, test and refine recipes and product specifications balancing flavour, cost and feasibility.
• Conduct product testing and tastings incorporating stakeholder and consumer feedback.
• Prepare accurate costings and margin analysis in collaboration with Finance and Supply Chain.
• Ensure products meet food safety, quality and brand standards and regulations.
• Collaborate with Supply Chain to source ingredients and manage supplier trials.
• Support rollout of new products into restaurants including training materials and guides.

Connaissances

Product development

Food science

Costing & margins

Project management

Cross-functional collaboration

Mentoring juniors

Formation

BSc/BA in Food Science, Culinary Arts, Business or related

Description du poste

Pedros is looking for an experienced Senior Product Development Specialist to join the Product Development team, reporting to the Deputy Head of Product Development. This is a hands-on, specialist role responsible for leading individual product development projects end-to-end — from concept and recipe development through to costing, testing and launch — while acting as a technical and creative reference point for the wider team.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Product Development

• Lead the development of new menu items, flavours and limited-time offers from concept through to launch.
• Develop, test and refine recipes and product specifications, balancing flavour, cost, and operational feasibility.
• Conduct product testing and tasting sessions, incorporating feedback from stakeholders and consumers.
• Prepare accurate costings and margin analysis for new products in collaboration with Finance and Supply Chain.
• Ensure new products meet Pedros' food safety, quality and brand standards, and comply with relevant regulations.
• Work closely with Supply Chain to source ingredients and manage supplier trials for new products.
• Support the rollout of new products into restaurants, including training materials and operational guides.

Collaboration & Team Contribution

• Act as a subject-matter expert and go-to technical resource within the Product Development team.
• Mentor and guide junior product development team members on specific projects.
• Collaborate closely with Marketing, Operations and Franchise teams to ensure products land successfully in market.
• Contribute ideas and insights to the broader product strategy and innovation pipeline.
• Deputise on specific projects or workstreams as directed by the Deputy Head of Product Development.

Reporting & Continuous Improvement

• Track and report on project timelines, costings and post-launch performance for owned products.
• Monitor market trends, competitor products and customer feedback to inform future development.
• Recommend improvements to product development processes, tools and ways of working.

Requirements:

Essential

• Several years of previous experience in a Product Development role, ideally within food, FMCG, retail or QSR (Quick Service Restaurant) environments.
• Proven track record of taking products from concept to launch.
• Strong recipe development and food science fundamentals, with an understanding of costing and margin implications.
• Excellent organisational and project management skills, able to manage multiple concurrent projects.
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to work confidently across cross-functional teams.
• Some experience guiding or mentoring junior colleagues on projects.

Desirable

• Experience within the QSR, restaurant or food franchise industry.
• Tertiary qualification in Food Science, Culinary Arts, Business or a related field.
• Familiarity with product lifecycle and NPD (New Product Development) frameworks.