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- Tasks: Lead product development from concept to launch, ensuring quality and commercial goals.
- Company: itsu is a leading healthy eating brand with over 70 UK stores and ambitious global growth plans.
- Benefits: Enjoy hybrid working, health insurance, generous holidays, and discounts at itsu and major retailers.
- Why this job: Join a creative team shaping the future of fast food with innovative, healthy products.
- Qualifications: Experience in product development, project management, and a passion for food are essential.
- Other info: Diversity and inclusion are key; we welcome applicants from all backgrounds.
The predicted salary is between 43200 - 72000 £ per year.
The ideal candidate:
- Proven experience in end-to-end product development, ideally within the food or FMCG industry
- Strong project management and stakeholder influencing skills
- Commercially astute - you understand margins, costing, and how to build a compelling business case
- Experience in leading factory trials and managing supplier relationships is essential
- A passion for food, creativity, and the ability to translate ideas into scalable, commercially successful products
About us:
itsu is the healthy eating, Asian inspired quick service retail & grocery brand with over 70 stores in the UK and a leading grocery business across Europe and beyond. Renowned for its best-in-class food made fresh in every shop every day, itsu has huge global ambitions with a commitment to continue to open many more stores and intensify the growth of its already thriving grocery arm. With its best-in-class healthy food, latest technology, innovation, and talented workforce, itsu is the future of fast food.
itsu [grocery], which this role falls under, takes the itsu brand into supermarkets, health food stores, online, wholesale and internationally with products such as crispy seaweed thins, frozen gyoza & bao, brilliant broth, rice noodles & miso easy to name a few...
D&I statement: itsu [grocery] is committed to building a diverse, equitable and inclusive organisation. We encourage applicants from a wide range of backgrounds to apply for all of our opportunities.
When applying for a role with us, please remove your: full name, name of University/School, address, email address and any photos of you on your CV and covering letter. Non-anonymised CVs may not be reviewed.
Scope of the role:
As a Senior Product Developer, you'll lead the development and delivery of new and improved products across multiple categories. Reporting into the NPD Product Controller, you'll be responsible for managing projects from concept through to factory launch, ensuring delivery against quality, timing, and commercial goals. Acting as a key cross-functional partner across brand, marketing, technical, procurement, and supply chain, you'll also support the wider innovation strategy and help shape the future product pipeline.
- Lead NPD and EPD projects from concept to launch, ensuring alignment to timelines, budgets, and briefs
- Manage project meetings and ensure all activity follows the internal gate process
- Own the QAS process and ensure products are developed to meet agreed quality standards while working closely with technical and kitchen teams to deliver excellence in product execution
- Oversee kitchen and factory trials, ensuring consistency, feasibility, and scale-up readiness
- Coordinate activities and ensure each function delivers inputs in line with project critical paths
- Maintain clear communication and alignment throughout project lifecycles
- Manage detailed, individual project budgets and deliver monthly re-forecasts
- Contribute to business planning with relevant cost, pricing, and performance insights
- Identify and validate new product concepts that align with brand strategy and emerging trends, keeping up-to-date with food and lifestyle trends, and competitor launches
- Work with the NPD Product Controller to shape and influence the longer-term innovation pipeline
- Champion agile thinking and iterative development to accelerate innovation
- Support a collaborative, high-performing culture within the NPD team
- Line manage the Kitchen Developer, providing day-to-day direction and clear development priorities
- Ensure effective delegation of sample creation, trials support, and technical preparation to meet project timelines
What we offer:
- Competitive salary
- Competitive bonus scheme
- 25 days holiday + bank holidays (two bank holidays are interchangeable for other religious holidays)
- Health insurance
- Company pension scheme
- Hybrid working (2 days wfh)
- Opportunity to work from abroad
- 50% employee discount in itsu shops
- Free itsu lunch
- Discounts at major retailers
- A sizeable training budget to support your ongoing development
We want to hear from you. Ideal start date: 1st August 2025.
Senior Product Developer - London employer: leisurejobs
Contact Detail:
leisurejobs Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Product Developer - London
✨Tip Number 1
Familiarise yourself with itsu's product range and brand values. Understanding their commitment to healthy eating and innovation will help you align your experience and ideas with their vision during discussions.
✨Tip Number 2
Network within the food and FMCG industry, especially with professionals who have experience in product development. Attend relevant events or webinars to connect with potential colleagues and gain insights into current trends.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare to discuss specific examples of your project management skills and how you've influenced stakeholders in previous roles. Be ready to showcase your ability to manage budgets and timelines effectively.
✨Tip Number 4
Stay updated on emerging food trends and competitor products. Being knowledgeable about the market will allow you to contribute valuable insights during interviews and demonstrate your passion for the industry.
We think you need these skills to ace Senior Product Developer - London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV highlights your experience in end-to-end product development, especially within the food or FMCG industry. Use specific examples to demonstrate your project management skills and stakeholder influencing abilities.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: In your cover letter, express your passion for food and creativity. Discuss how your background aligns with itsu's mission and values, and mention any relevant experience leading factory trials and managing supplier relationships.
Anonymise Your Application: Remember to remove your full name, university/school name, address, email address, and any photos from your CV and cover letter. Non-anonymised applications will not be reviewed, so ensure you follow this guideline carefully.
Showcase Your Commercial Acumen: Demonstrate your understanding of margins, costing, and business case development in your application. Provide examples of how you've contributed to successful product launches and how you can bring that expertise to itsu.
How to prepare for a job interview at leisurejobs
✨Showcase Your Product Development Experience
Be prepared to discuss your end-to-end product development experience in detail. Highlight specific projects you've led, particularly in the food or FMCG industry, and how you navigated challenges during the process.
✨Demonstrate Stakeholder Management Skills
Since this role requires strong project management and stakeholder influencing skills, come equipped with examples of how you've successfully managed cross-functional teams and influenced key stakeholders in previous roles.
✨Understand the Business Side
Familiarise yourself with concepts like margins, costing, and business cases. Be ready to discuss how you’ve applied this knowledge in past projects to drive commercial success.
✨Express Your Passion for Food and Innovation
itsu values creativity and a passion for food. Share your thoughts on current food trends and how they could influence product development. This will show your enthusiasm and alignment with the company's vision.
