Development Technologist in Wednesbury

About the Role

You may not have heard of us, but there’s a good chance you’ve enjoyed our products. Avara Foods is one of the UK’s leading food businesses, supplying chicken and turkey to the country’s major supermarkets and well-known restaurants. We own and manage our entire supply chain, from farms to factory and all the way to the customer door – meaning we have careers that cover a whole range of functions. We have major processing sites across England and Wales, and an agricultural network of over 350 farms, spanning from North Yorkshire to the South Coast and Wales.

Purpose of the Role

As a New Product Development Technologist you will support the NPD Development Product Manager in developing and delivering upon NPD initiatives for your business unit area. You will report directly to the New Product Development Manager, and work closely with cross functional teams such as Technical, Operations, Commercial, Planning & Procurement teams to identify requirements and plan schedules of work for product delivery. The role is predominantly office based, but you will be required to enter the factory environment so at times you will be exposed to a refrigerated, noisy environment and you’ll be working Monday to Friday 08:30-17:00. Travel to suppliers, customers & Avara manufacturing sites will be required on a weekly basis.

Your key responsibilities as a Development Technologist:

• Category and Market knowledge – Continually research markets and technologies to develop new product concepts for Retail & Food Service.
• Organise internal and external benchmarking sessions.
• Manage & develop product concepts with our suppliers against customer requirements & briefs.
• Prepare Product costings to ensure the launch of profitable products.
• Update our internal NPD system for all potential & new launches.
• Support customer presentations ensuring all required documentation has been completed.
• Manage NPD Meetings with cross functional teams to ensure all actions are completed prior to launch to enable a successful launch.
• Ensure all development activity is completed in line with NPD Procedures and Processes and information is correctly and accurately recorded.
• Work in conjunction with technical & operations to organise and execute production trials and manage subsequent shelf‑life assessments, organoleptic testing, cooking instruction verification, and nutritional sample analysis.
• Occasional weekend working will be required to complete Organoleptic Assessments.
• Use production trials to update information to validate the product costing.
• Liaise with the site‑based Operations and Technical teams to plan the Product launch.
• Manage launches to ensure the product complies with the specification and meets the agreed quality parameters.

What we are looking for:

• Experience in developing and launching new products with retail and/or food service customers.
• Experience of working within product development in an FMCG environment.
• Managing critical paths and coordinating internal departments to ensure successful product launches.
• Knowledge of the functional characteristics of food ingredients.
• Have a thorough understanding of the product development process from concept through to launch with previous experience of adherence to Retailers NPD systems.
• Able to work under your own initiative.
• Computer literate.
• Methodical approach, able to ascertain clear requirements from stakeholders.
• Highly accurate with excellent attention to detail.
• Full UK Driving License.

Desirable:

• A recognised qualification in Food Sciences or related subject areas.
• Experience of working within product development in a Meat/Poultry environment.
• Knowledge of food labelling and ingredient regulatory requirements.

What’s in it for you?

As a Development Technologist you will enjoy a secure, supportive and progressive working environment, where your contribution and achievements will be recognised and rewarded. We offer comprehensive training as well as continuous development as you build your career with us. You can also look forward to benefits that amongst other things include the following:

• Competitive Salary
• 31 Days Holiday
• 6% Pension
• Private Medical Insurance
• Life Insurance
• Various lifestyle benefits, including wellbeing resources

If you’re ready to work in a dynamic environment alongside talented people who take pride in delivering great results, apply today! We are committed to being an equal opportunities employer.