At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead innovative product development and manage a key segment of our portfolio.
- Company: Join Ella’s Kitchen, a purpose-driven brand improving children's lives through food.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, training, bonus, and a fantastic work environment.
- Why this job: Shape the future of healthy food for kids and make a real impact.
- Qualifications: Experience in FMCG innovation and strong data-driven decision-making skills.
- Other info: Hybrid role in beautiful Oxfordshire with great career growth opportunities.
The predicted salary is between 36000 - 60000 ÂŁ per year.
At Ella’s Kitchen, we make food that helps little ones grow up happy, healthy and loving food. We’re now looking for a Senior Portfolio Manager to lead a key part of our range, shape our future innovation pipeline and help our products succeed with families across the UK and international markets.
Who we are
Ella’s Kitchen was founded by Paul Lindley with one big mission: to improve children’s lives through developing healthy relationships with food. From our barns near Henley-on-Thames, our team of just under 80 people has grown Ella’s into an £80m+ brand, sold across the UK, Scandinavia and the BeNeLux. We’re proud to be:
- A certified B Corp
- In the Sunday Times Best Companies Top 100 for five years running
- Part of the Hain Celestial Group
We’re entrepreneurial, purpose‑led and guided by strong values — and we’re looking for someone who shares that spirit.
About The Role
Reporting to the Group Portfolio Manager, you’ll take ownership of a key segment of the Ella’s portfolio, leading best‑in‑class range management, innovation and renovation across the UK and around‑the‑world markets. You’ll shape a 3‑year EPD and NPD strategy, lead high‑impact projects from concept to launch, and ensure our ranges are commercially strong, consumer‑led and future‑ready. You’ll also line‑manage a Portfolio Manager (and potentially an Assistant Brand Manager). This is a hybrid role, based from our beautiful Oxfordshire barns.
What you’ll be doing
- Portfolio leadership
- Own and shape a 3‑year innovation and renovation strategy for your portfolio
- Use category, shopper and performance data to optimise range structure and performance
- Monitor commercial and operational metrics and make decisions on delists, investment and optimisation
- Translate consumer insight, feedback and trends into clear portfolio direction
- Innovation & product development
- Lead and own projects across your sub‑segment from idea to launch
- Create compelling, insight‑led product and pack propositions
- Partner with the Innovation team to build strong 8P briefs
- Own the delivery of stand‑out packaging and formats
- Own on‑pack messaging and claims, ensuring compliance and parent appeal
- Act as a champion for Kids First thinking across all projects
- Lead and improve key operational and innovation workflows
- Ready‑to‑sell & commercial delivery
- Build inspiring sell‑in stories with the Group Portfolio Manager
- Represent Ella’s confidently in customer meetings, showcasing new product development
- Deliver performance reviews and launch evaluations using consumer, category and commercial data
- Leadership & collaboration
- Line‑manage and coach Portfolio Manager(s)
- Manage budgets to support the business plan
- Be an active, collaborative leader in the Friends Team
What we’re looking for
You’ll Bring:
- Strong portfolio and innovation experience within FMCG
- A successful track record of developing NPD from concept to launch across markets
- Experience managing packaging design and on‑pack communication
- A data‑led mindset, using insight, performance and P&L to guide decisions
- A commercial, business‑minded approach to innovation and portfolio management
- The ability to influence, inspire and bring people with you
And Just As Importantly, You’ll:
- Be a collaborative, passionate team player
- Live and breathe our values: Win Together, Own It, Be Curious, Foster Inclusion, We’re Childlike
- Care deeply about Ella’s mission to help children build healthy relationships with food
What you’ll get:
- Bucket loads of training and development
- Competitive salary
- Discretionary bonus
- Box of Treats — our brilliant benefits package
- A genuinely fantastic place to work, whether in our Oxfordshire barns or over Teams
Click Apply Now if you are interested in the opportunity to join Ella’s Kitchen as our Senior Portfolio Manager.
Senior Portfolio Manager employer: Ella's Kitchen
Contact Detail:
Ella's Kitchen Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Portfolio Manager
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to people in the industry, especially those who work at Ella’s Kitchen or similar companies. A friendly chat can open doors and give you insights that might just help you land that Senior Portfolio Manager role.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by diving deep into Ella’s Kitchen’s values and mission. Show us how your experience aligns with their goals of improving children’s lives through food. We love candidates who are genuinely passionate about what we do!
✨Tip Number 3
Don’t just wait for job openings; create your own opportunities! Consider reaching out directly to the hiring team at Ella’s Kitchen through our website. A well-timed message can make a lasting impression.
✨Tip Number 4
Showcase your portfolio management skills by preparing case studies of past projects. Highlight your data-driven decisions and successful product launches. We want to see how you can bring that expertise to our team!
We think you need these skills to ace Senior Portfolio Manager
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion: When writing your application, let your enthusiasm for food and children's health shine through. We want to see how much you care about our mission at Ella’s Kitchen!
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV highlights relevant experience in portfolio management and innovation within FMCG. We love seeing how your background aligns with what we do, so don’t hold back!
Be Data-Driven: Since we value a data-led mindset, include examples of how you've used insights and performance metrics to drive decisions in your previous roles. Show us you can think commercially!
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you’re considered for this exciting opportunity!
How to prepare for a job interview at Ella's Kitchen
✨Know Your Portfolio Inside Out
Before the interview, dive deep into Ella’s Kitchen's current product range and recent innovations. Familiarise yourself with their mission and values, especially how they relate to children's health and food relationships. This will help you demonstrate your passion and alignment with their goals.
✨Showcase Your Data Skills
Prepare to discuss how you've used data in previous roles to drive innovation and portfolio decisions. Bring examples of how you've optimised product ranges based on consumer insights and performance metrics. This will highlight your data-led mindset, which is crucial for the Senior Portfolio Manager role.
✨Be Ready to Discuss Leadership
Think about your leadership style and how you've successfully managed teams in the past. Be prepared to share specific examples of how you've coached team members or led projects from concept to launch. This will show that you can inspire and influence others, aligning with Ella’s collaborative culture.
✨Craft Compelling Sell-In Stories
Practice how you would present new product ideas or innovations to stakeholders. Think about what makes a strong sell-in story and how you can effectively communicate the benefits of your proposals. This skill is essential for representing Ella’s confidently in customer meetings.