At a Glance
- Tasks: Support store teams in fresh food operations and drive sales through coaching and creative solutions.
- Company: Join Henderson Group, Northern Ireland's leading foodservice provider with a family-oriented culture.
- Benefits: Enjoy competitive salary, company car, healthcare, and generous employee discounts.
- Other info: Be part of a team that values ambition, teamwork, and community support.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in the fresh food sector while developing your career in a supportive environment.
- Qualifications: 3+ years management experience in fresh food retail and strong IT skills required.
The predicted salary is between 30000 - 40000 € per year.
At Henderson Group, we are proud to be Northern Ireland's leading foodservice provider. Our group encompasses Henderson Wholesale, Henderson Retail, Henderson Foodservice and Henderson Group Property. We employ over 5,500 staff and have been placed 3rd in Ulster Business Top 100 Companies 2025. We're a family-owned, ambitious team that cares about our people and the community in which we live. Henderson Retail is the largest organisation to be awarded Investors in People Platinum in Northern Ireland.
Overview of the role:
Due to continued growth, Henderson Retail Ltd are now looking for a Fresh Food Development Specialist. Reporting to the Fresh Food Manager, this role will involve being a fresh food specialist in chilled foods, fresh produce, bread and cake. It will be the point of contact for our store teams, providing support to the Fresh Food operations in store to drive sales, improve profitability, trade safely and legally, and continuously look for efficient ways of working.
Working as a Fresh Food Development Specialist you will:
- Coach our store teams with hands-on in store practical support in relation to merchandising and creative solutions to drive sales.
- Deliver the fresh food proposition in new and redeveloped stores through great organisational skills and the ability to deliver to timelines.
- Formulate and deliver coaching workshops for our store teams that improve the fresh food operation in store.
- Produce weekly and monthly reports that give insights into the fresh food operation accompanied by actions to improve performance.
- Collaborate with other business functions to develop and implement business development solutions to allow sales and profit improvement.
- Present confidently commercial insights into the fresh food performance against the key metrics to the wider Retail Leadership Team and Senior Leadership Team.
Skills for Success:
The minimum criteria you'll need is:
- Minimum of 3 years management experience within the Fresh Food retail sector.
- Strong IT proficiency, with advanced working knowledge of Microsoft Office applications, particularly Microsoft Teams, PowerPoint, Word, and Excel.
- Full, valid UK/EU driving licence.
The attributes you'll need include:
- Demonstrable proven strong communication and written skills that can be tailored to the appropriate level of recipient.
- Ability to influence others from a cross-team/matrix position.
- Coaching skills, being able to adapt your approach to the individual.
- Commercially aware of the fresh food marketplace and ability to utilise that knowledge to identify opportunities for improvement.
- Strong customer focus and ability to motivate and inspire others to deliver the best possible customer service.
- Strong analytical skills to interpret and action sales information.
- Previous experience in formulating PowerPoint presentations and presenting to groups.
It is desirable if you have:
- Third-level qualification in Business or a related discipline.
- Experience working/providing support across multiple sites.
- Previous experience in a business development role.
As part of this role, it will be important that you feel aligned with the values that we live and work by:
- Ambition: We always strive to be better. We seek new challenges and look for ways to do things better.
- Customer First: We provide exceptional service. We put customers at the heart of everything and support our communities.
- Teamwork: We succeed together. We help colleagues to succeed, and we share our knowledge and skills.
- Integrity: We are fair, honest and ethical. We treat everyone with dignity and respect. We are inclusive and champion diversity.
The Reward:
The impact you can make with Henderson Group goes far beyond your day to day. You will be part of a business supporting defibrillator installations and school sports days. In the last year Henderson group staff and retail stores raised over £1 million for charity partners. We will help you to feel proud of what you do and achieve. And we will be here to celebrate your success. Our business has been recognised externally for delivering excellence in employment. We value employee development and heavily invest in our people.
Benefits include market competitive salary, bonus scheme, company car, reimbursement for company mileage, contributory pension scheme, healthcare, life insurance, employee assistance programme, social club, Reward Gateway Employee Recognition & Discount Scheme throughout UK/Ireland, staff discount (grocery/fuel) at SPAR/EUROSPAR Henderson Group company-owned stores and many more.
This is a full-time position working 36.5 hours per week working 5 days over 6, Monday-Saturday. Availability from 6am may be required in some instances for this role. Completed applications must be submitted online by midnight on Tuesday 2nd June 2026. We are an equal opportunities employer.
Fresh Food Development Specialist TLNT1_NI employer: IrishJobs
Henderson Group is an exceptional employer, recognised for its commitment to employee development and community support. With a family-oriented culture, competitive salary packages, and extensive benefits including a company car and healthcare, we empower our staff to thrive in their roles while making a positive impact. Join us in Newtownabbey, where your contributions will be celebrated, and you'll have the opportunity to grow within a leading foodservice provider that values ambition, teamwork, and integrity.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Fresh Food Development Specialist TLNT1_NI
✨Tip Number 1
Get to know the company inside out! Research Henderson Group, their values, and recent achievements. This will help you tailor your conversations and show that you're genuinely interested in being part of their team.
✨Tip Number 2
Network like a pro! Connect with current employees on LinkedIn or attend industry events. Building relationships can give you insider info and might even lead to a referral, which is always a bonus!
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for interviews by practising common questions related to fresh food development. Think about how your experience aligns with the role and be ready to share specific examples that highlight your skills.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen. Plus, it shows you’re serious about joining the Henderson Group family.
We think you need these skills to ace Fresh Food Development Specialist TLNT1_NI
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application:Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter to highlight your experience in fresh food retail. Use keywords from the job description to show we’re on the same page!
Show Off Your Skills:Don’t hold back on showcasing your strong communication and coaching skills. We want to see how you can influence and inspire others, so give us some examples!
Be Data Savvy:Since analytical skills are key for this role, include any relevant experience with data analysis or reporting. Show us how you’ve used insights to drive sales or improve operations.
Apply Through Our Website:Remember to submit your application through our website before the deadline! It’s the best way for us to receive your details and get the ball rolling on your application.
How to prepare for a job interview at IrishJobs
✨Know Your Fresh Food Stuff
Make sure you brush up on your knowledge of fresh food trends, especially in chilled foods and produce. Being able to discuss current market insights and how they relate to Henderson Group's operations will show that you're not just interested in the role, but also in the industry.
✨Show Off Your Coaching Skills
Prepare examples of how you've successfully coached teams in the past. Think about specific situations where your guidance led to improved sales or operational efficiency. This will demonstrate your ability to influence and inspire others, which is key for this role.
✨Get Comfortable with Data
Since you'll be producing reports and analysing sales data, practice discussing how you've used data to drive decisions in previous roles. Be ready to explain how you interpret data and what actions you took based on your findings.
✨Practice Your Presentation Skills
You'll need to present insights to leadership teams, so rehearse a short presentation on a relevant topic. Focus on clarity and confidence, and consider using PowerPoint to showcase your skills. This will help you feel more at ease during the actual interview.
