At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead a dynamic product development team and drive innovation in food manufacturing.
- Company: Join the family-oriented Samworth Brothers, known for quality and collaboration.
- Benefits: Enjoy enhanced pension, private health scheme, employee discounts, and growth opportunities.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on exciting projects while shaping the future of our product portfolio.
- Qualifications: Experience in food manufacturing, strong project management, and excellent communication skills.
- Other info: Be part of a supportive culture that values your contributions and career progression.
The predicted salary is between 43200 - 72000 £ per year.
Join the Samworth Brothers Team and become part of our dynamic family! At Samworth Brothers, we genuinely care about our colleagues and strive to create an engaging environment that values your unique contributions. We are committed to your success and offer a range of exceptional benefits that we believe supports your life and personal aspirations:
- Enhanced pension scheme
- Private health scheme
- Employee discount scheme
- Experience annual pay reviews
- Profit related pay
- Unlock your potential through training and growth opportunities
The Opportunity
Reporting into the Head of Innovation & Development, you’ll lead and develop a high-performing PD team, driving a strong one-team culture while delivering at pace with discipline. You’ll own the product development journey from initial concept or customer brief through to handover into process, working closely with Insight, Category, Commercial, Technical, Operations, Procurement and Production teams to ensure seamless execution through a robust stage-and-gate process. This is a highly visible, customer-facing role where you’ll influence internal and external stakeholders, champion innovation thinking and help shape the future direction of our product portfolio.
Key Responsibilities:
- Leading account-specific product development pipelines across both bakery sites
- Owning PD delivery from concept, kitchen development and trials through to process handover
- Managing customer critical paths, ensuring projects are delivered on time, to standard and in line with business objectives
- Acting as the senior PD contact for retail, B2B and brand projects
- Driving cross-functional collaboration across Commercial, Category, Technical, Operations and Procurement
- Translating consumer insight, food trends and innovation thinking into compelling commercial propositions
The Ideal Candidate
We believe that success is built upon collaboration and diverse perspectives. At Samworth Brothers, we welcome candidates who are passionate about working together to achieve greatness. As a valued member of our team, you will bring the following skills and experience:
- Proven experience in a food manufacturing or bakery environment
- A BSc (or equivalent) in a food-related discipline
- Strong project management capability and critical path ownership
- Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills
- Proven experience leading product development or NPD teams
We also want you to thrive in an engaging and inclusive work culture where you will have the opportunity to take on personal accountability and take pride in your work. We encourage positive communication, and the building of strong collaborative relationships is essential to every role.
Join us at Samworth Brothers, where you’ll be more than just a team member – you’ll be an integral part of our thriving family. Apply today and embark on an exciting journey with us!
About Us
We are a fourth-generation family business producing high quality own-label products for many of the UK’s best-known retailers along with our own brands including Ginsters, Soreen, Higgidy, Dickinson & Morris, Urban Eat, West Cornwall Pasty Company and Walker & Son. We employ over 10,000 people in well-invested modern food manufacturing sites around the country. At Samworth Brothers we take pride in our family feel within our businesses and work together to make things happen. We can offer you the stability of a wider group as well as the opportunities that that offers if you wish to progress your career with us. We are family and we would like to invite you to be part of that and support our teams in delivering great products to all of our customers.
Samworth Brothers do not engage with unlicensed gangmasters or third parties. Samworth Brothers will NEVER ask you for money in order to provide you with employment. If you are in any doubt, please contact an official Samworth Brothers representative.
Senior Product Development Manager in Melton Mowbray employer: Samworth Brothers Limited
Contact Detail:
Samworth Brothers Limited Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Product Development Manager in Melton Mowbray
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to current or former employees at Samworth Brothers on LinkedIn. A friendly chat can give you insider info and maybe even a referral, which can really boost your chances.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for the interview by knowing your stuff! Research Samworth Brothers' products and recent innovations. Show us that you're genuinely interested in what we do and how you can contribute to our success.
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your STAR technique for answering behavioural questions. We love to hear about your past experiences, so structure your answers around Situation, Task, Action, and Result to keep it clear and impactful.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to follow up after your interview! A quick thank-you email can leave a lasting impression and shows us that you’re keen on the role. Plus, it’s a great way to reiterate your enthusiasm for joining our family.
We think you need these skills to ace Senior Product Development Manager in Melton Mowbray
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion: When you're writing your application, let your enthusiasm for the role shine through! We want to see how excited you are about product development and working in a collaborative environment. Share specific examples of your past experiences that align with our values.
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV is tailored to the Senior Product Development Manager role. Highlight your relevant experience in food manufacturing or bakery environments, and don’t forget to showcase your project management skills. We love seeing how your background fits with what we do!
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Your cover letter is your chance to tell us why you’re the perfect fit for our team. Use it to explain how your skills and experiences will help you lead our PD team effectively. Keep it engaging and personal – we want to get to know you!
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 the role. Plus, it shows you’re serious about joining our Samworth Brothers family!
How to prepare for a job interview at Samworth Brothers Limited
✨Know Your Product Development Inside Out
Before the interview, dive deep into the product development process, especially in a food manufacturing context. Be ready to discuss your previous experiences leading product development teams and how you’ve successfully managed critical paths. This will show that you understand the role and can hit the ground running.
✨Showcase Your Stakeholder Management Skills
Prepare examples of how you've effectively communicated and collaborated with various stakeholders in past roles. Highlight specific instances where your communication skills made a difference in project outcomes. This is crucial for a customer-facing role like this one!
✨Emphasise Your Passion for Innovation
Samworth Brothers values innovation, so come armed with ideas! Think about recent food trends or consumer insights that excite you and how they could translate into compelling product propositions. This will demonstrate your forward-thinking mindset and alignment with their goals.
✨Cultural Fit is Key
Research Samworth Brothers' culture and values. Be prepared to discuss how your personal values align with theirs, particularly around collaboration and inclusivity. Showing that you’re not just a fit for the role but also for the team will make a strong impression.