Junior Product Manager - Health & Beauty and Household

Solent Group works with a diverse portfolio of retailers and supplies bespoke products within various categories, including Health & Beauty, Household Impulse Snacking, and Reusable Bags. We are proud to be best-in-class when it comes to own-label product innovation. Our categories are fast-paced with ever-evolving trends and a host of ground-breaking products coming to market on a regular basis – we add value to retailers by leading and owning each category.

Here at Solent, we want people to be extraordinary. We pride ourselves on creating and producing amazing products and brands for our global customers. You will be joining a company with offices globally across South Africa, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Vietnam, and the UK.

Position

• DIVISION/DEPT: Grocers
• REPORT TO: Senior Product Manager
• LOCATION: Commuting distance to Christchurch office
• TRAVEL: Yes

As a Junior Product Manager, we want you to be immersed in current and upcoming trends and constantly be looking at how we at Solent can be first to market with amazing products! We want someone with a passion for product and an imagination that can develop a trend from an initial concept all the way through to a market-leading product. You will report into the Senior Product Manager to develop and deliver first to market ranges within one of the UK's most premium retailers. Working within the Marks & Spencer team, your day-to-day will vary but will consist of sample management, competitive & trend analysis - then bringing fresh ideas to life! Think new breakthrough products, and a team that’s all about solution, collaboration, and getting things done.

Scope & Relationships

We encourage you to be creative and innovative, bringing fresh ideas to the division, for your own customers as well as for others across the team. The product division works collaboratively and often shares inspiration and potential opportunities for each other, with one of our core company values being ‘strength in unity’. You will work closely with the design team to bring your ideas to life, and over time will develop an understanding of your customer and what their product needs to look and feel like. You will also work with our buying team in the UK and Far East, who liaise directly with our suppliers, helping to source and quote for your requests. There are other teams within the division that will also help support you throughout the product life cycle, including technical, marketing, and logistics.

Requirements

Key Responsibilities:

• Understand the market, product trends and research, including talking to customers and visiting customer stores.
• Assess competitors’ products to identify important features and compare performance with equivalent company products.
• Conduct market research, identify and drive new product development and product upgrades against a plan.
• Deliver products and ranges that are targeted and exceed customer expectations.
• Manage cross-functional relationships with our overseas offices, maintaining our One Team culture at all times.
• Manage our critical paths and ensure communication is at the front of mind.
• Write clear briefs and communicate efficiently with our production teams globally.
• Be able to work with large amounts of detail.
• Arrange samples, costs, and presentations for customer meetings and present to customers/attend customer meetings.
• Review supplier quotes to ensure competitive and fair pricing. Collaborate with commercial to analyse product costs and margins.
• Suggest and negotiate solutions for product components or the final product to align with profitability goals.
• Develop and engage with the wider team on new product concepts. Approve product samples and assure quality standards through all stages of new product development.
• Happy to travel to our office locations across the UK and for meetings/trade shows.

About you:

• Min 1 year experience in a product-centric role or related degree.
• Product management and/or product development or brand management experience/skills.
• A willingness to learn and improve and have a ‘hands-on’ approach.
• Can show examples of cross-functional working.
• Appetite to learn new categories and explore new product ranges.
• Confident in communicating and developing relationships with internal and external sources.
• Strong time management and a proactive work ethic.
• Strong attention to detail and good collaboration, communication, and project management skills.
• Fluent use of Microsoft Office – Outlook, Excel and PowerPoint.
• Fluent use of online platforms for virtual meetings and presentations.

Other information

What we offer:

• Competitive salary with annual salary reviews.
• 25 days holiday per annum, increasing to 27 days after 3 years’ service and 30 days after 5 years’ service.
• Extensive benefits programme including buying additional holiday, medical cash plan, access to mental health support and many other benefits.
• Flexible hours and work from home available to all staff.
• Great learning and development and progression opportunities.
• Yearly bonus structure (based on company targets).
• Enhanced Maternity and Paternity Leave.
• Generous Company Sick Pay.
• Pension Scheme Contribution.
• Solent social events run by our in-house Social Team.