Senior Product Development Technologist
hace 4 días
Castlewellan
Senior Product Development Technologist Location: Craigavon Department: Product & Innovation Reports to: Product Development Manager Shape the Future of Food Innovation At Pilgrim's Europe, we're passionate about creating innovative food products that excite consumers and drive business growth. We're looking for a talented and driven Senior Product Development Technologist to join our Product & Innovation team and play a key role in bringing new products from concept through to successful market launch. This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced food product developer who thrives in a fast-paced environment, enjoys managing complex projects, and has a passion for food trends, innovation, and delivering exceptional products for customers. The Role As a Senior Development Technologist, you will take ownership of end-to-end New Product Development (NPD) and Existing Product Development (EPD) projects, working closely with customer teams, development chefs, site teams, and cross-functional stakeholders. You will drive projects through our concept-to-launch process, ensuring products are commercially viable, technically feasible, and aligned to customer strategies and business growth objectives. Acting as a key link between innovation, development, NPI, and launch teams, you'll help shape the future food agenda across Pilgrim's Europe. Key Responsibilities Product Development & Innovation • Deliver customer-focused and commercially successful NPD and EPD projects., • Work alongside Development Chefs, Technologists, and Customer Teams to develop innovative food solutions., • Ensure all developments meet customer requirements, legal standards, allergen controls, sustainability goals, and welfare standards., • Identify opportunities for product improvement that enhance customer satisfaction and business value., • Support innovation sessions and customer presentations, bringing market trends and consumer insights to life., • Become a subject matter expert within your product category. Project Management • Lead projects through the Concept-to-Launch Gate Process, ensuring milestones are met and fully documented., • Manage project critical paths and coordinate cross-functional teams to deliver successful product launches., • Assess product feasibility and ensure all developments are technically and commercially viable., • Build and maintain accurate recipe and costing data within internal systems., • Support customer relationships by delivering projects on time and managing expectations effectively. Technical Excellence • Ensure products presented to customers are of the highest quality and representative of manufacturing capabilities., • Challenge and resolve quality or consistency issues quickly and effectively., • Review and approve artwork to ensure compliance with legal and customer requirements., • Support continuous improvement initiatives and implementation of best-practice development processes., • Maintain all required documentation to support internal and external audits. People & Team Development • Support and coach colleagues to maximise performance and development., • Conduct regular one-to-one reviews with direct reports where applicable., • Identify training and development needs within the team., • Contribute to engagement initiatives and foster a positive team culture. Market & Consumer Insight • Stay ahead of emerging food, consumer, and restaurant trends., • Monitor competitor activity and identify new business opportunities., • Support customer roadmaps and innovation strategies aligned to market trends and site capabilities., • Bring passion, creativity, and food expertise into every project. About You We're looking for someone who combines technical expertise with commercial awareness and excellent stakeholder management skills. Essential Requirements • Previous experience in a Product Development role within the food manufacturing industry., • Proven experience launching food products from concept to market., • Product costing experience., • Understanding of budgets and commercial drivers., • Supply chain knowledge, including sourcing ingredients and packaging., • Strong project management skills with experience managing multiple projects simultaneously., • Excellent communication and influencing skills., • Strong analytical ability and attention to detail., • Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, Word, and PowerPoint., • Relevant food industry qualification and/or equivalent experience. Desirable • Degree in Food Science, Marketing, Business, or a related discipline., • Experience within relevant product categories., • Experience working with geographically dispersed teams. Why Join Pilgrim's Europe? At Pilgrim's Europe, our values drive everything we do: • Availability – We embrace challenges and opportunities., • Humility – We listen, learn, and respect each other., • Discipline – We deliver on our commitments., • Sincerity – We act with honesty and integrity., • Simplicity, Ownership & Determination – We focus on what matters and drive results. If you're passionate about food innovation, thrive on bringing ideas to life, and want to make a real impact within a leading food business, we'd love to hear from you. Apply today and help shape the future of food at Pilgrim's Europe. JBRP1_UKTJ