Product Developer

**We are Woolworths Group**

We are Woolworths Group. 200,000+ bright minds, passionate hearts, and unique perspectives across Australia and New Zealand. Connected by a shared Purpose - 'to create better experiences together for a better tomorrow'. That Purpose fuels our ambition to explore new ideas, make brave commitments, and innovate better ways to meet the food and everyday needs of more than 24 million customers every week.

If you're excited to turn today's blue-sky thinking into a better tomorrow for future generations, you'll find yourself supported and enriched in a dynamic, inclusive, and empowering workplace. With a culture of genuine care, a flexible approach to work, and opportunities across the group to grow your career and make a meaningful impact, the possibilities for what we can achieve together are endless.
- Rewarding role - Opportunity to significantly impact our customer experience
- Showcase creativity that translates concepts into innovative productsBring your curious mindset and customer centricity

**Ready to make an impact?**
We’re looking for a Product Developer to join our team here in Aotearoa reporting to our Merchandise Manager - Own Brand. Joining our team of Product Developers, you’ll take accountability for managing the product development activities with a specific portfolio in Fresh to bring innovative products to market in alignment with customer needs and business category strategies.

**About the Role | Mō te Tūranga**
With accountability across customer satisfaction, stakeholder collaboration and commercial growth, your key responsibilities will include:

- Development of strategic plans, taking into account consumer and category insights; commercials and seasonality in order to ensure the launch of products that customers will love.
- Identify key suppliers, build NPD briefs and collaborate with suppliers to bring product concepts to life.
- Lead and manage the critical path for each product ensuring first class execution on all product launches.
- Collaborate with key internal and external stakeholders including quality assurance; nutrition, packaging; commercial; responsible sourcing and design to ensure all aspects have been considered in the final product design.
- Active contribution to Agile ways of working to ensure delivery of biggest value projects
- Understanding of local and global supply base capabilities and identifying growth opportunities for Woolworths.Awareness and utilisation of market research, insights and product trends for innovative and strategic product development

**About You | Mōu**
We’re looking for an ambitious and creative foodie who is customer focused and has the ability to drive innovation and growth in the market. The leveraging of your market industry knowledge, exceptional understanding of food trends and commercial retail experience will be paramount to the success in translating concepts into innovative products on the shelf. You will be a results focused individual who operates with an efficient work style, coupled with attention to detail, excellent communication skills and the ability to work to short deadlines.

To be successful in this role, your experience will likely reflect:

- An enthusiastic foodie with a proven track record of successfully delivering NPD strategy from ideation to concept and through to launch.
- An exceptional understanding and knowledge of food trends; ingredients; seasonality and range planning in order to influence and deliver to the business direction.
- Brimming with ideas and inspiration you will have experience in bringing products to market in order to truly delight our customers.
- An understanding and knowledge of food manufacturing and production processes.
- Tertiary Food qualification, min 3 year diploma, degree of similar in food industry (food science/technology; chef; hotel, food nutrition or related industry).
- Minimum 5 years experience in product development or experience in a relevant discipline within a complex/matrix environment.
- A love, passion and infectious enthusiasm for food, innovation and product.
- Strong understanding of product creation; componentry and cost makeup of goods
- Sensory evaluation and product benchmarking skills.
- Sound ability to represent the customer in all product decisions.
- Solid organisational and project management skills.
- Ability to proactively identify risks and overcome obstacles.Ability to leverage and manage effective stakeholder relationships

**Working with Woolworths NZ | Me mahi tahi tatou ki Woolworths NZ**

Our purpose is to make Kiwis' lives a little better every day.

We’re friendly, down-to-earth, and energetic - we work hard but we have a great time doing it, and we love what we do. There is plenty of scope for new ideas, lots of room for you to add value, and importantly, you’ll be working with a business that touches the lives of three million New Zealanders a week. We offer a diverse range of career opportunities across ou