Sainsbury's
Product Development Manager - Fresh
How your CV stacks up
Upload your CV to see how well it fits this job role
?%
Product Development Manager - Fresh
Why Join Us
Joining Sainsbury’s as a Product Development Manager in the Fresh category offers an exciting opportunity to lead and shape the innovation pipeline, delivering high-quality products that meet customer needs and support the commercial strategy. With a focus on customer quality, innovation, and sustainability, you will collaborate with cross-functional teams, suppliers, and chefs to drive product development from concept to launch. This role provides a platform for continuous learning, professional growth, and the satisfaction of seeing your creations positively impact millions of customers, all within a supportive and dynamic work environment where your expertise in food product development can truly shine.
What You'll Do
As the Product Development Manager for the Fresh category at Sainsbury's, you will be responsible for:
- Leading the development and delivery of the Product Plan, ensuring projects are executed in accordance with the gated development process and agreed timelines.
- Developing insight-led Product Briefs and defining customer quality standards.
- Championing product quality throughout the product lifecycle by monitoring customer feedback and market performance to drive continuous improvement.
- Collaborating with cross-functional teams, suppliers, and technical experts to drive product innovation through:
- New ingredients
- Recipes
- Manufacturing processes
- Delivering distinctive, high-quality products that meet customer needs and support the commercial strategy.
- Managing and developing a Graduate or Product Development Assistant through coaching, objective setting, and performance support.
Reasons to use Rodeo
Start with a chat, not a search bar
Grad scheme, placement, apprenticeship? Not sure what you want yet — that's fine. Your agent talks it through with you and turns "I have no idea" into a shortlist.
It searches the market for you
Every day your agent scans the market matching roles against what actually matters to you, not just keywords on a CV.
Only hits
No noise. No "maybe this fits." Just roles with a clear explanation of why they're right — and where to focus when applying.
Who You Are
As a seasoned Food Product Development Manager with a deep-rooted passion for creating innovative and high-quality food products, you bring:
- Extensive experience in leading complex product development projects from concept to launch within the retail, food manufacturing, or foodservice industry.
- A strong foundation in food science and technology, coupled with a keen eye for:
- Customer value
- Cost management
- Regulatory compliance
- Proven ability to drive:
- Product innovation
- Quality improvement
- Sustainability initiatives
- Preference for a Food Degree (or equivalent experience) in:
- Food Science
- Food Technology
- Nutrition
- Related discipline (not essential)
Get help with your application
Your very own career expert that helps elevate your application to the next level.
You excel in:
- Project management
- Communication
- Stakeholder engagement
- Navigating cross-functional teams and suppliers
Your success ensures delivery of best-in-class products that resonate with customers and drive business growth.
Essential Criteria
-
Extensive current and proven experience leading food product development projects from concept through to launch in:
- Retail
- Manufacturing
- Foodservice
-
Strong understanding of:
- Food quality
- Customer trends
- Innovation
- Ingredients
- Recipes
- Manufacturing processes
- Gated development process
-
Ability to:
- Develop insight-led product briefs
- Collaborate with:
- Suppliers
- Technical teams
- Chefs
- Commercial teams
- Cross-functional stakeholders
-
Demonstrable experience in managing:
- Suppliers
- Manufacturers
-
Excellent project management skills, including:
- Managing multiple priorities
- Delivering to agreed timelines
- Supporting commercial objectives
-
Strong communication and stakeholder engagement skills, with ability to:
- Influence
- Coach
- Support others, including:
- Graduates
- Product development assistants where required
“It took my CV and asked me questions relevant to understanding what kind of jobs to suggest for me. Suggestions were almost perfect. Jobs were exactly what I’ve been looking for.”
Jessica, London
Skills