Product Developer Job Opportunity in South Africa at Woolworths South Africa in Cape Town

Job Title: Product Developer II: Meat
REF: FOOD/MI/Product Developer II: Meat/Cape Town/060612

Recruiter: Woolworths (Pty) Ltd
End Date: 2012-06-15
AA/EE: Not Applicable
Contract Permanent
Location: Cape Town
Available: Immediately
Category: Retail
Offer: Market Related
Reporting To: N/A
Job Grade: AL
Division: Foods
Positions: 1

Introduction

To interpret customer needs and lifestyle trends to deliver a product development plan that delivers leading innovation, maximises core growth, ensures consistent high quality, value for money and exceeds our customer’s expectations, whilst contributing to the category’s overall profitability
Minimum Requirements


Relevant culinary qualification
3-5 yrs foods product development or related foods experience
Knowledge of meat and experience in the meat industry would be advantageous
Ability to interpret trends, innovation and drive strategies
Superior palate and sensory evaluation skills

Sound understanding of foods, lifestyle trends and our target market

Passion for food/ high level of culinary skills with ability to transfer passion into commercially viable product

Customer orientation

Planning / project management skills
Results driven
Innovative / continuous improvement mindset
Team player with appreciation of diversity
Computer literate
Strong communication, presentation and negotiation skills
Proven commercial aptitude - ability to understand and use financial indicators
Ability to incorporate product strategy into supplier base
Proven ability to work with design team to ensure appropriate visual imagery is developed within the corporate brand identity
Strong integrator - proven ability to work constructively within a matrix structure and drive cross group projects.
Quality mindset with ability to set and improve quality standards within a complex supplier base

Job Specification


Give input to and implement category and supplier strategies
Identify, analyze and interpret lifestyle, retail and food trends to ensure that the Global Meals category continues to deliver strategic leading edge innovation and profitable sales growth
Manage and implement the product development process within this selected category to ensure that product ranges are delivered in line with agreed product direction whilst adhering to brand values, within a set CTP
Using lessons learnt to analyze catalogue and identify product eliminations, upgrades and new opportunities to maximize the category
Integrate with cross functional team in commercial, technology and planning wrt the launching of competitive, profitable ranges
Integrate with marketing and sales management teams to ensure maximum product exposure and implementation of initiatives
Implement a product development program to support customer needs and to deliver to the foods directional framework
Develop and maintain sustainable, mutually beneficial long term relationships with suppliers
In conjunction with technical team, set and continuously improve the quality standards of the product ranges, through local and international benchmarking.
Initiate and manage design brief and packaging development for the range, ensuring briefs communicate customer facing messages and tier of product
Adopt a customer- facing way of working and gain an intimate understanding of the various customer segments through research and customer focus groups

Apply to:

http://woolworths.pnet.co.za/#s=job_search