Product Developer Jobs Vacancy at Woolworths in South Africa

Job Title: Product Developer II: Global Meals
REF: FOOD/NB/Product Developer II: Globam Meals/Cape Town/290812

Recruiter: Woolworths (Pty) Ltd
End Date: 2012-09-04
AA/EE: Applicable
Contract Permanent
Location: Cape Town
Available: a.s.a.p.
Category: Retail
Offer: market related
Reporting To: line manager
Job Grade: Junior Mgt & Entry Level Specialists
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 qualification preferably Culinary or relevant Culinary experience
3-5 yrs foods product development or related foods experience
Ability to drive and interpret innovation strategy across category
A superior palate and Sensory evaluation skills
Understanding of foods, lifestyle trends and 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 skills (both written and verbal)
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 within in a matrix and lead and drive cross group projects.
Strong presentation, communication and negotiation skills
Ability to set and improve quality stds in 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


DESIGNATED EE (African, Coloured & Indian)

Apply to:

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