Head of Product Development - Savoury Biscuit

What will this role achieve?

The Head of Product Development – Savoury Biscuits plays a central role in shaping and delivering pladis’ savoury biscuits growth agenda, leading technical activities across innovation, productivity, and business continuity.

You will lead a team of R&D professionals, working with cross‑functional partners to define product development strategy and deliver the three‑year growth plan. As a key member of the leadership team, you will also take ownership of the test bakery facility, site engagement activities, and site health & safety responsibilities.

This role is critical to the growth of our savoury categories, combining strategic leadership with hands‑on accountability for capability, delivery, and site support.

You will act as the technical expert for product development, providing guidance on major innovation projects and serving as the key R&D contact for complex site and supply chain challenges. You will build future pipeline and technical capability by identifying new ingredients, processes, and ways to strengthen the UK&I business. You will oversee escalations, maintain compliance with required procedures, and define the forward‑looking plan for the future capability of the savoury biscuits team and pilot plant while ensuring team KPIs, prioritisation, and development are effectively managed.

There will be a requirement to travel to our manufacturing sites across the UK as part of this role.

• Utilising consumer, customer and competitor knowledge to develop a robust innovation growth funnel for your portfolio, alongside marketing partners.
• Sponsor projects and authorise key stages within the technical change process. Oversee the end‑to‑end NPD process and highlight potential for growth.
• Build strong partnership with suppliers and constantly be assessing new ingredients and technology to deliver innovation to your category.
• Build excellent cross‑functional partnerships to ensure successful delivery of plans, appropriate and timely resource allocation, collaborative ways of working and seamless handovers.
• Follow market and competitor moves whilst collaborating closely with marketing and consumer insight team to have robust understanding of consumers, consumption occasions and evolving consumer needs.
• Ensure robust understanding of key competitor portfolios and constantly be assessing opportunities for improvement to the core products in your portfolio.

• Actively support the creation of a cost saving programme for your portfolio and be accountable for the delivery of the projects. Establish clear requirements for product characteristics distinguishing between those that are essential for consumer delight and those that are less defining. Review and agree project charters. Make recommendations for product changes that will yield improved profitability.

• Ensure that the business continuity programme is resourced and executed.
• Support the business with timely resolution of any CIM projects and offer brand technical expertise.
• Providing key technical support and direction for line transfer projects.

• Ensure new products are launched with robust specifications and quality standards, which are aligned and reviewed post launch.
• Support resolution of EDQ issues on the brands within your portfolio.

• Lead your team and the broader UK&I R&D team, by setting and exhibiting high work ethics, standards of delivery and being a visible and living example of pladis’ values and culture. Be an ambassador for R&D in the business.
• Ensure a deep understanding of your team’s capabilities and ensure clear plans are in place to up‑skill against the areas of technical competency required to deliver your growth, productivity and improvement pipeline.

• You will manage a team of 5‑8; as a sponsor of key talent you will empower them to develop their capabilities and fulfil their personal potential while ensuring a long‑term succession plan for all key roles.
• Demonstrate effective leadership that will help the function to become a driver for innovation and collaboration. Build partnerships and…