Product Developer

About the role

Are you ready to shape the future of food? At Waitrose & Partners, we don’t just put products on shelves; we create food experiences that our customers love. We are striving to be the most LOVED, TRUSTED and INNOVATIVE own brand in the market. Recognised for setting industry standards in QUALITY and SUSTAINABILITY through Passionate partners serving food lovers. We are looking for a visionary Product Developer to lead the creation of innovative, high-quality, and differentiated "Own Brand" products that set the standard for the UK grocery market.

This isn’t just about innovation for innovation’s sake. You will be the commercial heart of the development process, balancing culinary creativity with the strategic realities of a fast-paced retail environment.

The heart of the role:
As a champion of our Own Brand values, you will own the End-to-End NPD (New Product Development) relationship between Waitrose and our suppliers. You aren't just managing projects; you are building and strengthening the partnerships that make our unique product range possible.

Collaboration at its core:
You will sit at the center of a dynamic, cross‑functional team collaborating with our Chefs, Innovation teams, and Customer Insight experts. With our Technical & Quality, Nutrition, Agriculture, and Legal & Compliance teams. With our Own Brand, NPD, Packaging, Design, and PR teams to bring your products to life.

• Salary: £53,100. per annum based on skill and experience
• Contract type:
  We have both permanent and fixed term contract/secondment opportunities available. Upon application you will be asked to specify your preference
• Hours and location of the role:
  • 35 hours per week
  • Your home location will be our Bracknell Head Office
  • The Partnership has adopted a hybrid working approach meaning you’ll be able to work a mixture between the office and home based upon your personal needs whilst balancing the needs of the business. The team attend the office 3 days a week to connect and attend key meetings on more of an ad‑hoc basis

• Keeps abreast of customer strategy, insight, market direction and consumer trends
• Plans strategically, scoping out and researching product categories to determine clear outcomes that meet with the Waitrose Own Brand strategy
• Stays close to the target customer and is up to date with broader market dynamics, anticipating future customer needs for specific categories. Work collaboratively across Waitrose ensuring all Product Developer activities relating to the development of new products/existing products are well coordinated and that speed to market and commercial viability is optimised
• Driving continuous improvement and quality mindset in all development projects including COGS, category strategy, new customer proposition ensuring Own brand product meets the Waitrose Own brand technical, nutritional & ethical standards and meeting GScop & legal requirements within the assigned category/project
• Good understanding of NPD capability within the supply base to support quality & innovation. Uses knowledge to contribute to supplier strategy discussions for NPD to support the food category requirements
• Collaborates with cross‑functional teams on assigned projects to lead efficient delivery of NPD following a stage and gate development process ensuring critical path targets are met
• Uses such insight together with internal and external sources of data to develop product proposition plans ensuring that speed to market and commercial viability is optimised
• Able to understand and clearly articulate good, better and best tiering principles and apply with clear product values in line with the Waitrose own brand strategy

• A passion for product and a strong commercial acumen
• Previous product development experience within Manufacturing or Retail, including experience in launching major NPD/Brand projects from end to end
• Proven track record of high quality, commercially successful product development & supplier management
• Strong creative skills in food and grocery
• Ability to analyse and interpret customer and market data