As the Product Developer, you are accountable for the development for products sold by the business and supporting rapid product development sprints. You will support the following product categories: Ready Meals, Bakery/ Appetizers & Desserts, Sausages, Produce & Specialty Meats. Reporting to the Head, Non-Core Product Development, the Product Developer is a key member of the Product team and is responsible for supporting continuous improvement in a fast-paced and demanding production & innovation environment. The scope of category management covers the Wild Fork business units in both the US & Canadian markets. Additionally, you will maintain positive relationships with Production Operations, Logistics, Supply Chain & Marketing as well as your vendor community and other internal and external contacts. You have a customer-centric approach and are comfortable flexing between regulatory execution and innovation/ product development.Essential Tasks and Responsibilities:
Directly work with internal and vendor partners to develop products with a hands on approach
Maintain Brand and Business guardrails throughout product development process
Own the movement of the products through the product development lifecycle
Support and maintain product data attributes & database
Support and maintain product enrichment on company websites
Liaise directly with Category Managers to ensure product development projects are completed on time and within quality guardrails
Ensure products that are developed taste great, are authentic & meet quality standards
Support new product launches with educational materials and product launch programming for Operations and Digital teams
Support store sampling with educational and training materials on specific products within the portfolio
Support product tasting and cuttings, hands on in internal test kitchen
Provide vendors & partners with detailed feedback on product attributes and to create great & differentiated products for Wild Fork
Support photoshoots with product and preparation as needed
Support product label development process as needed
Manage large-scale implementation of products across various channels of the business through close collaboration with functional areas of the business
Help develop final product specification with the vendor & partner community
Develop & maintain a strong supplier base for the categories (Ready Meals, Bakery/ Appetizers & Desserts, Sausages, Produce & Specialty Meats
Liaison with suppliers & maintains successful relationship to meet regulatory requirements for new products within rapid product development cycles
Knowledge, Skills and Experience:
3 years experience in product development in Food Service, Manufacturing or Retail sector
Deep understanding of trends in retail & food service environments
Prior Food Service or Restaurant experience an asset
Prior start up experience an asset, in Tech or Food-Tech environments
Passion for Food & obsession for quality
Strong command of various analytical tools in MS Office (Excel/ Smart Sheets as example)
Support in Process & Continuous Improvement through the Product Development Function
Establishes trust and inspires others
Demonstrated effectiveness navigating cross divisional boundaries
Command of negotiation and relationship building skills
Makes effective organization and people decisions in a manner consistent with Wild Fork Foods values and ethics.
Champions the organization and advocates solutions in the overall Company's best interest.
Uses business knowledge, innovative thinking, and sound judgment in the solution of problems or the pursuit of business opportunities.
Consolidates information from various sources including feedback from others to reach sound decisions.
Considers the ultimate impact of decisions and actions on internal and external customers.
Lean Six Sigma training or black belt certification is an asset
Exceptional written, verbal communication & systems skills (including MS Office)
Working Conditions and Physical Demands:While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to stand, walk and sit.EOE/Vets/Disability
