Product Developer at Engen

Who You Are

•     You are an open communicator
•     You are able to build relationships with stakeholders
•     You have the ability to analyze data
•     You are organized and task orientated
•     You have a basic understanding of project management
•     You have a reputation for integrity
•     You can successfully hold crucial conversations

What You Have Done Before
Baseline:

•     NQF Level 7 (Degree in Consumer Science or Culinary)
•     5 years’ experience in Product Development within  Retail/ FMCG industry
•     Experience in coordinating engagements with internal and external stakeholders
   

Exciting Challenges You Might Face

•     Applies knowledge in a challenging marketplace to advance the organisation’s profitability goals
•     Supporting the strategy of the Retail Convenience
•     Being responsible for multiple projects and having the ability to multi-task
•     Engaging with stakeholders at every level within this role
•     Seeing projects to completion
   

What You Will Be Doing

NEW PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT PLAN

•     Identify, analyze and interpret lifestyle, retail and food trends to establish a product development plan that delivers strategic innovation, profitable sales growth and the category operating plan.
•     Manage and implement the product development process and integration of various roles and functions within selected category to ensure that product ranges are delivered in line with agreed product development plan and category operating plan whilst adhering to brand values

STAKEHOLDER COLLABORATION

•     Develop and maintain sustainable, mutually beneficial long-term relationships with suppliers to deliver category strategy
•     Integrate with cross functional team in commercial, technology, planning, sales management & marketing to execute operating plan and key initiatives.
•     Manage & drive supplier partnership to execute operating plan and grow category and gain market share.

PACKAGING DEVELOPMENT & EXECUTION

•     Initiate and manage design brief and packaging development for the range, ensuring the design briefs communicate customer facing messages and tier of product to deliver effective packaging in line with product development plan and category operating plan.
•     Ensure packaging is fit for purpose, customer friendly and effective in communicating use, key selling features and preparation & storage

CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT INITIATIVES

•     Adopt a customer facing way of working and gain understanding of various customer segments through research and customer focus groups to ensure a product development plan that drives innovation & customer satisfaction in different segments and customer tiers
•     Set and continuously improve the quality standards of the product ranges within a product tier, through local and international benchmarking.

CUSTOMER KNOWLEDGE NEEDS

•     Ensure and interpret customer knowledge & understanding of lifestyle, needs, price perception, value perception and satisfaction through analyzing data, customer research & market trends, industry networking, and filter this through to a product strategy that results in category growth and that profit targets are met.