Product Development and Sourcing Manager

Description:

Own the journey of new products from approved concept to commercial sign-off and handover to Operations: proving the market opportunity, sourcing and developing the product with suppliers, and ensuring every product is compliant, costed and ready to order.
Key Responsibilities1. Market Research and Opportunity Identification
Research markets, channels, competitors and customer demand against the product and occasion strategy approved by the Directors, using marketplace data, sales data, trade insight, customer feedback and input from the marketing agency and Marketplace team.
Attend UK and international trade shows to find new products, suppliers, materials, packaging and trends.
Speak directly with customers and trade buyers, including farm shops and corporate clients, to understand unmet needs, working alongside Sales.
Build and own the twelve-month product and occasion calendar within the product strategy and annual priorities approved by the Directors, timing development to key occasions and flagging risks to Q2 2027 launches early.
Recommend how each product can be differentiated, whether through format, ingredients, flavour, packaging or gifting presentation.

2. Supplier Sourcing and Product Development
Build and maintain the supplier database, starting from the Directors' existing concept and supplier lists, and identify, evaluate and approach suppliers in the UK and internationally.
Identify and maintain credible backup options for critical product categories, ingredients, components and packaging.
Lead supplier conversations from first contact through to commercial sign-off, so that the Directors are not involved in day to day supplier communication.
Manage sampling rounds, review samples against the brief and present one final recommended product and supplier at commercial sign-off, with alternatives only where a material decision remains unresolved.
Obtain quotations and negotiate development terms, including pricing, minimum order quantities, lead times and tooling or development costs.
Coordinate packaging and artwork development with the external product designer.
Agree final specifications, packaging and sealed reference samples before commercial sign-off.

3. Compliance and Certification from the Start
Build compliance into sourcing from the first supplier conversation, confirming that suppliers can provide the certifications, ingredient and allergen declarations, nutritional data, shelf life evidence and documentation required for each target market.
Plan ingredients, materials and packaging so that certified components can be used across several products where possible, reducing repeated certification costs.
Ensure product specifications allow for marketplace requirements, including Amazon FBA minimum shelf life on arrival.
Coordinate supplier documentation for review and sign-off by the external technical compliance specialist, ensuring no product proceeds without that sign-off.
Maintain change control, so that suppliers do not change ingredients, formulations, manufacturing sites, packaging or specifications without prior written approval.
Capture packaging material, weight and type data for each product to support regulatory packaging reporting.

4. Commercial Case and Launch Readiness
Prepare the commercial case for each product, including target cost, indicative landed cost, margin, pricing by channel and market evidence, for presentation at commercial sign-off.
Build projections with Sales and the Marketplace team and present the commercial case at commercial sign-off, where the Directors approve order quantities and stock commitments.
Manage each product's development timeline to commercial sign-off, confirming fulfilment and storage feasibility with Operations.
Prepare complete product, specification, supplier and compliance information for Operations, the Marketplace team, Sales and the marketing agency.

5. Performance, Quality and Range Review
Track new products after launch against their approved commercial case and report on performance and lessons learned.
Lead supplier corrective action on specification, formulation or compliance issues raised by Operations from goods in, complaints and returns.
Maintain accurate product records, supplier development records and a clear development pipeline.
Review the existing range and present recommendations on improvements, extensions and products to retire at the scheduled quarterly product review.

Essential
Substantial experience in product development, sourcing or buying within food, drink, gifting or consumer products.
A track record of sourcing and developing new products with UK and international suppliers, including briefing, sampling and specification.
Experience using market research and data to identify product opportunities and build the case for them.
Experience managing specifications, allergen, labelling and certification requirements for food, drink or other regulated products.
Commercial fluency: able to build cost, margin and pricing cases and stand behind them.
Strong organisation, with the ability to manage several developments at once to agreed timelines.
Confidence at trade shows, with suppliers and in conversations with customers and trade buyers
A calm, practical style, with the discipline to build repeatable processes rather than relying on informal follow-up.

Desirable
Experience developing seasonal or gifting ranges.
Packaging development experience, including artwork and specification control.
Experience developing products for Amazon or other marketplaces.
Experience coordinating supplier assessments or independent audits.