Development Technologist

The role of Development Technologist within apetito’s Development Team is an exciting and varied role which will allow the successful candidate to contribute to sales growth through their innovative approach to product development and their working relationships with their customer groups.  The role will report to the Senior Development Technologist, and on a day to day basis, will work to develop  food products, including meals and desserts,  to meet the needs of our customers .

apetito is a rapidly growing company, demonstrated through its turnover which has doubled in the last 5 years.  This growth is  driven by a number of factors including  a focus on excellent customer service and continuing product innovation.   apetito  aims to grow significantly in the next three years  and the Development Technologist  has  a  critical role in supporting this  growth through focus on both new and existing sectors.  The successful candidate will therefore have the drive to keep pace with the demands of the business and the ability to produce new and innovative solutions in both product development and product improvement. 

The Development Technologist will have five key areas of focus, these will be as follows:

New Product Development  in existing  sectors

The first area of focus for the successful candidate will be to use their project management, creative and commercial skills to   manage development programmes for  Wiltshire Farm Foods and Community meals, ensuring  we deliver competitive advantage by continuing to innovate.   Working closely with the Innovations team,  the Development Technologist is responsible for managing projects  from the concept stage through to factory trials. They will be able to lead cross functional teams to meet project objectives  as well as  having the technical knowledge required to develop kitchen scale samples, determine nutritional values, cost products, and source raw materials.  They will work effectively with  colleagues in other  departments including  Purchasing ,  Technical, Manufacturing and Commercial,  ensuring that they have the support of all stakeholders.   The successful candidate will be  committed  and determined; they will drive projects forward, ensuring successful transition from concept through to  production trials and will support the Process Development Technologist  to ensure the effective introduction to full scale manufacture.  

Product improvement  - e.g. Nutrition and Quality

Due to increasing consumer awareness of nutrition and the changing requirements of our markets and legislation, nutrition is an extremely   important area of focus for apetito.    In addition to meeting defined nutritional needs, the successful candidate will also take responsibility for identifying   and delivering product quality improvements through product re-design and raw material improvement.   They will work well  with the Quality and Purchasing teams to analyse where improvements can be made and deliver these,  taking into account the needs of all stakeholders. 

Cost reduction

Using their commercial and creative skills, the successful candidate will identify   and assist in the  delivey of  cost reduction opportunities (e.g. through product reformulation or design) without compromising product quality.  It will be vital that the Development Technologist demonstrates good communication and team working skills to ensure that cost reduction is carried out according to business need.  Again, all stakeholders will need to be considered, with the Development Technologist showing an awareness of direct as well as indirect costs. 

Supporting the Purchasing strategy

Through their ability to work within a cross functional team, the successful candidate will support apetito’s Purchasing strategy through the assessment of new or alternative raw materials to provide commercial advantage (e.g. through price reduction or providing purchasing leverage).  They will work to understand the priorities of  purchasing team, showing a genuine awareness of the wider business.  The successful candidate will run trials as needed, advise on nutritional value of alternative products and work to fully understand how they can input into cost saving opportunities. 

Development of new market sectors

apetito is  continuing to identify new business  and  market opportunities which will support its aim to continue its growth in the future. The Development Technologist will be involved in developing products aimed at new markets . 

The successful candidate will be able to demonstrate experience of managing cross functional   development projects , working with others to successfully meet commercial  targets , time objectives  and customer  expectations. They will demonstrate a sound understanding of the Development process and an appreciation of Technical and manufacturing considerations but above all, the Development Technologist will have the ability to gain the buy in of others to their ideas and work with others to achieve results. 

This is   a stimulating and exciting role for the right candidate with the opportunity to   demonstrably contribute to the success of the business.  

The successful candidate will be self motivated, flexible and conscientious,  with good communication and team working skills.  They will be tenacious and determined with the ability to drive projects forward to successful completion and will work well with others to achieve this.  In addition, they will be comfortable selling their ideas and show genuine belief in apetito’s ability to develop first class products.   

This is a great opportunity for a candidate who wants to further their career in Product Development.  There will be exciting and varied opportunities to drive business development, and the successful candidate will be able to truly make their mark on apetito’s success. 

For more information on salary and benefits and to apply please contact Cheryl Brown, Senior Development Technologist via email: cheryl.brown@apetito.co.uk or call 01225 753636. Alternatively click on the 'apply for this position' link below.