Senior Product Developer

POSITION RESPONSIBILITIES:

The following list of duties and responsibilities is not intended to be an all-inclusive list of duties rather they are intended to only describe the nature of the job:

· Lead and manage corporate product development projects from concept through commercialization, including timelines, resources, budgets, and integration into manufacturing.

· Collaborate closely with cross-functional teams (Sales, Marketing, Operations, QA, Regulatory, Procurement/Sourcing, and Manufacturing) to support product launches, improvements, and market readiness.

· Develop, maintain, and test product formulations, recipes, specifications, label copy, and cooking instructions to optimize quality, compliance, and consumer experience.

· Conduct and oversee sensory evaluations, including weekly sensory reviews at Head Office, menu creation, product presentation, documentation, result tracking, and circulation.

· Create and test new and existing formulas through benchtop and pilot plant trials to validate product concepts and manufacturing processes.

· Monitor market and competitive trends, evaluate competitor and market samples, and coordinate market testing to gather consumer feedback and inform development strategy.

· Ensure all products, ingredients, and claims comply with internal standards and external regulations (CFIA, FDA, Advertising Standards of Canada) and provide regulatory guidance on new or revised formulations.

· Prepare product development documentation and data for executive, customer, and stakeholder presentations.

· Create and maintain product development schedules to meet project milestones and stakeholder expectations.

· Apply strong troubleshooting and problem-solving skills to address challenges during product development and manufacturing.

· Maintain brand guidelines and product standards while ensuring feasibility, quality, and cost-effectiveness across ingredients, processes, and packaging.

· Brainstorm innovative, consumer-driven product ideas by researching trends, analyzing competitor products, and identifying unmet market needs.

REQUIRED SKILL, EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS:

· Post-secondary education in Food Science, Engineering, Culinary Arts, or a related field.

· Minimum 5 years of experience in R&D/Product Development, culinary, and project management within the food industry, preferably in further processing or meat manufacturing.

· Experience leading corporate-level projects, presenting to cross-functional teams, and communicating results with customers and stakeholders; experience in customer-facing platforms is highly desirable.

· Strong technical background in food science, including formula validation, ingredient selection, and understanding of manufacturing processes.

· Solid working knowledge of the food industry, with a strong emphasis on further processing.

· Proven ability to plan, organize, and manage projects end-to-end, ensuring on-time delivery and adherence to budget.

· Demonstrated leadership ability, including leading project teams and collaborating effectively across departments; prior managerial experience is an asset.

· Ability to interpret market data and industry trends and translate insights into actionable product development strategies.

· Strong oral and written communication skills to present research, proposals, and results in support of sales, marketing, and business objectives.

· Excellent problem-solving, troubleshooting, project management, time management, and computer/technical skills.

COMPETENCIES AND ATTRIBUTES:

· Strong project management and organizational skills.

· High proficiency in Microsoft Office, label software, and GENESIS.

· Excellent verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills.

· A self-starter with a passion for product development and innovation.

· Creative and flexible, with the ability to adapt to evolving customer and market needs.

· Detail-oriented with strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities.

· Comfortable working in lab, office, and refrigerated plant environments.

· Willingness to travel between facilities and evaluate food products, including meat and plant-based alternatives.

WORKING CONDITIONS:

· Onsite office hours, Mon- Fri

· In plant environment with cold refrigeration