Head of Product Development, Food and Sports(35643)

June 27, 2025

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Full Time

Nuneaton

Competitive

June 27, 2025

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Job description

<div class="earcuposdescription"><div class="earcuposdescriptionnote">Join our team and be part of a company that truly lives its values. With our expertise and commitment to innovation, we aim to build trust and make health and wellness accessible to all. By fostering inclusivity and care, we work collaboratively to improve the well-being of our colleagues, customers, and communities.</div></div><div class="earcuposdescription"><div class="earcuposdescriptiontitle">The Role:</div><div class="earcuposdescriptionnote">The purpose of this role is to lead the development and delivery of the global new product strategy & 3-year NPD plans for Holland & Barrett's own brand product range in line with the business and category strategy for food and sports.  This role sits within the Group Product function and works hand in hand with our product integrity, science and commercial functions.  The vision for the business is to become the trusted partner for over 100 million people globally, to achieve their personal health and wellness goals, adding quality years to life and developing the H&B brand is a key element to this.  You will drive business performance by driving the range, quality & value perception of our own brand products globally. This role is instrumental in creating customer products and propositions that provide a continuous pipeline of unique & innovative health and wellness solutions across different categories. Key Responsibilities:<ul><li style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'open sans', sans-serif;">You will be responsible for driving the total H&B food and sports brand strategy for all existing and emerging categories.</li><li style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'open sans', sans-serif;">You will responsible for translating consumer, trend and market insight into product innovation strategies and rolling 3- 5-year NPD plans for the total H&B Branded food and sports range. </li><li style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'open sans', sans-serif;">You will be responsible for delivering the financial targets for the NPD pipeline and achieving the target customer metrics (adoption & retention).</li><li style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'open sans', sans-serif;">You will lead and work across multiple product categories and projects to work alongside your commercial and Non Food counter part to step change the H&B Brand with support of your product development team.</li><li style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'open sans', sans-serif;">You will ensure all product development delivers Holland & Barrett's brand purpose and promise.</li><li style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'open sans', sans-serif;">You will be responsible for working with our internal design studio to deliver best in class packaging designs which work within our company brand visual identity.</li><li style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'open sans', sans-serif;">You will develop globally compelling differentiated product propositions based on strong consumer insight, competitor and market knowledge that will drive long term value.</li><li style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'open sans', sans-serif;">You will lead the cross functional team to deliver each development from initial concept to finished product delivery, optimising all aspects of the customer proposition from product format to claims. This may include sourcing of new suppliers and onboarding.</li><li style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'open sans', sans-serif;">You will ensure all new products are delivered on time and within agreed budgets.</li><li style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'open sans', sans-serif;">You will support the wider product team to drive forward and align on the total product catalogue ensuring we maximise all cross-category opportunities and continue to drive the H&B brand forward. This may include mentoring of other product developers.</li><li style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'open sans', sans-serif;">You will be expected to be a product expert, keeping up to date with the latest global trends and understanding the supply base and manufacturing processes for all products.</li><li style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'open sans', sans-serif;">You will continually improve our total new product development process to optimise and find efficiencies to lead first to market development.</li><li style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'open sans', sans-serif;">You will work hand in hand with the Director of NPD, our nutrition and science team to set evolving frameworks to reflect the latest health landscape to ensure H&B branded products are relevant and efficacious using the latest ingredients.</li><li style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'open sans', sans-serif;">You will work alongside the Director of NPD to grow relationships with our global counter parts ensuring their customers and markets are considered when developing food and sports.</li></ul>Location: This is a hybrid role based in Nuneaton with requirements to be in the office at least twice a week</div></div><div class="earcuposdescription"><div class="earcuposdescriptiontitle">The Person:</div><div class="earcuposdescriptionnote"><ul><li style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'open sans', sans-serif;">Outstanding communication & influencing skills, comfortable presenting to all levels. </li><li style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'open sans', sans-serif;">Ability to lead, motivate and line manage a team. 5+ years experience of leading a team of minimum 4 people.   </li><li style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'open sans', sans-serif;">Highly driven, agile, and positive mindset for problem solving and delivering results.  </li><li style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'open sans', sans-serif;">Passionate about putting the customer at the heart of what we do and exceeding their expectations. </li><li style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'open sans', sans-serif;">A collaborative professional adept at building effective relationships and managing stakeholders.</li><li style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'open sans', sans-serif;">Results driven with strong attention to detail and a focus on quality. </li></ul>Qualifications and Experience <ul><li style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'open sans', sans-serif;">Extensive relevant branded product development experience within food and or drink. </li><li style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'open sans', sans-serif;">Knowledge of building a global brand </li><li style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'open sans', sans-serif;">A self-starter: comfortable leading multiple projects and implementing new processes.  </li><li style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'open sans', sans-serif;">Ability to manage multiple critical paths and see the bigger picture to deliver strategic results. </li><li style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'open sans', sans-serif;">Ability to engage and lead at any level including large groups of senior stakeholders. </li><li style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'open sans', sans-serif;">Experience leading large scale NPD projects from concept to launch which have delivered step changing commercial results.  </li><li style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'open sans', sans-serif;">Experienced in developing brand positioning, innovation strategies, three-year product plans & concepts. </li><li style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'open sans', sans-serif;">Track record of developing compelling, strong selling products. </li><li style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'open sans', sans-serif;">Track record of implementing new business processes/creative thinking/supplier ways of working.  </li><li style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'open sans', sans-serif;">Strong line management skills </li></ul>Personal Attributes <ul><li style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'open sans', sans-serif;">Passionate about product development and all things food and drink.   </li><li style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'open sans', sans-serif;">An innovation mindset - championing new ideas and opportunities.  </li><li style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'open sans', sans-serif;">A catalyst to change, always looking for better ways to deliver for the business </li><li style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'open sans', sans-serif;">Ability to work within ambiguity but drive for change and resolution.  </li><li style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'open sans', sans-serif;">Creating calm and clarity for the team and all stakeholders  </li><li style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'open sans', sans-serif;">An inquisitive researcher, curious about products, people and trends  </li><li style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'open sans', sans-serif;">A problem-solver mindset </li><li style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'open sans', sans-serif;">A creative thinker & solution finder </li></ul></div></div><div class="earcuposdescription"><div class="earcuposdescriptiontitle">What we offer:</div><div class="earcuposdescriptionnote">Our Benefits for this role include, but not limited to:<ul><li style="font-size: 11pt;">H&B Employee Discount - 25%</li><li style="font-size: 11pt;">Bonus</li><li style="font-size: 11pt;">Pension company contribution</li><li style="font-size: 11pt;">33 Days Holiday per year (Inclusive of bank holidays)</li><li style="font-size: 11pt;">Private Medical Care</li><li style="font-size: 11pt;">Exclusive benefits, free advice and savings from a range of retailers and providers</li><li style="font-size: 11pt;">Electric Car Scheme</li></ul>We're passionate about helping every colleague thrive across all dimensions of wellbeing, and we're committed to having a diverse and inclusive workplace. In line with our EPIC values (Expertise, Pioneering, Inclusive, Caring), we embrace and actively celebrate all our colleagues' unique and varying experiences, backgrounds, identities and cultures - I am me, we are H&B.  </div></div><div class="earcuposdescription"><div class="earcu_posdescriptionnote">Holland & Barrett does not accept unsolicited resumes from search firms/recruiters. Please do not forward resumes to our job alias, employees, or any other company location. Holland & Barrett is not and will not be responsible for any fees if a candidate submitted by a search firm/recruiter unless otherwise agreed with respect to specific open position(s).  #LI-Hybrid #LI-JK2</div></div>

Holland Barrett