Job Summary 
We have an exciting opportunity for a real foodie and NPD Technologist to join our team at Florette in Lichfield. As a key member of our NPD team, you will lead the development of new and modified products for our Florette brand and Own label customers. 

About Us 
Florette is one of three UK food manufacturing factories owned by the French co-operative group, Agrial. Agrial has operations across 18 regions, with 280 farming outlets and 5 different divisions, which comprise Beverage, Dairy, Meat, Fresh Produce & Agricultural operations; it’s not just about lettuce! As well as the 3 factories we also have a farming operation – Agrial Fresh Farms. All UK sites operate under the name of Agrial Fresh Produce Limited and fall under Agrial's vegetable division. 
The business is more recognisable in the UK by its Florette salad brand and we are now one of the UK’s leading producers in the industry. Under the Florette brand, our site processes and distributes pre-packed, ready to eat fresh salad bags to well-known retailers in the UK. We have a recipe for success through our EPIC values and working together as one team. 

Main Responsibilities 
•    Manage projects of product development, following the established procedure within deadlines and the launch plan as defined by key stakeholders or the customer. 
•    Responsibility for organising trials, shelf life, samples, and industrial validations for all Florette projects.
•    Liaise with all factory departments for the development of new products from feasibility to launch.  
•    Manage new product development for the Florette brand following briefs from the marketing department 
•    Organise product showcase to bring new food trends and ideas to the wider team. 
•    Provide all relevant departments with information to create quality and technical documents regarding launch of products in the factory.
•    Research new ideas and trends and communicate those ideas to Category, Marketing, Commercial and NPD colleagues.
•    Monitor products after launching following the post launch review procedure.
•    Report on project progress to Head of NPD. 

Skills and Experience Required 
•    Ideally educated to degree level in a Food Science/ Technology or a related discipline.
•    Minimum of 2 years’ experience working within an NPD department with experience of the development of Chilled/Short shelf life products, Shelf life analysis, Product sampling, Factory Trials, Product Costings
•    Leading role in new product development projects, developing products from concept to launch
•    Good IT and communication skills 

What You Will Get In Return  
A competitive salary commensurate with your experience, inclusion in our annual bonus scheme and a range of employee benefits you’d expect from a market leading business, including:
•    Life Assurance - three times your basic salary paid to your nominated beneficiary.
•    Access to our Employee Assistance Programme: providing a Remote GP service along with a 24/7 helpline for financial, legal, medical and life issues.
•    A flexible & competitive annual leave entitlement that increases with service and offers an option to purchase additional holiday.
•    Personalised training and development.
•    Employee discount and salary finance schemes. 
•    Recognition awards and an annual volunteering day 

Next Steps 
It’s an exciting time to join our business! We’re looking for positive and innovative people to join our professional team. If you have the skills and experience we are looking for, and want a fresh challenge we would love for you to join us on our journey!  

Note to recruitment agencies: this role is being handled by the company HR team and no agency contact is required. 

Agrial Fresh Produce reserve the right to close this vacancy once we have received sufficient applications. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.

We are committed to supporting the mental health and wellbeing of all of our staff. That’s why we’ve taken the Mental Health at Work Commitment and are currently delivering a programme of activities to ensure that everyone can have open and honest conversations about their wellbeing in the workplace and feel supported. We encourage applications from persons with experience of poor mental health and are committed to supporting our employees to fulfil their potential and perform at their best in work.

Agrial Fresh Produce Ltd is an Equal Opportunities employer. In addition, as part of Responsible Recruitment, Agrial Fresh Produce Ltd believes in the Employer Pay Principle. No worker should pay for a job – the costs of recruitment should be borne not by the worker but by the employer. 

VISA Sponsorship: We are unable to provide VISA sponsorship, and therefore cannot employ anyone who does not have the legal right to live and work in the UK. Our recruitment process will ask you to provide evidence of your Right to Work in the UK.