New Product Development Controller

The Compleat Food Group Limited; Bristol; Hybrid; GBP 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading food development company in Bristol is looking for an experienced Product Development Controller to lead product delivery and drive innovation across key retail customers. This role requires significant experience in UK retail product development and a deep understanding of the product launch processes. Key responsibilities include managing cross-functional teams and ensuring the delivery of high-quality products that meet commercial objectives. The position offers a competitive salary and benefits, including hybrid working options.

Benefits

Car allowance

33 days holiday including bank holidays

Gym discounts

Employee wellbeing support

Online retail discount scheme

Qualifications

• Significant experience within UK retailer product development.
• Deep understanding of end-to-end product launch processes.
• Strong knowledge of UK and European food legislation.

Responsibilities

• Lead product development delivery across allocated customers.
• Build partnerships and resolve issues with key customers.
• Drive excellence in product launch ensuring technical feasibility.

Skills

Experience in UK retailer product development

Strong communication skills

Leadership capability

Strong commercial acumen

Sound analytical skills

Education

Degree in a food-related discipline

Tools

Recipe Professor

Word

Excel

PowerPoint

Teams

Job description

Salary: c£60k + Car Allow and Competitive Benefits

New Product Development Controller

The Compleat Food Group

Base site: Bristol + hybrid working and UK travel

Salary c£60k+ + car allowance and benefits

We have an exciting opportunity for a Product Development Controller to join our expert NPD team at The Compleat Food Group. This is a multi location high-impact role for an experienced NPD professional who thrives in a fast-paced, customer-driven FMCG environment and is ready to operate with greater strategic influence.

You will provide senior leadership across the end-to-end product development lifecycle, shaping customer and brand innovation agendas while ensuring delivery against quality, commercial and strategic objectives. Acting as a trusted partner to key retail customers and internal stakeholders, you will play a critical role in driving category leadership and sustainable growth.

Who We Are

At The Compleat Food Group, our purpose is simple: to create Food to Feel Good. We believe great food should be delicious, responsible and positive for people and the planet. With over 6,000 colleagues across the Group, we develop exceptional products for leading UK retailers and our own exciting brands, including Wall’s Pastry, Squeaky Bean and Unearthed. Our people, passion and ambition are at the heart of everything we do.

The Role

As a Product Development Controller, you will:

• Take full accountability for product development delivery across allocated customers, brands or sites, ensuring pace, quality and commercial rigour.
• Lead development activity in line with The Compleat Food Group and customer strategies, consistently meeting margin, cost and profitability targets.
• Act as the senior point of contact for key customers, building strong, credible partnerships and proactively resolving issues.
• Provide leadership across cross-functional teams, collaborating closely with Insight, Category, Technical, Operations and Commercial teams.
• Translate consumer insight, market trends and food expertise into compelling product concepts that strengthen category leadership.
• Drive excellence through the Product Launch Process, ensuring technical feasibility, supply chain readiness and commercial viability.
• Oversee sourcing strategies for new raw materials and finished products, working closely with suppliers to deliver innovation at scale.
• Represent NPD at senior forums, contributing from brief through launch and post-launch review, ensuring learning is captured and applied.
• Coach and support the development team, role-modelling high standards and fostering a collaborative, high-performance culture.

Skills, Experience and Qualifications

• Degree in a food-related discipline (desirable).
• Significant experience within UK retailer product development, operating at a lead level.
• Deep understanding of end-to-end product launch processes within a complex chilled food environment.
• Strong commercial acumen with the ability to balance innovation, cost, margin and speed to market.
• Excellent communication and influencing skills, confident engaging senior internal and external stakeholders.
• Proven leadership capability, with strong planning, project management and organisational skills.
• Sound analytical and numeracy skills, with high attention to detail.
• Solid IT capability (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams; Recipe Professor desirable).
• Strong knowledge of UK and European food legislation and regulatory requirements.
• Full UK driving licence essential.

Working Pattern & Location

Monday to Thursday: 08:30 – 17:00

Friday: 08:30 – 16:00

Flexible on location but will have weekly travel to Bristol, other key sites and customers.

33 days holiday (including bank holidays)

Free parking

Two paid volunteering days per year

Online and high-street retail discount scheme

Employee wellbeing and community support groups

Extensive learning and development opportunities via our online LMS

Charity initiatives and team events

24/7 access to Grocery Aid (financial, emotional and practical support)

Physical wellbeing support including exercise hub and gym discounts

Financial wellbeing tools and holiday discounts

Inclusion & Belonging

At The Compleat Food Group, we foster an inclusive, respectful culture where everyone feels safe, supported and valued. We believe diverse perspectives drive better outcomes and a stronger workplace.

As an equal opportunities employer, we are committed to fairness, equity, inclusivity and respect. We welcome conversations about accessibility or adjustments throughout the recruitment process.